The rules for these basketball shooting games are generally similar: you are given a few balls, and you have to shoot a certain number of them within a designated area to win a prize of the corresponding level.
Of course, business owners aren't stupid; no one will do business at a loss.
Those basketball hoops are all custom-made...
If the ball barely touches the edge of the rim, it's almost guaranteed to fly out of bounds!
Furthermore, the height of the basketball hoop and the size of the basket are quite different from the standard ones.
They've arranged every single detail for you, just to prevent you from investing easily.
But this young man shooting the ball is practically teaching the young owner a lesson...
While it's not fair to say they never miss, they're more like lightning-fast strikes...
Every ball fell perfectly into the basket; those so-called obstacles were no different from decorations to him.
This was a sight to behold for the onlookers, who cheered with delight.
"That guy's shooting accuracy is amazing!"
"Yeah, yeah, so handsome! He's probably a basketball player from some school, right? This boss is going to have to spend a fortune!"
"He deserved it for lying to those kids!"
"Great shot! This is the second one already, right? It seems like you haven't missed a single one!"
People around them were talking about it, and Yoko and Haruko also focused their attention on it, watching with great interest.
This made Sakuragi, a genius whose ego was currently in a state of extreme arrogance, a little unhappy.
"Tch, it's just elementary school level, what's the big deal?"
Sakuragi curled his lip and made a disdainful, mocking remark.
These words immediately drew several disdainful glances from those around them.
Why?
Because just a few minutes ago,
Several elementary school students also came to play this basketball shooting game.
The rules are that each person throws 10 balls, and if they make 4, they get a reward; the more balls they make, the better the reward.
One of the children was particularly lucky; he managed to score eight goals.
The corresponding reward was somewhat more substantial, but the greedy boss then tried to renege on the deal.
They insisted that the other child only scored 7 points, not 8.
Among the onlookers were people who had witnessed the whole thing and came out to testify for the child, but the shop owner still wouldn't acknowledge them.
He's like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water, insisting there are seven. "You actually believe what a child says?"
Just then,
A tall young man walked out; he's the one who's shooting hoops right now.
Without saying a word, he simply took out his money and asked for 30 balls.
Then, without any mercy, it was thrown into the present...
After throwing 10 balls in the first round, he made all 10.
With so many people witnessing this, the boss could only reluctantly produce the grand prize...
This time he couldn't deny it anymore. The ball went in perfectly, and there were so many people watching. Did he even want to do business anymore...?
The big boy took the prize and immediately gave it to the elementary school students.
It was only then that everyone realized they had encountered a "city hero"!
This is a special trip to stand up for justice for children!
Immediately, thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the audience.
The boss was completely dumbfounded. The customer had bought 30 balls in one go, and now he couldn't stop.
So when Sakuragi uttered that sarcastic remark, it was like stirring up a hornet's nest, provoking the wrath of everyone.
He's a hero!
But Sakuragi didn't care about any of that; he didn't care what others thought.
The more people there were, the more energetic Hanamichi Sakuragi became, his smugness impossible to hide.
Coincidentally, the big boy's last shot in the second round slammed against the rim and missed.
Sakuragi immediately seized the opportunity, pouting, and said, "I knew it, it really is elementary school level."
Yoko quickly tugged at his sleeve, trying to stop him from saying anything inappropriate.
But it was too late. Sakuragi had barely finished speaking when someone behind him chimed in.
"You sound very confident. Why don't you go up and show us what you've got?"
Sakuragi turned around at the sound and saw a man about his height, also sporting a shiny buzz cut, someone he considered a "kindred spirit."
As soon as the man finished speaking, the onlookers around him joined in the commotion, chattering and egging him on.
"Hmph! Fine! Let this genius show you what real shooting is all about!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi clenched his fists, chin held high. He was bursting with energy—his shooting skills had been honed to perfection during training camp, and he was just looking for an opportunity to show off. He hadn't gotten a chance to shoot in today's game, which had left him quite frustrated, and now he finally had his chance!
