So Shohoku's draw was really unlucky, while Sannoh's was incredibly lucky.
What's most infuriating is that they not only have S-level strength, but also S-level luck... If getting into the top four from Group C is like going through a lot of trouble, then Sannoh in Group B is practically playing a leisurely game.
However, luck is also a part of ability, and there's no way to reason with that.
" Akagi, just like in the prefectural tournament, if we're going to run into each other, we'll have to wait until the finals."
The people from Shohoku and Ryonan also gathered in front of the screen, Uozumi said with a touch of emotion.
Ryonan was placed in Group D, so regardless of who they are compared to in Group C, their schedule is relatively comfortable.
In Group D, the teams to watch out for are Kyoto's champion Rakunan High School, and Osaka Prefecture's champion Daiei Academy.
If they can get past these two hurdles, Ryonan will be able to advance to the semifinals.
But Uozumi said that if they wanted to reach the finals, they would first have to defeat Sannoh Industrial High School in the semifinals.
Groups B and D will compete for one spot in the finals.
The Group B champion is practically a foregone conclusion; it will definitely be Sannoh Industrial High School.
Ryonan also has a good chance in Group D. If they can make it out of there, their opponent in the divisional finals will be Sannoh.
Win and you'll advance to the finals; lose and you'll go home with the title of one of the top four in the country.
Therefore, compared to Ryonan, their chances of reaching the finals are probably even lower than Shohoku's, who are stuck in the "group of death" (Group C).
If Shohoku can make it out of Group C, they'll have to compete with the Group A champion for the other spot in the finals.
Group A is also quite strong, with Jousei High School, one of last year's top eight teams, Meihou Industrial School, which upset Aiwa Academy in this year's county finals, and the veteran powerhouse Mamiya Nishi.
It's still too early to say who will advance.
"Well, let's win the first game first."
Takenori Akagi remained as steady as ever. For Shohoku, talking about the finals was too far off; just looking at the group draw was enough to give them a headache.
"You guys have really bad luck. Kainan's group assignments were much better last year."
Sendoh smiled slightly, his tone carrying a hint of sympathy.
"Tch, so what! It's all the same to a genius like me who I beat!"
Sakuragi stood with his hands on his hips, looking smug.
"Because I've mastered that move..."
He suddenly covered his mouth as he said this, his eyes darting around, brimming with barely suppressed smugness.
We can't tell! We absolutely cannot reveal it beforehand!
I'll unleash my genius finishing move on the field! That'll scare them to death! Hehehehehe...
" Shirasawa, good luck." Sendoh smiled and waved at him.
He was quite looking forward to seeing Shirasawa clash with those formidable opponents from Group C; the scene was sure to be exciting.
I believe more in ability than luck.
Shirasawa smiled faintly.
He has no luck to speak of... In this group of death, luck is completely unreliable; only real skill can get you through!
In the middle of the conversation, an annoying voice interrupted again.
"Hahaha, are these weaklings from Kanagawa having a little secret meeting here?"
"So, have you decided who's going to get out first?"
Minori Kishimoto led the students from Toyotama High School, swaggering over.
Wherever they went, they were mostly met with disdainful glares.
It's clear that their reputation is notorious throughout the country.
"Little braid, you really don't learn your lesson quickly."
Ryota Miyagi frowned; he could no longer suppress his sharp edge.
Kishimoto ignored him and walked straight up to Shirasawa.
"You hurt my wrist a lot before... This isn't over yet."
Kishimoto smirked and scanned Shirasawa from head to toe.
"I still remember the time you pulled my hair."
He had barely finished speaking when his neck suddenly tightened— Sakuragi had somehow gotten behind him and locked his arm around him.
"So eager to get beaten up?" Sakuragi tightened his grip on his arm, his voice low, "This genius has no intention of letting you off the hook."
Kishimoto the flexible man, quickly grabbed Sakuragi's wrist and gasped for breath, but still wouldn't back down. "You... you just wait..."
Just as Akagi was about to step forward, a voice came from behind Toyotama's group.
"We're both basketball players, let's settle the score on the court."
" Kishimoto, come back."
The person who spoke stepped out from the group; he wasn't as flamboyant- Kishimoto as Kishimoto.
He even looks quite refined.
But as soon as he opened his mouth, Toyotama and his gang of troublemakers immediately quieted down.
Kishimoto also struggled to break free from Sakuragi and obediently returned to the group.
"Don't you think so, Akagi -kun?"
This man is Toyotama's captain, Tsuyoshi Minami.
He's smiling quite gently now, like a good captain who values sportsmanship.
But many people present knew in their hearts that this was nothing more than a superficial understanding.
Even Shohoku and Ryonan, who were making their first appearance in the national competition, had heard of the nickname " Ace Killer."
Kenji Fujima's example is right there in front of us.
Before coming to Hiroshima, Fujima specifically gave instructions to Shirasawa and Kaede Rukawa.
When facing Tsuyoshi Minami, it's better to score two fewer points than to keep a close eye on his movements.
"Certainly."
Akagi, with a serious expression, took over the conversation.
"But you'd better keep your own people in check first."
"Your people aren't exactly well-behaved either."
Tsuyoshi Minami was still smiling.
" Akagi -kun, it's fine to joke around off the field, but don't bring your temper onto the field."
"Regardless of who wins or loses, it's best not to hold grudges."
He spoke with such sincerity that even Akagi almost wondered if the rumors about him were false.
This person seems... alright?
Seeing that Akagi did not object, Tsuyoshi Minami nodded and left with Toyotama's men.
