Isn't that a bit too much?
Jousei High School didn't just get into the national top eight by luck...
No matter what, it's not worth giving up your trump card!
"Coach, this..." Kogure licked his dry lips, unable to understand or accept this decision.
"Hehe, Xiao Bai has other tasks." Coach Anzai's tone left no room for argument. "Everyone, do your best."
Knowing the inside story, Shirasawa could only shrug helplessly.
Good luck to you guys!
Actually, Coach Anzai had already said he wouldn't go when the matter was finalized. After all, it was a long trip, and he was worried that his body wouldn't be able to handle it. He preferred to save his energy for the national tournament in Hiroshima.
That's bad now, the head coach, the team's star player, and the starting power forward are all gone.
Coach Anzai's series of arrangements cast a shadow over the originally anticipated trip to Shizuoka Prefecture. No one understood what the coach was trying to do, but they knew they had to give it their all.
Nobody wants to lose, especially on an away game like this.
The most frustrated person was probably Takenori Akagi. He had been full of confidence when he went to meet Mikoshiba, but now he was uncertain about his future...
The next day, the Shohoku Basketball Team boarded a bus bound for Shizuoka Prefecture.
Coach Anzai, Sakuragi, and Shirasawa stood by the roadside watching the car drive away.
Once the car disappeared at the intersection, Coach Anzai murmured softly, "You guys have to hold on."
With their depleted roster, Shohoku's trip to Shizuoka was a "gift" from Coach Anzai.
When the other party receives this "surprise," they will most likely not give Akagi and his group a pleasant look.
The Jousei Basketball Team will inevitably look down on them because of this.
This disdain remains unwavering, whether in training or competition.
Coach Anzai felt that this could serve as a rehearsal for the national tournament.
Even if Shirasawa were on the court, few people would consider Shohoku a championship contender on the national stage.
At that time, there will definitely be a lot of belittling and pressure.
It's necessary to let them taste it beforehand.
There's still time to adjust, but once we get to Hiroshima, there won't be any room for error.
Two practice matches were scheduled in total.
The first show is on the second day, and the last show is on the day before the return trip.
Coach Anzai would inquire about the situation from Akagi or Kogure at any time, and if the team really couldn't withstand the pressure, he would send Shirasawa to save the day.
If all goes well, he will also send Shirasawa to play the second game, to help Shohoku regain face and let everyone go home in glory.
To put it bluntly, Coach Anzai's series of actions were all aimed at making Shohoku lose the first game.
Let them experience what it's like to lose.
Choosing Jousei High School was certainly not a decision he made casually while flipping through his contacts.
That was carefully considered.
In his opinion, the fully-staffed Shohoku team is definitely stronger than Jousei!
That's why he dared to send Shirasawa to be the firefighter.
However... it does seem a bit like they're trying to scheme against Jousei.
So Coach Anzai even had Akagi bring two bottles of good wine over, as... a little compensation?
Shizuoka Prefecture, Jousei High School Basketball Gymnasium.
When the Shohoku Team arrived, Jousei's head coach was stunned.
"Where's Senior Anzai? And where's Shirasawa from your team?"
He stared wide-eyed, his voice rising, "None of them came???"
"What does this mean? Are you looking down on us, the top eight in the country?"
"Damn it!"
He turned and yelled into the arena, " Mikoshiba! Give them a good 'welcome'!"
The head coach didn't even bother with a polite word; he grabbed the two bottles of wine, turned around, and left.
I'll accept the gift; it's what I deserve.
Senior Anzai, you have no martial ethics, so don't blame me for being impolite. I won't be able to swallow my anger until I teach you all a lesson!
Takenori Akagi and Mikoshiba finally met on the court.
This was the first time the two old acquaintances had the opportunity to meet on the basketball court.
In the past, Shohoku certainly didn't have that qualification.
" Akagi, long time no see." Mikoshiba smiled. "I heard you guys beat Kainan? That really surprised me."
Clearly, his understanding of Shohoku ends here.
" Mikoshiba," Akagi puffed out his chest, full of confidence, "We not only beat Kainan, but we also won the Kanagawa championship."
Now, he no longer needs to be inferior to Mikoshiba.
"Huh?! Champions?!" Mikoshiba exclaimed in shock. "So you can compete in the national tournament too?"
His reaction made Jousei, one of the teammates next to him, feel a little embarrassed.
Our team leader is great in every way, except he's a bit... out of touch with society.
They seem completely unaware that news exists in the world.
His last impression of Shohoku was the time he heard his teammates talking about it after the game against Kainan.
Takenori Akagi was injured and left the game, while Shirasawa's rookie, Shohoku, scored a whopping 59 points.
After that, he stopped paying attention and continued to bury himself in his basketball world.
"Hmph," Akagi snorted, "Don't think you'll actually live like a caveman just because you look like one."
He understood Mikoshiba's temperament, and from these words, he could tell that the two had a good relationship.
Although Mikoshiba doesn't watch the news much, his focus and confidence in basketball far surpasses that of ordinary people.
He's a basketball fanatic, spending most of his time training.
This is also the reason why he has achieved what he has today.
