But as parents, they can't help but secretly keep an eye on things.
Just like these past two years, he, an elementary school coach, has always been keeping a close eye on the national high school league.
He simply refused to admit that what he was actually looking at was Toyotama.
But today, he discovered that Toyotama was no longer the person he remembered.
It became unfamiliar, completely unrecognizable.
He made a decision just now.
Goodbye, child.
Kitano's departure also marked the end of his silent rivalry with Coach Anzai.
Regardless of how things unfolded, both parties proceeded as agreed.
The result was obvious: Coach Anzai had the last laugh.
He also saw that slightly hunched back.
Coach Anzai sighed, deeply moved.
The chaos on Toyotama's side has finally subsided.
Jinpei, as the head coach, bears primary responsibility and was sent off.
Jinpei didn't argue, and just walked away.
I've already lost all face today; all talk of career prospects is utter nonsense.
I estimate the school will call within half an hour.
Inform him that his coaching contract has been terminated.
But it doesn't matter, it's bound to happen sooner or later anyway.
He felt that Toyotama had no chance in this competition and would definitely be stuck in the top 32.
Given this outcome, his dismissal is a foregone conclusion.
Because Toyotama High School has placed particular emphasis on the national league in the past two years.
There are even plans to go abroad to play in exchange matches.
So far, no other team besides Sannoh Industrial High School has ever gone on an overseas expedition.
Toyotama wanted to be the second one.
But the prerequisite is that the team has the strength. Going out is for improvement and competition, not to embarrass themselves...
That's why they were so eager for better results, which is also why they let Kitano leave in the first place.
Jinpei's team was eliminated in the national top eight for two consecutive years, which could be considered a transitional period as they dealt with the problems left by Kitano.
But making it to the top 32 is just too much.
The school's patience with him was almost exhausted.
There's no way I'll give them another chance.
With this departure today, Jinpei has finally vented his anger!
The head coach is gone, but the game must go on.
Unless the entire Toyotama team forfeits.
But they clearly didn't intend to.
Anyway, Jinpei was just a figurehead.
There's still plenty of time in the second half; enough to fight Shohoku to the bitter end!
Isn't Shohoku the culprit behind all of this?
" Toyotama!!"
Under Tsuyoshi Minami's leadership, Toyotama regained his spirits.
Especially the third-year students, who were against Jinpei, have unexpectedly achieved a partial victory...
All we need to do now is win the game!
Coach Anzai, however, became a little worried.
Tsuyoshi Minami had previously sabotaged them in secret, and now that their team has just finished its internal strife, who knows what other trouble he might cause.
Coach Anzai reasoned that the safest way to protect the starting players was to prevent them from playing.
However, the current score doesn't seem to be able to withstand the substitutes' recklessness...
After all, Toyotama still has its full-strength lineup.
At this moment, Shirasawa cheerfully came over and reassured Coach Anzai.
He grinned and said, "Coach, don't worry, we're the real Problem Children Army!"
The Problem Children Army.
This is a side of Shohoku that is not widely known.
Toyotama's little tricks are nothing to worry about if they pay a little more attention.
Just like when Kishimoto swung his elbow in the first half, Hanamichi Sakuragi dodged it reflexively.
If it were handled like a fight, the basketball court would be like having a mandatory rule added, just like how you can't kick someone in boxing.
As long as they stay within the rules, they can do whatever they want. Clearly, these problem children have already figured out the rules.
Coach Anzai smiled knowingly. Extraordinary circumstances require extraordinary measures. Reasoning with Toyotama simply won't work.
"I'll give you a maximum of ten minutes to create a scoring surge and decide the outcome."
"Remember, we can disregard gains and losses, but we must be careful not to get hurt!"
Coach Anzai has imposed a time limit; he wants to unleash a scoring run to end the game quickly and minimize playing time. For the next period of time, he'll likely have to be on edge.
Takenori Akagi's lips curled into a slight smile, his fighting spirit blazing. "Hmph, today I'll go crazy with you all."
" Shohoku!!"
"Come on!!"
When both teams returned to the court, their eyes were filled with tension. Toyotama was like a defender, determined to maintain its position among the top eight in the nation; Shohoku, on the other hand, was like an attacker, determined to conquer and seize territory, for without taking down enemy strongholds, they could not advance.
Tsuyoshi Minami spoke coldly, " Shirasawa, you're hurting me." His eyes had completely changed, becoming something that even Kishimoto was afraid of.
Shirasawa raised an eyebrow. "It's alright. I don't know whether to be happy or regretful that you were able to come back." Regretful because he wasn't ruthless enough to let him return, but happy because he can continue fighting.
Tsuyoshi Minami's expression changed drastically, becoming extremely ugly. As the person involved, he naturally understood the meaning behind those words: "We'll see."
The two sides resumed the match.
Toyotama took the initiative on offense, Shohoku's defense had a clear objective: to limit their run-and-gun offense. They immediately implemented a half-court man-to-man defense to prevent the ball from being easily passed around.
Shirasawa continued to guard Tsuyoshi Minami, completely locking him in his defensive range. He couldn't easily complete any of his drives, shots, or passes!
The tension on the court flared up again, and off-ball offense and defense became a contest of strength, with elbows flying everywhere. In terms of individual physical attributes, Toyotama and the others were far inferior to Shohoku —you attack me with a basic attack, and I'll at least use a skill to counter you.
Both sides engaged in numerous aggressive plays during this match, and the referee loosened his standards, refraining from calling some minor fouls, otherwise the game couldn't continue. The current situation resembles 100-Point Battle in Kanagawa, where technique takes a backseat, and whoever is ruthless and tough will emerge victorious.