"You've heard about Akagi and Toyotama's reputation, so you need to be careful."
Uozumi leaned over to remind him.
Even he felt that Tsuyoshi Minami wasn't as bad as the rumors suggested, but Kishimoto was a different story.
That guy practically screams "I need to be taught a lesson," who knows what he'll do during the game.
"Understood," Akagi replied. "Good luck to you guys too."
" Uozumi, don't lose so easily."
"Of course, at least I won't lose before you."
As the two were talking, Uozumi was suddenly bumped from behind.
The impact was quite strong, causing even this big guy to stagger forward a couple of steps.
I almost bumped into Akagi.
Uozumi was completely stunned.
In all his years, there haven't been many people who could bump into him.
Especially now that he's at his physical peak, he looks like a Koyama standing there.
Moreover, that just now didn't feel like a collision, it just felt like a casual push.
That's even more frightening.
Who is this guy? You think he can be swayed by a mere push?
"Excuse me, sir."
Upon hearing these words from behind, Uozumi's face darkened.
He turned his head and saw a round, fair-skinned face grinning at him.
His laughter was genuine.
Akagi, standing nearby, was startled.
This kid is about the same height as Uozumi.
and!
Its body is even thicker than Uozumi's!
Compared to him, Akagi felt that his arms were like those of an ordinary gym-goer.
No wonder he could push Uozumi so easily.
Which team is this...?
It's no wonder Akagi didn't recognize him.
Most of the people who come here to check the group assignments are in groups.
This big guy was accompanied by an old man.
The two of them standing together looked like a grandfather taking care of his grandson.
"Be careful with your strength, don't hurt anyone."
The old man said with a chuckle, but there was a hint of pride in his voice.
These words were jarring, Uozumi immediately frowned.
The commotion also caught the attention of Shirasawa and the others nearby.
Shirasawa looked up.
Wow!
Hiroshi Morishige!
That's really strong!
Shirasawa certainly knew who Hiroshi Morishige was.
But knowing something is one thing, seeing it with your own eyes is another.
His first impression of Hiroshi Morishige was...
That's fucking strong!
He's even bigger than I imagined!
That physique can only be described as frightening.
He'd seen strong players before, like Tetsuya Naito from Miuradai, who came from a rugby background—pretty impressive, right?
But compared to Hiroshi Morishige Hiroshi's physique, Naito's build was simply insignificant.
Especially with Akagi and Uozumi standing nearby as a point of reference, the contrast is even more striking.
"Hehe, I didn't want to push anyone, but this uncle completely blocked the screen, so I couldn't see anything."
Mori Shigekwan scratched his head and smiled with a simple and honest face, which had nothing to do with the crushing momentum on the court.
Uozumi's face was practically green by now.
Twice! This is the second time already! Is this kid doing this on purpose? He keeps calling me "uncle"!
"Hey, are you blind? I'm Jun Uozumi, a third-year student at Ryonan High School!"
Uozumi couldn't hold back any longer and simply introduced himself.
He admitted that he looked older than his age, but did that mean he deserved to be mistaken for an old man? Respecting one's seniors is fine, but calling someone that is a bit much.
However, Hiroshi Morishige really didn't do it on purpose.
Honestly, in his eyes, Uozumi's face looked at least thirty-five years old; he was either a seasoned football fan or a coach from some team. He never even considered him to be a high school student.
" Ryonan? Which team is Ryonan?"
Hiroshi Morishige looked bewildered and turned to look at the old man beside him.
That old man is Yusuke Oda, the head coach of Meihou Industrial.
He was in his fifties, dressed casually, looking exactly like an old man Taiyo at the village entrance.
" Hiroshi, it's okay if you don't know. Just look at the electronic screen and you'll understand."
" Ryonan... Oh, found him, he's in Group D."
Coach Oda pointed at the screen, his tone somewhat dismissive.
"Oh, I see. So, to play against Sannoh, we'll have to wait until the finals... That's a long time."
Morishige Hiroshi Morishige ignored Ryonan's words and instead focused his attention directly on Sannoh, demonstrating his immense confidence.
"You're a player too? Which school did you go to?"
Hearing this, Uozumi was certain that the big guy must be a basketball player.
Hiroshi Morishige's eyes suddenly darkened, and he reached out to pull the brim of his hat down further.
" Meihou Industrial, Hiroshi Morishige."
After saying that, he turned around and easily squeezed out of the crowd with his coach, as if he were clearing away straw.
Hiroshi Morishige? Meihou Industrial...
It was him!
Uozumi and Akagi exchanged a glance, and at the same time, the name came to mind.
"A five-star high school student, no wonder."
" Akagi, this guy will probably be our strongest opponent in the paint."
Uozumi said in a serious tone.
Sometimes, you can sense the opponent's strength without actually fighting them.
Uozumi now understands this deeply.
First it was Tsuyoshi Minami, and now it's Hiroshi Morishige...
Akagi knew in his heart that the National Tournament was full of hidden talents, and that Shohoku would face more and more formidable opponents in the future.
A lot of strength cannot be seen from information alone.
The team's path to the next round will probably not be easy.
Guesthouse area.
The organizers arranged separate guesthouses for each team, and the conditions were quite good.
The entire guesthouse area was bustling with noise right now, as hundreds of people had all rushed in to check in.
But it will be much quieter here tomorrow.
Because tomorrow afternoon, about half of the teams will have to pack their bags and say goodbye to the national tournament.
Every day after that, half the team would leave; that's how brutal the competition is.