Mikoshiba was named a five-star high school player nationwide by Slam Dunk magazine.
He should know that, and even if he doesn't, his teammates will definitely tell him...
"Why didn't your team's Shirasawa come?" Mikoshiba's face showed obvious disappointment. "I wanted to spar with him, but you alone aren't enough."
Although Akagi was an old friend, he didn't really consider Akagi a rival of the same level.
The entire Jousei team actually shared this mentality.
Shirasawa's absence instantly dampened their interest in the practice match by more than half.
The disdain was impossible to hide in their words and actions.
This infuriated the Shohoku team members.
"Enough with the nonsense," Takenori Akagi said curtly. "We'll see what happens on the court tomorrow."
After saying that, he led the whole team straight to the locker room to change clothes.
Today they will train with Jousei's team all day to experience the intensity of their training.
I'll go back to my rented guesthouse to rest tonight, and tomorrow morning I'll play my first practice match with Jousei.
"Dad, what are you going to do with me left here alone?" Hanamichi Sakuragi asked casually as he shot a basket. "Even if it's just shooting practice, I can practice at Xiao Bai's training camp."
After the team departed, Shirasawa also left.
Coach Anzai knows Bai Shirasawa's management team quite well and often contacts Sanae to ask about the situation.
After all, their two most valued disciples were there, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
Coach Anzai was like an off-field mentor, offering his advice from time to time, always hoping that the team would get better and better.
Therefore, he wasn't worried that Shirasawa would slack off if he didn't go to Shizuoka Prefecture.
The so-called "other tasks" were actually just to have Shirasawa return to the training camp to continue training for the next few days.
He explained this to Shirasawa.
Sakuragi wasn't an outsider, so naturally he knew as well.
But his father wouldn't let him go.
"Dad!" Sakuragi raised his voice, "Are you even listening to me?!"
"Dad, you don't mean you want me to stay and keep you company, do you?"
As Hanamichi Sakuragi spoke, he reached out and pinched Coach Anzai's soft chin.
"You can't act recklessly just because you're old. If the Gorilla knew, he'd be heartbroken."
Coach Anzai remained smiling, showing no anger whatsoever at Sakuragi's antics.
"Don't rush me, Sakuragi," he said slowly. "I'm keeping you here for more than just shooting practice. This week, I'm going to give you some special, secret training."
Secret training?
Sakuragi's eyes lit up instantly.
"Hehe!" He immediately became smug, hands on his hips, "Dad, you finally admit it! Shohoku still needs a genius like me!"
"Even Xiao Bai can't be relied on, right? That's why you deliberately sent him away... Not bad, Dad, I didn't expect you to be so calculating!"
Coach Anzai didn't refute him, but just looked at him with a smile.
Actually, Sakuragi can think whatever he wants, as long as the kid is willing to practice diligently, the goal will be achieved.
After saying that, Coach Anzai took the basketball from Sakuragi, walked a step outside the free-throw line, and raised his hand to shoot.
And it was a jump shot!
The ball went into the net cleanly.
Hanamichi Sakuragi was stunned on the spot.
First of all, the scene of Coach Anzai's round body jumping up to shoot was really a bit comical, he looked like a bouncing meatball.
But more importantly... the ball actually went in!
Sakuragi knew, of course, that Coach Anzai had played professionally before, but ever since he met his father, the man had always looked this chubby.
Even considering Coach Anzai's height, he doesn't seem like a formidable figure at all.
As for titles like "professional player" and "national team player," in Sakuragi's view, they were just like Kuwata on the team—just a title, nothing more.
Can you say that Kuwata wasn't a member of the Kanagawa Champions?
In short, in Sakuragi's mind, Coach Anzai has always been a kind old man who loves basketball.
He never expected his dad to actually make the shot. Especially from that spot, where Sakuragi himself had just missed ten shots in a row!
" Sakuragi, go get the ball for me."
A rare glint of excitement flashed in Coach Anzai's eyes.
Sakuragi nodded blankly, still not recovered from that last shot.
Coach Anzai scored the second goal with ease.
On the third shot, he took a step back and still made it.
The fourth goal, another step back, and the result was still the same.
By the time Coach Anzai received the ball on the fifth possession, he was already standing at the three-point line.
He had only thrown four balls, but he was already panting heavily, and sweat was streaming down his forehead.
Coach Anzai took a deep breath and launched a three-pointer!
Sakuragi's eyes widened in disbelief.
His father completely overturned his impression of him.
Wow, this old man is really strong!
The confidence he exudes when he shoots is just as strong as Mitsui's!
That three-pointer...
Under Sakuragi's watchful gaze, the basketball arced through the air and fell precisely into the net.
"Dad!" Sakuragi exclaimed, his mouth agape.
Coach Anzai seemed to have used up all his strength and plopped down on the floor.
"Hehehe... Sakuragi, I was pretty strong when I was young."
His tone carried a hint of nostalgia, as if to say: I was only twenty years old back then, and of course I thought I was very handsome.
At least in Sakuragi's eyes at that moment, his father sitting on the ground did indeed look somewhat handsome.