"Play well when you get to the national level. You and Shohoku got there by stepping over Kainan, so don't embarrass Kanagawa."
After saying that, he patted Sendoh on the shoulder and then looked at Kaede Rukawa.
"Good job, newbie."
Kaede Rukawa snorted lightly, still maintaining his indifferent attitude.
Then, the referee's final ruling was announced.
Shinichi Maki's final dunk exceeded the time limit, and the score was invalid.
100 to 80.
Ryonan won!
The moment the verdict was announced, the Ryonan fans erupted in cheers.
They actually got their ticket to the national competition!
On the court, the Ryonan players also began to celebrate. Just like Shohoku, they had defeated Kainan and made it to the national championships!
The only pity is that they were the second team to defeat Kainan.
Unlike Shohoku, it doesn't surprise people.
Kaede Rukawa muttered to himself, "Why am I ranked after Shirasawa again...?"
The Kainan fans remained standing.
Silently watching his own team.
From this moment on, the Kainan dynasty came to a complete end.
Sixteen consecutive championships—unprecedented and unlikely to be repeated.
This dynasty thus officially became history.
For sixteen years, Kainan has brought Kanagawa back to an era of fierce competition.
As the last king, Shinichi Maki personally pressed the stop button on this legend, which was a special honor for him.
He had no regrets; he had given his all for Kainan and extended the dynasty for another two years.
Moreover, he found a reliable successor.
This person may not be able to immediately lead Kainan back to its peak.
But at least it can guarantee that Kainan won't plummet in value.
This person is none other than Nobunaga Kiyota, who is usually arrogant and loves to show off, but is secretly wiping away tears at this moment.
Amid cheers from the crowd, Shinichi Maki walked over and put his arm around Kiyota's neck.
"I told you that tears make you weak, have you forgotten so quickly?"
Shinichi Maki's tone was calm, lacking his usual sternness.
It was more like the older brother comforting the younger brother.
Nobunaga Kiyota rubbed his eyes hard, trying to calm himself down.
Before the season started, he thought Kainan had the strongest lineup in recent years.
He provoked Shirasawa, mocked Kaede Rukawa, looked down on Sendoh, and didn't take Fujima seriously either.
Reality slapped him hard in the face.
Although there's not much to say about the loss to Shohoku, Shirasawa's performance and stats were simply phenomenal, even Shinichi Maki had to admit defeat.
But in the game against Ryonan, Kiyota at least scored 18 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists.
For a newcomer, this performance in a competition of this level is quite acceptable.
However, both are newcomers,
On the opposing team, Kaede Rukawa racked up 34 points and 5 rebounds, but his assists were abysmal—he's now recorded zero assists for the third consecutive game...
This performance clearly outshone him.
Sendoh also put up a well-rounded stat line of 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 13 assists.
It's like anyone can step on his head.
For the first time, Kiyota truly felt inadequate.
" Maki... I'm sorry, it's all my fault for being so bad..." Kiyota sniffled, his words incoherent.
Shinichi Maki laughed and pulled his arm around him even tighter.
"If you can understand where you went wrong, then losing this game wasn't a complete loss."
"If you feel weak, then work hard to become stronger."
"Listen up, Kiyota. My era Shinichi Maki Kainan has come to an end. For the next two years, you'll have to take the lead and make a name for yourself."
Nobunaga Kiyota's eyes widened instantly upon hearing this.
Coach Takato and Maki had indeed been optimistic about him for a long time, but he himself had no idea about it.
Now that Shinichi Maki had suddenly brought things up, he was both surprised and delighted.
This is clearly a tradition!
Shinichi Maki personally handed the torch of Kainan to the newcomer.
" Maki... I..." Kiyota opened his mouth, but the words got stuck in his throat. His heart was in turmoil, filled with shock, excitement, and even more so, self-assessment.
Shinichi Maki smiled faintly.
"Do a good job. If you can't keep up the pace, then I Shinichi Maki, have a bad eye."
After saying that, he released Kiyota and turned to walk towards his other teammates.
Nobunaga Kiyota clenched his fist tightly and roared at the retreating figure:
" Maki! You definitely didn't misjudge him!"
Shinichi Maki didn't stop walking; he simply nodded in satisfaction.
From that moment on, Nobunaga Kiyota's not-so-broad shoulders truly bore the weight of Kainan's future.
He wiped away his tears, straightened his back, and seemed to have become much more composed all of a sudden.
On the sidelines,
Riki Takato Moichi Taoka, these two old rivals, walked towards each other without prior arrangement.
The two met exactly at the center line, as if they had measured their steps beforehand, neither of them taking an extra step.
These two had no intention of burying the hatchet; the tension remained palpable.
They stared at each other for a few seconds, then simultaneously reached out and shook hands politely.
"That's all there is to it," said the winner Moichi Taoka, first.
Riki Takato grinned dismissively.
"Waiting for good news."
The words took on a different meaning when they came out of his mouth.
Coupled with his expression, the so-called "good news" was clearly just him waiting for news of Ryonan's downfall...
After a brief exchange, the two stood still, their faces turning slightly pale, and their lips twitching slightly.
Because those two clasped hands were secretly locked in a fierce struggle...
