Switching defense?
Araki glanced at Murasame; the captain's inexplicable confidence was radiating out again.
He didn't say much; being able to avoid facing Kawamoto was a welcome thing for him.
It was Miuradai's turn to attack.
Murasame received the ball in midfield, Kawamoto immediately closed in to defend.
Murasame dribbled between his legs repeatedly, attempting to disrupt Kawamoto with changes in speed and rhythm.
But Kawamoto sliding back and forth, half a body length away, always blocking his path to break through.
Murasame couldn't find an opportunity, and coupled with his rudimentary breakthrough technique, he dared not force an attack.
His eyes quickly scanned the area and he suddenly noticed that shooting guard Hiroshi Takatsu had temporarily shaken off Shohoku's number 8 by running, creating an open space.
He hesitated for a moment, but still passed the ball over.
The ball has just left my hand.
"Smack!"
A large hand made a precise stab.
Steal!
Kawamoto started at full speed, instantly bypassing Murasame, and stole the ball before rushing towards his usual shooting position in the Miuradai half of the court.
Caught off guard by the Miuradai, Kawamoto took his fourth open three-pointer amidst the despair in the eyes of his teammates.
"Whoosh--!"
12:0!
The fourth three-pointer!
"Asshole!"
Murasame was practically grinding his teeth to powder.
Did Shohoku's number 15 worship the fox spirit? How did he know I was going to pass it to Hiroshi Takatsu?
There was no time to complain to him; Miuradai continued serving from the baseline.
This time they learned their lesson and, after several quick passes, finally lobbed the ball to Akio Kawasaki in the paint.
Kawasaki used his height and strength to force his way past Satoru Kakuta, who was defending him, and turned to finish with a hook shot.
Before the ball could even be released, Murasame's roar almost cracked.
" Kawasaki! Watch out!"
But it was too late.
Just as Akio Kawasaki was about to shoot the ball, Kawamoto's help defense arrived.
He leaped into the air and swung out his giant hand.
"Smack!"
Another heartless block!
The basketball was swatted directly at Kiminobu Kogure, giving Shohoku another fast break opportunity.
This time, Miuradai's retreat was exceptionally desperate, and Murasame retreated like a madman.
Finally, just a step beyond the three-point line, he blocked Kawamoto's leisurely dribbling.
"Huff... huff..."
Murasame gasped for breath, arms outstretched, glaring fiercely at Kawamoto.
"That's enough, kid. You're not going to score that goal against my defense!"
He lowered his center of gravity slightly, focused intently, and vowed not to give Kawamoto an easy chance to make a move.
Kawamoto Kazuki seemed not to hear him, and didn't even bother to make eye contact.
Facing Murasame's defense, he began to dribble rhythmically.
Left, right, simple crossover dribbling.
Murasame kept his eyes glued to the basketball, not daring to relax for a moment.
Suddenly, during Kawamoto's dribbling, his body made an extremely subtle upward shoulder movement, while his left hand briefly hovered while dribbling.
The basketball didn't bounce immediately; it seemed to linger in his left hand.
Kawamoto's right hand also brushed towards the basketball in his left hand.
As his shoulders rose, his head tilted upwards slightly, and his gaze quickly swept towards the basket.
If Coach Rudy were here at this moment, he would definitely recognize this classic move.
Shammgod!
Unfortunately, Murasame was a rough and clumsy guy; how would he know this move?
His brain was working at lightning speed.
A momentary hovering dribble...
A slight shrugging of the shoulders...
His gaze quickly moved upwards...
The right hand about to clinch the ball...
Under the intense neural reflexes of high-speed confrontation, Murasame's brain transmits a signal like a conditioned reflex.
All these details combined lead to only one truth!
Damn it, Shohoku's number 15, he's going to shoot!
Please call me Kengo Edogawa!
Before Kengo Edogawa's brain could even continue thinking, his body had already made its most instinctive reaction.
