As I became stronger, others didn't stop either.
He forced his way a few steps past Kaede Rukawa and managed to toss the ball toward the basket.
The rules of 100-Point Battle allow rebounding; you can't just change the ball after every shot, because that would slow down the pace of the game too much.
However, adding rebounds... seems a bit unfavorable for Kiyota.
In terms of height, Kiyota definitely doesn't have an advantage.
Want to launch a second attack? Basically no chance.
In a one-on-one fight, there's never much fairness to speak of.
With a "thud," the ball hit the rim and bounced out.
Kaede Rukawa turned around and grabbed the backboard.
He retreated to the three-point line, and it was his turn to attack.
However, Kiyota's improvement on the defensive end is far more noticeable than his improvement on offense.
Just looking at their fighting spirit, it's quite different from when they competed in the county competition.
Kaede Rukawa skipped all the fancy moves, changed direction and accelerated away!
He used his speed and physique to force his way into space, pushing Kiyota towards the basket, and was about to make a powerful shot.
Both involve forcing a jump, but the results are vastly different.
If Kaede Rukawa were to jump up, Kiyota wouldn't be able to stop him at all.
But just then, Kiyota's hand suddenly reached behind Kaede Rukawa and poked the ball out of bounds!
He had exploited a loophole in the rules; with this slice, half of the ball hit the back of his hand, and the other half hit the ball itself—he showed no mercy.
Neither of them managed to launch an attack in the first round, but the atmosphere suddenly heated up.
Shinichi Maki was quite satisfied with Kiyota's performance. Although his technique may not have improved dramatically, his basketball IQ had certainly increased significantly.
This is much more difficult than simply practicing techniques.
After all, technical skills are static; as long as you put in the effort, you can always improve.
But a player's basketball IQ directly determines how high they can go.
The match lasted five minutes.
The score became 14-10.
Kaede Rukawa is leading by 4 points.
However, at this scoring rate, it would probably take more than forty minutes to reach 100 points.
If it really drags on until then, it will be a test of willpower.
About ten minutes into the game, Kaede Rukawa changed his playing style.
He started to finish with jump shots more often, and wouldn't force his way to the basket unless it was a clear opportunity.
This is clearly to conserve energy.
But Kiyota can't play like that. His style of play is mainly based on driving to the basket, and he's shorter than Kaede Rukawa, so jump shots aren't a good option.
He had no choice but to keep plunging into the crowds.
Fifteen minutes passed.
The score is now 47-40.
Kaede Rukawa widened the gap a little further.
At this point, the difference in their performance on the field was already apparent.
Kaede Rukawa seems to be fine, but Kiyota's focus on both offense and defense is clearly waning.
Especially during attacks, he intentionally slowed down the pace, wanting to catch his breath.
However, Kaede Rukawa suddenly accelerated.
On the defensive end, they switched to a highly aggressive pressing style, sticking close to the ball as soon as they got it, constantly applying pressure and interference.
On offense, they resumed focusing on breakthroughs, continuously wearing down Kiyota and giving him no chance to rest.
At this point, most people can see the outcome.
Kaede Rukawa not only outperformed Kiyota in technical ability, but also completely controlled the rhythm of the game and the choice of opportunities.
Kiyota could only be led by the nose, his own rhythm was completely disrupted, and he felt increasingly fatigued.
Shinichi Maki, however, could tell that Fujima's influence was definitely behind this fighting style!
The two had been fighting for three years, and he was all too familiar with Fujima's tactics.
" Fujima, as expected of you."
Shinichi Maki walked up to Fujima and smiled faintly.
It wasn't that he was dissatisfied. Everyone knew the rules of the 100-Point Battle before they even signed up.
And they also gave us plenty of time to prepare.
If we weren't prepared thoroughly enough, we can't blame anyone else.
Moreover, Shinichi Maki knew in his heart that he was indeed inferior to Fujima in this regard.
He also devised a plan for Kiyota, but it was clearly all cracked by the opponent, Kaede Rukawa maintained firm control of the pace throughout.
"You're not bad either; Kiyota has potential."
Fujima wasn't just being polite. He could see Kiyota's growth; such progress in such a short time was no easy feat.
This clearly demonstrates the boy's talent and comprehension.
"Yes, Kiyota is a player I've got my eye on, and I trust my judgment."
Shinichi Maki paused for a moment, then changed the subject.
But I'm more interested in you now.
He was naturally referring to why Fujima joined Shirasawa's team.
They even gave up the Winter Selection Tournament for it.
Fujima smiled slightly, "What, trying to pave the way for Kiyota?"
He knew Maki Shinichi Maki quite well.
First of all, he was absolutely certain that Shinichi Maki would never be interested in any talent agency.
He couldn't possibly lower himself to join what others called a "super team".
In Shinichi Maki's eyes, that was probably equivalent to "if you can't beat them, join them."
In contrast, he prefers to build a strong team around himself.
This is probably the pride he gained from his three years in Kainan.
Furthermore, Shinichi Maki is neither short of money nor opportunities.
Don't let his mature appearance fool you; he's a genuine second-generation rich kid...
