"Boom--!"
It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in Haruko's mind.
She stood there, stunned, her eyes involuntarily turning to the figure on the court.
That red-haired boy who always proclaimed himself a genius, laughed like a fool, would get frustrated after making mistakes, but was always full of energy.
basketball----
Me?
choose----
I?
The thought had never appeared in her mind so strongly.
Previously, she only thought of Sakuragi as an interesting and hardworking teammate, the life of the party in the basketball team.
But at this moment, Kawamoto's words were like a key, suddenly unlocking a door in her heart that had always been closed.
"That guy..."
Kawamoto's voice continued.
"Although she seems simple-minded, carefree, sometimes like a clueless fool, prone to causing trouble, and prone to boasting—"
"But it is precisely this kind of person who can fight tooth and nail for basketball, endure anything to become stronger, and even stand against the whole world like the fools in those stories who protect what is most important to them."
"But he alone will not hurt you, nor will he let anything hurt you."
"In his simple yet persistent heart, your importance is probably greater than he imagines, even greater than a basketball."
These words pierced Haruko's heart, word by word.
She remembered the light in Sakuragi's eyes whenever he saw her, his jealousy and tantrums because she paid attention to Kaede Rukawa, how he would always subconsciously look in her direction after every hard-fought practice and match, and that near-hysterical outburst at the alleyway—
Those details she had overlooked, those she thought were just Sakuragi- kun being silly, suddenly came flooding back like a tide.
However, it carries a completely new meaning.
Kawamoto concluded, his gaze regaining its firmness and gentleness. "Give him some time, Haruko. He'll make mistakes, take detours, and make fools of himself. But believe me, he'll grow and become reliable."
"His heart, beating with the desire to protect what is important to him, will drive him to become incredibly strong."
"He will become one of the greatest basketball players in Japan, and even the world."
"And perhaps, it all started with you."
After speaking, Kawamoto nodded slightly to Haruko, who was still in shock.
He picked up the basketball, turned around, and walked to another corner to continue practicing.
Haruko was left standing there alone, her heart surging with emotion, unable to calm down for a long time.
Ayako returned at some point and gently put her arm around Haruko's shoulder.
She looked at the energetic red-haired boy on the field, then at her best friend who seemed to have just woken up, and a knowing smile appeared on her face.
The sound of the basketball hitting the ground, the shouts of teammates, Hanamichi Sakuragi's loud cry of "Hahaha, this genius will definitely score this time!"
All the sounds blended together and flooded into Haruko's ears.
But her own light could never be taken away from that figure.
A seed was quietly planted in the girl's heart, unnoticed by today's unexpected conversation.
The result of the intra-team scrimmages was unexpected by everyone.
With Kawamoto Kazuki suspended, the upperclassmen and lowerclassmen played a surprisingly close game, with the score remaining tight.
The experiences and projections of Akagi and Mitsui, along with Miyagi's role in connecting the dots, constitute a solid system for the upperclassmen.
Kogure's ability to capitalize on open spaces and Kakuta's solid cover proved crucial, repeatedly proving effective.
Meanwhile, the younger students displayed astonishing energy and talent.
Hanamichi Sakuragi's tireless running and increasingly solid positioning made things difficult for Akagi as well.
After receiving passes from Yasuda or Shiozaki several times, he made 3 out of 4 mid-range jump shots near the free-throw line, shocking everyone, including himself.
"Look, see that?! This is this genius's secret weapon!"
Sakuragi was smug, but was immediately hit in the face by a three-pointer from Mitsui.
Kaede Rukawa remained the same ruthless scoring machine, frequently scoring with his speed and skill despite being repeatedly defended by Kogure and Kakuta.
However, when he occasionally glanced at Kawamoto practicing alone on the sidelines, a fleeting, almost imperceptible thought would flash in his eyes.
Although Koichiro Nango couldn't gain an advantage against Akagi in the paint, his excellent athleticism and explosiveness, along with several brilliant putbacks and blocks, were a pleasant surprise.
Yasuda and Shiozaki played their roles as porters and blue-collar workers very well.
Ultimately, thanks to Hisashi Mitsui's three-pointer in the final moments of the game, the senior students narrowly won with a score of 48-46.
"Whew... whew... these kids are really tough to deal with..."
Mitsui, supporting himself on his knees, gasped for breath, but a carefree smile graced his face.
"Damn it! So close!"
Sakuragi pounded the ground in frustration, but his eyes burned with an even stronger fighting spirit.
"Well played."
Akagi patted Sakuragi and Rukawa on the shoulder, his eyes filled with satisfaction.
The more intense the competition within a team, the stronger the team's overall strength will be.
Shohoku's depth and potential were perfectly tested in this intra-squad match.
Everyone has found their place and seen areas for improvement.
The training session ended, and everyone left, exhausted but satisfied.
A new battle awaits them tomorrow at 10 AM.
Their opponent in this battle Takezato, is the only weak team among the four strongest teams in Kanagawa.
It was destined to be a massacre.
With only two matches left in the county competition, he wanted to give his teammates more room to perform.
Anzai refused Kawamoto's request.
This renowned coach, whose fighting spirit has been reignited, has unusually revealed a utilitarian side.
" Kawamoto, although your scoring almost guarantees you the top scorer in Kanagawa this year, anything can happen in basketball. Let's play half a game to solidify your scoring."
Kanagawa's top scorer?
Kawamoto remained expressionless.
He had no interest in honors, not to mention that the scoring champion in Kanagawa high school basketball is just a piece of paper.
If there were a prize of 10,000 yen, he would spare no effort to smash the basketball hoop in Takezato.
Mitsui was quite obsessed with scoring, so the two hit it off immediately.
Kawamoto's wildest assist ability in Kanagawa has arrived.
In the entire 40 minutes, he provided a staggering 35 assists, leaving Mitsui completely exhausted from shooting.
In the first 20 minutes, Mitsui attempted 18 three-pointers, making 12, and made 2 of 2 mid-range shots, scoring an explosive 40 points.
Unfortunately, due to his advanced age and declining health, he was unable to play in the second half and could only watch as Sakuragi and Rukawa scored frequently, and even Miyagi scored 8 points with a pull-up jumper.
On the contrary, Kawamoto only scored 4 points throughout the game, all of which were from free throws.
Shohoku swept Takezato at 158:21.
Apart from Maki, the people from Kainan and Ryonan had long lost interest in watching Shohoku.
After this match ends, their do-or-die game will start right at 12 o'clock.
Whoever wins goes to the national tournament, it's that simple.
Although there are still matches between Ryonan and Shohoku that haven't been played yet.
But anyone with a discerning eye knows that the outcome is no longer in doubt.