He pushed off the ground with all his might and jumped to block the shot!
However, just as his feet left the ground...
Kawamoto, seemingly about to shoot, deftly pressed his left wrist downwards, and the suspended basketball was slammed heavily to the ground with a loud thud.
Murasame had already fallen, could only watch helplessly as Kawamoto easily jumped up in front of him.
Another three-pointer!
15:0!
"Ah--!"
Murasame let out a furious roar of resentment.
He'd been tricked!
He pounded his head hard.
Why the hell are you running this randomly for no reason?!
It was Miuradai's turn to attack.
Hiroshi Takatsu, the shooting guard for Miuradai Hiroshi Takatsu, stood outside the baseline with a basketball in his hand, his expression completely blank.
He glanced at the scoreboard: 15:0.
That's not the point. The point is, only 1 minute and 20 seconds have passed in the game?
Is the timer broken?
This is his fifth serve from the baseline.
What am I on the court?
Service guard?
He even thought he might as well just stand there, or simply pass the ball directly to the white number 15 on the other side, since the result would be the same anyway...
Disheartened, the ball was passed to Araki.
Point guard Kazuo Araki had just dribbled the ball past half-court when he saw Kawamoto's eyes fixed on the ball in his hands.
His hand trembled involuntarily.
Are you never going to stop?
I've already switched posts with Murasame!
He had no intention of confronting Kawamoto anymore and quickly passed the hot potato to Murasame.
Murasame catches the ball.
As captain, he knew that the team's morale had plummeted, and some players were even considering tanking.
He must score a goal immediately, even if it's just a free throw.
But in a one-on-one situation against this number 15 from Shohoku...
I really have no confidence!
Pass the ball...
Having just been humiliated and outmaneuvered, he lacked confidence in front of Kawamoto, who worshipped the fox Kawamoto.
Left with no other option, he made a gesture, calling for small forward Kazunari Miyamoto a high screen.
Miyamoto moved very actively and provided solid cover, successfully delaying Kawamoto's pursuit.
Murasame took advantage of this brief opening to shake off Kawamoto's entanglement near the free-throw line, gaining space that wasn't great but was enough for a mid-range shot.
Without hesitation, he jumped and shot the ball.
However, his movements were still somewhat distorted due to his haste.
"Rebound!"
The moment the ball left his hand, Murasame sensed something was wrong and immediately yelled.
The basketball bounced high off the front edge of the rim, just as expected.
Under the basket, Akio Kawasaki and Satoru Kakuta jumped at the same time.
But a white figure arrived first from behind, soaring into the sky beside them at an astonishing height.
It's Kawamoto Kazuki!
He soared vertically into the air and grabbed the rebound with one hand, hovering above the heads of the two centers.
"Quick attack!"
As Kawamoto landed, he passed the ball to Yasuharu Yasuda.
Yasuda pushed forward relentlessly, with Kawamoto close behind.
After crossing halfway, Yasuda passed the ball to Kawamoto.
Murasame gritted his teeth and desperately returned to defense, once again stopping Kawamoto's slow dribble advance just a step beyond the three-point line.
"You won't get away with this this time..."
Murasame, panting heavily, stared intently at Kawamoto's shoulders and knees, vowing not to fall for it this time.
Kawamoto stood a step outside the arc, facing Murasame.
He continued dribbling at a slow pace.
about...
Then...
And then there's that damn subtle shoulder lift again!
Kawamoto's gaze returned to the basket at the same time!
I curse that old man!!!
here we go again!!!
Murasame's heart felt like it was being squeezed tightly!
Reason told him it might be another feint, but his body, under Kawamoto's terrifying three-point shooting touch and the incredibly realistic coordination of his hands, shoulders, and eyes, once again betrayed his reason...
Jump!
You have to jump!
Otherwise, it'll just be another three-pointer!
He roared and pushed off the ground with all his might, leaping up again like a startled bird to block the shot!