She is known for her keen observation and analytical skills.
She has covered many matches and witnessed countless brilliant goals.
But Kawamoto's movements were so fast that her brain barely had time to process them.
Every feint was realistic, every change of direction was deadly, and the final decision was terrifyingly calm.
This is simply not the offensive arsenal and basketball IQ expected of a Japan high school player!
Kainan's substitute bench.
Coach Riki Takato forgot to wave the paper fan in his hand.
For the first time, the composed smile on his face vanished completely, leaving only extreme shock and solemnity.
He anticipated that Kawamoto would bombard the team with three-pointers, overpower opponents with his physicality, and even energize the entire team with his passing.
But what he didn't expect was that this tall guard, who seemed to rely on his physique to play basketball, actually possessed such delicate, versatile, and efficient face-up driving skills!
Even now, Maki might not be able to execute that set of movements so smoothly and deceptively.
This is not just talent; it is an offensive skill honed through countless trials until it becomes second nature.
His previous defensive setup resulted in a fatal misjudgment in the face of the opponent's sudden killing move.
On the field, the Kainan players felt it most directly.
Nobunaga Kiyota was still in the position of turning around and chasing back after being passed, his face full of disbelief.
He actually got away with it just because of such a simple stroke of bad luck?
Tadashi Muto stared at his empty hand, unable to believe that Maki Kawamoto managed to break through their encirclement in that manner.
After landing, Kazuma Takasago touched the spot where he had been stuck.
That power and control made even a center like him feel a chill.
As Shinichi Maki watched Kawamoto's retreating figure, a monstrous surge of emotion welled up in the depths of his eyes.
That last defensive play was absolutely perfect – anticipation, sliding, and physical contact.
However, the opponent's superior rhythm control, realistic feints, and adaptability created an impossible space for him to shoot.
This isn't about physical strength; it's about a legitimate, technical breakthrough.
This opponent----
It was far more comprehensive and terrifying than he had imagined.
Shohoku bench.
Hanamichi Sakuragi sprang up from the bench, pointing at the court, his mouth agape. "That, that's Kawamoto- nii? His, those moves just now—so cool! I didn't know you could fight like that besides just charging in?"
Kiminobu Kogure pushed up his slipping glasses, his voice a little hoarse. "I—I've never seen Kawamoto use such a complex breakthrough move in training—"
He always thought that Kawamoto's breakthroughs relied on speed and power to overpower opponents.
Standing on the court, Ryota Miyagi, as the point guard, had the clearest view.
That entire sequence of movements, from receiving the ball to finishing, was flawless, with every frame perfectly timed.
This wasn't improvisation at all; it was a killer move that had been practiced countless times and deeply ingrained in muscle memory.
It turns out that Kawamoto's true terror lies not only in his defense and three-point shooting.
More importantly, he possesses a complete and well-concealed arsenal of offensive weapons.
Anzai's eyes crinkled slightly, and he once again broke into a hearty laugh.
This time, however, his smile carried a hint of "I knew it."
A breakthrough in positional warfare, a score achieved without relying on absolute talent, but rather showcasing ultimate skill.
It instantly upended everyone present.
The preconceived notions that opponents, teammates, spectators, and reporters have about the player Kawamoto Kazuki.
He's not just an iron gate on the defensive end, but also a grim reaper on the three-point line.
When needed, he can also be the sharpest weapon on the offensive end.
For the first time, Kainan's meticulously constructed defenses were dissected in this way, both elegantly and cruelly.
The game continued, with both sides exchanging attacks.
However, to Takato's surprise, Kawamoto, this attacking kaleidoscope, didn't continue his offensive onslaught after scoring two goals.
Moreover, they are shifting towards a more efficient team-based approach.
Compared to Kainan, Shohoku has a huge advantage in the paint, so they focus their attacks on the inside.
Kainan was not to be outdone; they were strong in three-pointers, so they played to their strengths and took more three-pointers.
Yayoi Aida has much higher qualifications than Sanae Nakagawa.
She watched the game, recovering from her initial shock, and then uttered a voice-over. "In the last game against Shoyo, Kawamoto of Shohoku hit 21 three-pointers in the first half, scoring a whopping 71 points. How come he's completely shut down his three-pointers against Kainan today?"
"Could it be because Nobunaga Kiyota's defense was too tight?"
Sanae Nakagawa smiled and said, "Perhaps Aida- senpai is speaking too soon. The match has only just begun, and Kawamoto's attacking power is already beyond doubt."
Yayoi Aida said, "Perhaps, but after watching the replay, Kawamoto's three-pointer was based on the premise that the rest of Shohoku sacrificed possession of the ball. To be honest, it seems like he was padding his stats."
"After all, Shoyo only has two strong points, so their offensive options are limited. Therefore, Shohoku's defense and steals will be targeted accordingly."
"But Kainan is different."
Sanae Nakagawa was a little angry, but her composure prevented her from getting angry. She could only look at Kawamoto and hope that he would start hitting his three-pointers.
Kawamoto, who was on the field at the time, was unaware of all this.
And even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
Over the years, his mentality has been tempered to be extremely strong. What does the questioning of a Basketball Weekly reporter matter?
The biggest temptation for him in the match against Kainan was to face Maki Shinichi Maki.
But now it seems there's no need to continue the fight.
In contrast, the match against Kainan is a rare opportunity for everyone in Shohoku.
His conversation with Anzai made him pay more attention to the mentality of veteran players.
Therefore, while ensuring victory, he will provide more support to the team, allowing his teammates to grow under pressure.
On the court, Kiyota stuck close to Kawamoto, and his movements were aggressive.
Unfortunately, Kawamoto believes that if a child scratches an itch...
Kiyota is indeed proactive, but his height is his biggest weakness.
Kawamoto could easily provide any support in front of Kiyota.
Kazuma Takasago is a player with high football intelligence, but his natural talent is limited.
They had almost no ability to resist Akagi's dominance, and Akagi repeatedly scored goals over their heads and grabbed rebounds.
However, Maki and Jin's attack power was very strong, and they almost never wasted any attack opportunities.
On the other hand, in Shohoku, Mitsui missed two shots under Jin's close marking.
Kaede Rukawa struggled to attack under Maki's defense.
Less than five minutes into the game, Kainan Shohoku 19-16.
Despite trailing in the score, Akagi's stats were impressive.
Akagi has already scored 10 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, and blocked 1 shot.
It's Kainan's turn to attack.
Facing Miyagi's defenses, Maki glanced at Muto beside him.
Miyagi was immediately distracted, and in that instant, Mu lowered his center of gravity and broke through with speed.
Upon reaching the three-point line, Mu didn't immediately start moving, nor did he even look at the basket.
Mitsui immediately stepped in to reinforce the defense.