The referee tossed the ball into the air.
Akio Kawasaki bent his knees in preparation for jumping, Kawamoto Kazuki had already leaped into the air with a bang!
His jumping speed and height completely overwhelmed Akio Kawasaki.
Akio Kawasaki didn't even have time to fully extend his arm before the basketball was tipped towards Shohoku's half of the court by Kawamoto at its highest point.
Kiminobu Kogure caught the ball somewhat clumsily, clearly not yet fully adapted to the opening rhythm.
However, a white figure shot straight forward like an arrow.
It's Kawamoto Kazuki.
Without pausing after landing from the jump ball, he sprinted at full speed!
" Kogure- senpai!"
Kawamoto shouted almost simultaneously as he ran.
Kogure almost instinctively pushed the ball forward with all his might.
The ball speed wasn't fast, but the trajectory was very accurate.
Kawamoto received the ball calmly outside the three-point line.
An empty seat appeared in front of him.
The people at Miuradai seemed to be still in a daze.
Center Akio Kawasaki was even behind Kawamoto.
He paused for a moment when he saw Kawamoto calling for the ball beyond the three-point line.
Isn't this guy a center?
Why is he calling for the ball outside the three-point line instead of posting up?
His thoughts hadn't even finished processing.
Kawamoto has already jumped and released his shot.
The basketball flew from his fingertips, tracing a rainbow.
"Whoosh--!"
Hollow-core netting!
3:0!
Just five seconds into the game, Shohoku took the lead, scoring three points.
The entire stadium seemed to be paused, instantly falling into an eerie silence.
The relaxed, spectator-like expressions on the faces of the crowd in the Ryonan grandstand area instantly froze.
Uozumi stared wide-eyed, speechless.
"Three... three points?" Tomoyuki Uekusa stammered.
"Could it be... that shot in the practice match wasn't a fluke?"
Hiroaki Koshino murmured, recalling Kawamoto's equally clean three-pointer in that practice match.
Akira Sendoh narrowed his eyes slightly.
"So his specialty is three-pointers? I wonder how accurate he is..."
One or two three-pointers don't tell you a player's three-point shooting ability.
On the Shohoku bench, Hisashi Mitsui, extremely unhappy about not getting to play, suddenly stood up.
His eyes were fixed on Kawamoto Kazuki had already returned to defense.
That was a very fast strike!
Moreover, his shooting form hardly needs any adjustments.
Especially after shooting, he didn't even look at the basket before turning around to go back on defense.
Is this unwavering confidence in taking three-pointers what you'd expect from a power forward?
That makes absolutely no sense.
What annoyed Mitsui even more was Kawamoto's reaction after making the three-pointer.
That bastard's face showed absolutely no excitement, not even a hint of emotion.
It was as if the shot had just missed completely.
Mitsui couldn't help but think of how he would make a crooked face and stick out three fingers to strike a pose after scoring a goal...
He suddenly felt like a clown.
"Damn it, what's with the cool act..."
Mitsui muttered a curse under his breath.
The expressions on the faces of the Miuradai players on the field also changed.
Kengo Murasame gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm. "It's nothing, just a three-pointer, it was probably just a lucky shot. It's our turn to attack. Araki will pass me the ball in a bit, then I'll take the shot."
Point guard Kazuo Araki nodded, received the inbound pass from the baseline, and cautiously advanced forward.
He had just dribbled the ball across half-court and reached the top of the key, preparing to observe his teammates' movements...
Suddenly a white shadow flashed before my eyes...
The speed was far beyond his visual perception.
Araki suddenly felt his hand lighten, and the basketball he was dribbling disappeared!
"There's a ghost!"
He turned around in horror.
Without pausing, the white figure wearing number 15 rose into the air from beyond the three-point line in Miuradai's half of the court!
Bend your knees and shake your wrists.
It was another fatal arc, almost exactly the same as the one before.
"Whoosh--!"
Another win!
6:0!
Less than 20 seconds into the game, Shohoku scored 6 points.
"Asshole!"
Kengo Murasame's face was ashen. He roared at the bewildered Araki, " Araki, what are you doing? Don't let your guard down!"
Kazuo Araki felt his face burning.
He took the serve from the baseline again, his eyes becoming serious.
He's determined to get his revenge this time, no matter what!
He dribbled the ball across half-court, and that annoying number 15 from Shohoku came right up to him again.
This time, Araki carefully controlled the ball, watching Kawamoto Kazuki.
Araki did not pass the ball immediately.
He decided to take this shot one-on-one.
He wanted to prove his worth as the starting point guard for Miuradai against this arrogant freshman.