Brother Takato, Brother Taoka.
I'll crush you!
Kanagawa Prefecture became the first region in the country to confirm two teams that would advance to the national tournament.
and,
This is the first time both teams have participated in the national tournament.
This situation is quite rare even nationwide.
There is one final round left in the county competition.
Theoretically, this round is already meaningless.
Kainan and Takezato are vying for third and fourth place, Shohoku and Ryonan are competing for the championship and runner-up.
However, Shohoku and Ryonan are a bit special; both teams defeated Kainan and are making their first appearance in the national tournament.
In addition, there are other highlights such as Shirasawa's showdown with the Ryonan Twin Stars.
This ensures that the championship battle remains captivating.
The championship is especially important to the players on both teams.
The match between Ryonan and Kainan had just ended when Uozumi, off the court, issued a challenge to Takenori Akagi.
The two center forwards, one on the field and one in the stands, stared at each other across the distance.
Even a distance of just a few dozen meters felt like sparks were flying everywhere.
In their minds, the next round of the finals is the most suitable place to compete.
To borrow Shinichi Maki's words: One battle decides the outcome, and the winner takes all!
This match also held another layer of significance for Uozumi.
According to his current plans, unless there is a major turning point—such as Shota Sugiyama becoming famous in the national tournament and becoming a highly anticipated top center—he will not be able to make a name for himself.
Otherwise, he would have given up basketball after the national tournament, not gone to college, and obediently returned home to take over the family business.
First of all, Uozumi does not think he has reached the level of Shota Sugiyama.
Secondly, Ryonan is not his team alone. Just like in this game against Kainan, Uozumi, as the captain and the pillar of the inside, was also the one who shouted the loudest in the whole game. He seemed to be crucial, but in reality, he only got 10 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks.
A standard, economical pair of shoes.
It's not that he's bad, it's that his teammates are too good.
With Three Muskets on the offensive end, there was no need for him to interfere much.
With Twin Stars on the perimeter and Ryoji Ikegami in the middle, his opportunities to perform in the paint are limited.
The role of the Uozumi is indispensable, but at first glance it may not seem so obvious.
Becoming a nationally renowned center is clearly not an easy task.
Moreover...
However, to be fair, Uozumi is actually quite practical. He prefers to put his effort into the team and push them forward; he has never even considered personal fame.
Therefore, he cherishes every game he plays right now.
Whether he'll face Shohoku in the national tournament is still uncertain, but the next match is on the highest final stage in Kanagawa, and he's determined to settle the score with Takenori Akagi.
You asked if Uozumi felt resentful? Of course he did. Inheriting the family business sounds impressive, but frankly, it just means going home and taking over that small sushi restaurant. His parents are getting old, and compared to those unattainable dreams, securing their livelihood is more practical.
Looking at it this way, Uozumi's choice of path isn't wrong.
The fact that Shota Sugiyama chose Akagi instead of him is a perfect example. In terms of reputation and achievements in Kanagawa, Uozumi actually surpasses Akagi, but Akagi himself is well aware of the untapped potential in Uozumi.
Anyone with eyes can see that.
The word "dream" is beautiful, but most people still have to clash with reality in the end.
Uozumi his retirement plans a closely guarded secret until now, even from Coach Taoka. He wants to wait until the national tournament is over and everything has settled down before bringing it up.
Don't disturb your teammates, and don't let yourself get distracted.
Right now, I just need to focus on playing well.
With a flick of his Uozumi pointed directly at Takenori Akagi in the audience.
He didn't say a word, but his posture was crystal clear, and the provocation could be smelled from afar.
Takenori Akagi stood ramrod straight, his eyes unwavering, and accepted the challenge squarely.
Who is the best center in Kanagawa? We need to find out in the next game!
With Uozumi the lead, the entire Ryonan team, without tacit agreement, quickly gathered together and turned to stare at Shohoku.
That fighting spirit was practically overflowing.
The Ryonan fans on the sidelines immediately erupted, their cheers rising in waves. Look at that, that's what you call ambition! Beating Kainan isn't enough for them, their eyes are only on the championship, only on Shohoku!
All eyes in the arena instantly focused on Shohoku.
Looking at it this way, Shohoku really did seem a bit outnumbered and outmatched, like they were being targeted by a pack of wolves. The guys on the bench had sweaty palms and felt really uncomfortable.
Nobody knows how Shohoku will respond.
Should we have Akagi point back? Or yell a few words to bolster our courage? Or simply ignore it?
Even Akagi himself couldn't figure out what to do for a moment. The only thing he could do was stand tall and glare back at Ryonan's challenge.
Just then, Shirasawa, the team's undisputed ace, made his move.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he glanced at the aggressive Ryonan team on the field, calmly extended his right thumb, placed it against the side of his neck, then, with a smirk, slowly pulled his thumb horizontally...
The meaning couldn't be clearer: he wanted to take over Ryonan!
Good heavens, the media section went wild! This is huge news, this is truly huge news!
A bunch of cameras immediately turned to Eiichi Harada. The scene was so sudden; whoever captured it would be rolling in money! Eiichi Harada calmly put down his camera and nodded smugly.