Kyohei raised his knee and drove towards the basket for a layup. Mitsui stepped aside and passed the ball to Akagi, Akagi flexed his muscles and swung his arm wide, swatting the ball away with a "smack!"
In the next possession, Kyohei set a screen without the ball, and Miyagi slightly raised his elbow, causing Kyohei's face to change color instantly.
With four fouls Kishimoto committed, Kishimoto didn't dare to make any big moves and could only resort to verbal sparring. Hanamichi Sakuragi was no less skilled, and the two engaged in a physical altercation, their banter never stopping.
The match was intense, and the audience was thrilled. With the rules in place, the intensity of the competition felt like it had reached a new level, and everyone watching unconsciously strained their bodies.
Tsuyoshi Minami was basically locked down by Shirasawa; the difference in their strength was simply not on the same level—it was a difference between basic attacks and critical hits.
Tsuyoshi Minami seized the opportunity to drive towards the basket, decisively swinging his elbow at Shirasawa! Shirasawa responded, and the two fought for a few steps. Tsuyoshi Minami was at a disadvantage, gritting his teeth and forcing a shot, but lacking the power, he missed all three shots.
When it was Shohoku's turn to attack, Shirasawa backed down Tsuyoshi Minami one-on-one, and the two clashed again. Tsuyoshi Minami didn't even have a chance to catch his breath. Shirasawa took two strong steps, turned around, and made a shooting fake.
Tsuyoshi Minami Lie leaped up, not caring if it was a feint or not; his target wasn't the ball at all! He was about to strike Shirasawa's head with his palm—at worst, he'd get a foul, but he'd still beat him to a pulp!
Just then, Shirasawa changed his hand position, turning a shot into a hook shot. As the basketball was released, he swung his shooting hand in a smooth motion, not only dodging Tsuyoshi Minami's hand but also slapping him hard across the face!
"Snap!" The sound was exceptionally crisp, and the crucial ball went in.
Tsuyoshi Minami covered his face in disbelief, Nobunaga Kiyota in the audience clutched his stomach and laughed hysterically; he truly hadn't expected the attack to be so "advanced."
Shinichi Maki watched with great satisfaction, occasionally pumping his fist in celebration. Toyotama's run-and-gun offense was contained, and their dirty plays were ineffective, allowing the score to widen further.
In the ninth minute of the second half, Shirasawa broke through and passed the ball to Hisashi Mitsui on the outside. Mitsui received the ball and fired a shot, and the basketball slammed into the basket like a cannonball.
The three-pointer swished through the net, making the score 90-52. Shohoku had extended their lead to 38 points with less than 11 minutes remaining. This margin was practically secure.
Coach Anzai wasn't idle either. He called the substitute players over and whispered instructions for the upcoming play. He told the substitutes to slow down the pace as much as possible and run out of time on offense. On offense, they should try more mid-range and long-range shots and avoid constantly driving to the basket to prevent injuries.
In short, as long as time is managed well, 38 points should be enough to last until the end of the game. Upon hearing this, the substitute players quickly started warming up on the sidelines. Coach Anzai then went to the referee to arrange for substitutions to be made during the next dead ball situation.
"Looks like Shohoku is about to call it a day, and it'll be our turn next!" Uozumi, looking at the situation on the court with a sigh. Shohoku hadn't won this game easily, but they had one foot in the top 16 of the national tournament. And in another hour, it would be Ryonan's turn to play.
Moichi Taoka nodded silently to the side. Shohoku really did bring new surprises in every game, constantly growing. He dared not think too deeply about how terrifying Shohoku would become if they could continue in this Group of Death C. He feared that the gap between Ryonan and Shohoku would widen.
The Shohoku fans in the stands had already stood up impatiently, cheering and jumping for joy, all waiting for the lineup to be rotated, which was almost a signal that Shohoku had won their first national tournament.
On the court, Minori Kishimoto was still battling with Hanamichi Sakuragi, trying to overpower Sakuragi. He held out for two or three seconds, but Sakuragi seemed rooted to the spot and didn't budge. Kishimoto had no choice but to turn around and try to swing his elbow to get rid of him, while simultaneously taking a fadeaway jump shot.
Hanamichi Sakuragi reacted quickly, nimbly dodging the elbow. He then leaped up and slapped the ball away, sending it crashing Minori Kishimoto Minori's head, causing him to wince in pain. Ryota Miyagi, quick-witted and agile, grabbed the loose ball and flung it forward.
Shirasawa charged forward first, drawing all eyes to him. Everyone was waiting to see Shohoku's ace complete this final attack, hoping to push the score difference to exactly 40 points, so they could commit a foul and gloriously leave the game to rest.
Shirasawa ran incredibly fast, with Tsuyoshi Minami chasing behind, but clearly unable to keep up. The two rushed into the three-point line one after the other, and Shirasawa prepared to take the ball and start a layup.
But at that moment, Tsuyoshi Minami behind him was filled with murderous intent and decided to make a final stand!
Tsuyoshi Minami had only one thought in his mind: the competition can be lost, Shirasawa must be crippled!
The score difference is now 38 points. Even if Shohoku shoves in their entire reserve team, Tsuyoshi Minami doesn't think Toyotama has any chance of a comeback. After all, this game has taken a huge toll on them. Speaking for Tsuyoshi Minami himself, he's been elbowed, kneed, and even slapped in the face throughout this game! Can you believe it?
The culprit behind all of this was the guy in the red number 9 jersey standing in front of him— Shirasawa! This guy was not only good at one-on-one combat, but he also led his teammates to "bully" others. Kishimoto, Kyohei, Mitsuaki —none of them escaped his "poisonous hands."
Now, Shirasawa, you think you can just relax and enjoy the fruits of victory? No way!