Araki dribbled the ball between his legs rapidly and continuously, changing his rhythm constantly.
However, Kawamoto seemed not to notice, and his body remained completely unbiased.
Now!
The basketball was slammed violently from Kazuo Araki's right hand to the floor, ready to be passed to his left hand.
At the same time, he shifted his body weight to the left, preparing to overpower Kawamoto Kazuki from the left.
However, at the very moment he blasted the ball, Kawamoto, who had remained still, moved.
Instead of shifting his weight to follow Araki's movements, he strangely took a half-step back to his right rear.
This half-step, however, blocked the breakthrough route in Araki's plan.
Araki's explosive power has been unleashed.
However, they found that what lay before them was not the expected opening to break through, but rather a wider defensive zone created by the opponent's retreat.
His momentum was instantly halted.
Araki wasn't flustered; instead, he was somewhat delighted.
Is it better to defend against assaults but not throws?
They actually gave me an empty seat!
He's just a first-grader, still too green!
His extensive experience in the competition led him to immediately make his second choice.
Since the breakthrough route has been predicted to be blocked, then surrender!
He suddenly stopped, the basketball dribbled between his legs once, and then bounced up in the air.
He jumps very quickly and his release point is also quite high.
But he was fast, and Kawamoto was even faster!
Just as Araki jumped and the basketball slipped from his fingertips...
Kawamoto had already leaped high into the air, his arms outstretched, and his palm slapped the basketball, which had not yet gained enough height, with perfect precision.
With a snap!
Kawamoto's hand swatted the ball away through the air.
The basketball whistled as it flew towards Miuradai's backcourt.
Kawamoto, having completed the block, landed without hesitation, forcefully pushing off the floor with his right foot and chasing after the flying basketball.
His speed exploded at that moment, and he caught up with the basketball before it bounced a second time.
The Miuradai team members were completely stunned.
Araki, still in his shooting stance, looked back with utter bewilderment on his face.
Everyone could only watch helplessly as that white lightning bolt arrived once again beyond the three-point line.
That place seemed to have become his exclusive domain.
Same movement, same arc.
The basketball traced that arc for the third time, making the hearts of everyone at Miuradai stop.
"Whoosh--!"
It was the sound of a hollow object entering the net again.
9:0!
It had only been half a minute since the start.
Kawamoto Kazuki's individual stats have now reached 9 points, 1 steal, and 1 block.
The entire room fell silent once again.
A suffocating atmosphere enveloped the entire county stadium.
All eyes were focused on Shohoku's number 15, who had already turned back to defend and whose face showed no emotion.
Ryota Miyagi looked at Takenori Akagi, who had the same expression, with disbelief.
It took him a while to finally squeeze out a sentence: "This is... the same 'water cooler' you were talking about, Akagi- boss... who can't steal the ball... and has mediocre defense?"
When did the water level in our Shohoku water dispenser get so high?
Hisashi Mitsui plopped back down on the bench and rubbed his face vigorously with both hands.
He suddenly realized that his previous idea of teaching this guy a lesson with basketball was even more ridiculous than picking a fight with him.
He even began to doubt whether it was right or wrong for him to muster the courage to return to the Shohoku Basketball Team.
With that Kawamoto Kazuki around, do I even have a chance to show my face?
Damn it, I should have gone to Shoyo. At least I could have made an appearance in the county competition.
I don't know if it's too late to go now...
Jun Uozumi's fists clenched so tightly in the Ryonan stands that they cracked.
Shohoku has gained another incredible player!
Akira Sendoh's expression was more solemn than ever before.
It looks like tickets to this year's national competition won't be easy to get.
Hikoichi Aida's pen and notebook had long since fallen to the ground.
Hiroaki Koshino and Tomoyuki Uekusa looked at each other, their eyes seemingly exchanging a conversation.
Tomoyuki Uekusa: Koshino, are you really that strong now? You managed to get this monster to only score 5 points in the practice race?
Hiroaki Koshino: Huh? Am I that strong?
Ikegami's mind was racing. If he were on the field, could he stop this guy?
Or... maybe...
The faces of the Miuradai players on the court, especially captain Kengo Murasame and Kazuo Araki, who had just been brutally stolen and blocked, were extremely Kazuo Araki.
Less than half a minute into the game, a 9-0 deficit left them both ashamed and furious.
What happened to the promise of easily sending Shohoku home?
How did it turn into a personal showcase for Shohoku's rookie number 15?!
Did they pay sponsorship fees for their backdrop?
"Damn it, that wretched brat!"
Murasame shouted angrily, "Switch! I'll defend him myself!"