His hobby is surfing, which isn't something you can just do casually.
During the week that Kiyota went out for special training, Shinichi Maki paid for all the expenses himself.
In terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation, nothing is compromised.
It's practically an open secret in Kanagawa that Shinichi Maki wealthy; several newspapers have written about it multiple times.
This is partly why Kiyota can get along with him.
Because Nobunaga Kiyota himself was also a second-generation rich kid.
The monthly expenses for just his dog alone are not a small amount.
Ultimately, they're all people who aren't short of money, so their ways of doing things naturally tend to align.
So when Shinichi Maki suggested a trip to watch a game, Kiyota agreed almost without hesitation. The way these two acted perfectly exemplifies what it means to "not care about money."
Of course, Fujima's family is also quite wealthy. But this brings up another issue—opportunity.
Compared to Fujima, Shinichi Maki doesn't need to worry about his future at all. As mentioned before, he has already received more than ten university invitations, with prestigious universities and basketball powerhouses at his disposal.
Shinichi Maki needed to do was happily choose one.
In contrast, Takenori Akagi, currently Kanagawa's top center, has only received two offers and a verbal commitment from Fukazawa Sports University.
Shinichi Maki's future is entirely in his own hands.
Therefore, his inquiries about the talent agency were almost certainly related to Nobunaga Kiyota.
"I guess so," Shinichi Maki didn't deny it, " Fujima, I trust you."
Without Fujima joining, Shinichi Maki wouldn't have dared to send Kiyota there, given the troublemakers of that " Generation of Extreme Evil " alone; he'd never even considered it before.
But things were different when Fujima went.
This shows that the company must have some connections. Once he goes to university and starts from scratch, he won't have as much time to Kiyota. This company might be able to solve that problem.
Fujima smiled knowingly. Since Shinichi Maki was being frank, he opened up and explained the reasons behind his signing the contract, especially the difficulties he faced in choosing a school.
Shinichi Maki was a little surprised to hear this. He really didn't expect that Kenji Fujima, who was once his equal, would have such a problem.
"In short, joining Shirasawa's team was worthwhile and meaningful for me," Fujima concluded.
However, he immediately added, "Whether Kiyota can come or not is not up to me. I can only ask for you, or... you can go talk to Shirasawa yourself."
Shinichi Maki nodded slightly.
He has figured out this agent model. Although he himself is not a fan, it might be a good option for Kiyota.
After all, it's almost impossible for Kiyota to replicate his path. Standing out among this group of newcomers in Kanagawa is too difficult, especially since they've formed a close-knit group. Joining them is clearly a shortcut.
Moreover, he could receive guidance from Fujima and Shirasawa. Spending time with strong individuals was definitely much better than leveling up methodically in Kainan.
Fujima also revealed some basic requirements for joining, and Kiyota is clearly not qualified yet. The fact that they haven't taken the initiative to contact him is enough to explain the situation.
This gave Shinichi Maki a bit of a headache.
He's not the type to lower himself to ask for favors... Even if he did ask, he might still be rejected.
Let's turn our attention back to the field.
The match has reached the 25th minute.
The score was 72 to 57.
The point difference is gradually widening, with Kaede Rukawa leading by 15 points.
What's worse is that Kiyota's stamina is clearly failing him. In fact, in terms of physical ability alone, he should be stronger than Kaede Rukawa, but Kaede Rukawa has him completely under his control through strategy.
As the score gap widened, Kiyota grew increasingly anxious, his mind and body strained, which naturally led to him being worn out even faster.
However, Kiyota's performance was much more respectable than Kiccho Fukuda's. Last time, when Kaede Rukawa and Fukuda were going for a 100-point game, with 25 minutes left and the game almost over, Fukuda hadn't even reached 50 points.
Fukuda, who was watching the game from the sidelines, was secretly holding his breath.
He now has another goal to surpass... When will this ever end?
The match has reached the 35th minute.
Kaede Rukawa has scored 96 points.
Nobunaga Kiyota 71 points.
With Kaede Rukawa in possession, this 100-Point Battle was about to end in just a few rounds.
From a spectator's perspective, this match was truly thrilling!
The intensity of the game was exactly like street basketball! They started off full of energy and fought until they were exhausted. Even at that point, the two players gritted their teeth and kept trying to drive to the basket.
Nobunaga Kiyota, in particular, was clearly at his limit. He was knocked down several times during defense, but each time he got up and immediately pressed forward again, as if he were risking his life.
The floor was covered with sweat stains left by the two of them.
It gets your adrenaline pumping, bringing out that most primal fighting spirit.
The two players fought fiercely on the field, while the audience, led by Ichiro Katsumi, cheered and screamed in waves, turning the sports park into the noisiest place in Kanagawa.
Shirasawa and Sanae exchanged a smile, both feeling relieved. With that, the planning of the 100-Point Battle" could be declared a resounding success.
Whoosh--!
Kaede Rukawa hits a pull-up jumper and scores two more points!
He's 98-71, he has match point!
At this moment, many spectators on the sidelines began to cheer for Nobunaga Kiyota, hoping that he could save a shot and allow the game to go on for a few more rounds.