" Hisashi Mitsui's outside shooting threat is no less than that of Jin, and his unpredictable shooting touch in crucial moments is even better."
" Kaede Rukawa's individual one-on-one ability completely surpasses Kiyota's; his phenomenal performance in the first half of today's game is proof of that."
"Once activated, he even requires two people to keep an eye on him."
" Takenori Akagi's consistent Takasago on both ends of the court is the source of Shohoku's courage to take shots."
"Although Ryota Miyagi's height is a weakness, we can't completely leave him open because of his speed and ability to break through and pass."
"Moreover, this isn't even Shohoku's strongest lineup."
Riki Takato slammed his hand on the tactical board. " Hanamichi Sakuragi and Nango are still sitting on their bench."
" Nango is unable to play due to restrictions, so let's leave that aside for now."
"As you all saw, against Shoyo, Sakuragi's rebounding ability was even comparable to Akagi's, and he also had a troublesome mid-range shot and finishing ability around the basket. In comparison, we—"
Riki Takato didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.
"Basketball is a team sport, that's true."
Riki Takato's voice lowered, carrying an almost resigned rationality. "But when the opposing team has a monster like Kawamoto, who is top-notch in every aspect of offense and defense, and then pairs him with four first-rate teammates who complement each other and have no obvious weaknesses—"
He looked up at the despair in his teammates' eyes. "We can't leave any of them open, we even have to use two or three people to surround Kawamoto, who we might still not be able to stop—how are we supposed to play this game?"
Maki fell silent; only the faint sound of the air conditioner running could be heard in the locker room.
After a long pause, Maki raised his head, a final trace of resentment in his eyes, and asked the question that mattered most to him at that moment, "Coach, is this Shohoku team really stronger than Sannoh Industrial High School?"
" Sannoh?"
A glint flashed in Riki Takato's eyes, as if the question had sparked a deep analytical desire within him.
He nodded, then shook his head.
"They may not be Sannoh overall, but Kawamoto is the ultimate variable that even Sannoh cannot solve."
He began to rapidly simulate the game, as if he were mentally rehearsing the match.
" Masashi Kawata can perfectly suppress, and even completely dominate, Akagi in a matchup."
" Kazunari Fukatsu, while defending smaller players isn't his strongest suit, he was able to contain you last year, so he shouldn't be too far behind in defending Miyagi. After all, he's the best point guard in the country."
" Satoshi Ichinokura, a stick-stick defensive expert and a monster of endurance, if he goes to entangle Hisashi Mitsui, Mitsui's outside firepower will likely be completely frozen."
" Masahiro Nobe is a master of rebounding and positioning. No matter how talented Hanamichi Sakuragi is, his lack of experience means he probably won't have an advantage against Nobe."
" Eiji Sawakita vs. Kaede Rukawa ----"
Riki Takato paused.
"The result is without a doubt; Sawakita will completely crush the current Kaede Rukawa."
With each matchup he mentioned, the Kainan players' hearts sank a little deeper, yet a twisted expectation arose that Sannoh could punish Shohoku.
"But."
Riki Takato abruptly changed the subject, his pen once again firmly fixed on the red tile representing Kawamoto, his voice tinged with helplessness. "The problem lies with Kawamoto Kazuki, which position does he play?"
"If he plays point guard, Kazunari Fukatsu will become the most obvious weakness in Sannoh's defense, exploited by his height, strength, and..."
Complete technological superiority.
"If he plays power forward, can Nobe Masahiro Nobe's positioning skills still get him rebounds against such overwhelming physical talent and athleticism?"
"He plays shooting guard, Satoshi Ichinokura? He'll make this defensive specialist question his existence from beyond the three-point line."
He plays small forward----
Riki Takato Eiji Sawakita is very strong, and is recognized as the best high school player in the country. But does Sawakita have the absolute physical advantage of Kawamoto? Does he have the same three-point shooting ability that ignores defense? On both offense and defense, Sawakita may not be able to change the fact that he is suppressed."
He surveyed the silent locker room and delivered his final conclusion.
" Shohoku is not as good as Sannoh, but Kawamoto is better than Sannoh!"
"In my opinion, Kawamoto Kazuki is the best player in the country, no matter what position he plays. Yes, including center. Although I've never seen him play center, I have no doubt that his height, strength, defensive awareness, and rebounding instincts—if he wanted to, he could also become a top-tier interior defender."
"No matter how perfect Sannoh's system is, or how strong their players are, they can only reach their peak within the realm of high school students. But Kawamoto— "
Riki Takato put down his pen with a wry smile.
"What he has shown has gone beyond that scope. He is the ultimate variable in the Shohoku lineup, who cannot be measured by conventional roles or limited by conventional tactics."
"It is your misfortune to be born in the same era as him."
Riki Takato glanced at Maki one last time, then at the other team members. "But you're also lucky. At least you've witnessed firsthand what the right direction for your efforts should be."
The locker room fell silent once more.
But this time, the deathly silence was not just filled with despair, but also with a sense of relief that came from being crushed by a higher level of existence.
Losing to such an opponent doesn't seem so unacceptable anymore.
"Alright, don't think about it too much, the game isn't over yet."
"Seize the opportunity to fight Kawamoto, to experience and learn from it; such opportunities may not come around often."
"Don't forget, even if it's hopeless, we will not give up until the very last moment."
"Because we are from Kainan!"
The whistle blew for the second half, and a white wave swept across the field once again.
In everyone's eyes burned a flame of resentment.
That was the final dignity of a king—to do what he knew was impossible.
"Defense! Defense! Defense!"
Maki's roar was almost tearing his throat apart; he pounced on Kawamoto like an enraged lion.
His breakthroughs were even more ferocious.
Even if Kawamoto held them off tightly, even if they made more mistakes.
Time and again, he charged into Shohoku's restricted area with his bare hands, using the most primal methods to score points and inflict damage.
Sweat, panting, and the muffled thuds of impacts were proof of his indomitable spirit.
"Let's fight! Let's fight them!"
Nobunaga Kiyota's hair was already soaked with sweat. Like a tireless fighting dog, he relentlessly pursued Kaede Rukawa, chasing after him again and again even after being beaten by him.
His defensive moves became increasingly aggressive, and the arrogance in his eyes was replaced by an almost obsessive persistence.
He stopped thinking about being the number one newcomer in Kanagawa; all he wanted was to take a piece of flesh from this fox at this moment.
"Throw! Jin! Throw!"
Kazuma Takasago battled Akagi in the paint, giving his all in every battle for position and every jump as if he wanted to exhaust every last bit of strength.
He held Akagi firmly behind him, providing cover for his teammates and creating that sliver of an opening for Jin.
"Mine! The backboard is mine!"
Even as the score gap widened, his roars never stopped.
Every Kainan player who took to the field ran, fought, and made saves on the floor balls like a madman.
Their stamina was rapidly waning, their movements were becoming distorted, but their eyes remained fierce, and their fighting spirit remained high.
Point difference?
Those cold, hard numbers seem unimportant now. What matters is that they are still fighting, still giving their all to defend the last vestiges of pride of "King Kainan ".
In the audience, countless people were moved by this tragic yet passionate atmosphere.
Some emotional viewers even had tears in their eyes.
This is Kainan, the champion who has entered the national competition for seventeen consecutive years!
Even when faced with invincible monsters, they never considered kneeling down.
They chose to stand, sweating until their last drop, fighting to the very last second!
"This is Kainan!"
"Keep going, Kainan! Don't give up!"
Amidst the cheers, Shohoku showed their opponents the utmost respect.
We will fight with all our might.