Upon hearing this, the man with the buzz cut curled his lips into a meaningful smile, turned his head, and shouted to the front, " Chiba, let him have the last round."
The man called Chiba looked over, paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded in agreement.
Shirasawa watched from the side, his heart skipped a beat, and he recognized him. This guy named Chiba was Hajime Chiba, the captain of Hakata Shodai Affiliated!
At this moment Hajime Chiba was wearing a baseball cap, the brim pulled low. If it weren't for the buzz cut guy, Shirasawa wouldn't have recognized him. After all, his impression of Hajime Chiba was limited to the issue of " Slam Dunk " magazine featuring five high school students, where there was a picture of him. His memory was already hazy, and with the hat on, he was even less recognizable.
But the guy with the buzz cut was much easier to recognize; he was Ken Hoshino, Hajime Chiba the Hakata Shodai Twin Stars, along with Chiba. Ken Hoshino played power forward and was known as the best PF in the high school league. Since Sakuragi also played that position, Shirasawa had paid special attention to him and had a pretty good impression of his face. He never expected that their first encounter would be in a place like this.
From their eyes, Shirasawa could tell that they had clearly recognized him and Sakuragi. Shirasawa, needless to say, had always been in the spotlight; he was even featured in the issue of Five Star High School magazine. As for Hanamichi Sakuragi, his distinctive features were even more striking—that big red head. It's likely that on the first day of the national tournament, that shiny red head left a "deep impression" on every team.
This is really interesting. We haven't even faced each other in a proper match yet, but we've already bumped into each other on this informal "field." And what's more, both teams are playing the same positions... In the end, Sakuragi is just too boastful. But since he's already said it, let him play. It's not a big deal anyway. Let him suffer a bit, learn a lesson, and maybe he'll be in better form when he actually gets to the match.
Yoko was still a little worried and tugged at Sakuragi's sleeve again.
Sakuragi smiled confidently, patted his chest, and said, "Don't worry, Yoko, watch me amaze everyone with my shooting from the training camp!"
Sakuragi shook off Yoko's hand and strode forward with an air of arrogance, radiating a mysterious confidence that said, "I am a genius."
But as soon as his hand touched the ball, Sakuragi paused slightly—the weight of the ball seemed different from what he usually practiced with. But he didn't think much of it; after all, "confidence" can cover up everything.
"Watch my genius shooting!"
Sakuragi bent his knees, jumped, a smug smile on his lips, flicked his wrist slightly, and shouted, "Watch my genius shot!" The basketball "whooshed" out, tracing a trajectory in the air... well, let's call it an "arc." Everyone's eyes followed the ball, watching it fly over the rim, over the backboard, and finally drift away like a kite with a broken string, disappearing into some unknown corner.
The onlookers were all dumbfounded, their mouths agape, probably wondering: Where does this guy get his confidence? That elementary school kid just made eight shots; even if he's bad, he can't be this bad, right?
Hajime Chiba and Ken Hoshino exchanged a glance, their eyes full of questions.
Hajime Chiba spoke first, his voice low. " Hoshino, are you sure this guy is Hanamichi Sakuragi from Shohoku?"
Ken Hoshino scratched his head, a little uncertain. " Shirasawa is definitely in it, but as for this red-haired guy... it's hard to say, hard to say."
"This... this was just an accident!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi awkwardly tugged at the corners of his mouth, his face flushing red and then pale. He was puzzled; his shooting during the special training session shouldn't have been like this. He must have been too careless just now!
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Hanamichi Sakuragi picked up the second ball. He took a deep breath and flicked his wrist again. This time, he was a little better; at least the ball hit the backboard!
The shop owner next to him stared wide-eyed, his heart pounding with joy: This was practically a savior descending to earth!
Those around him looked at Sakuragi with puzzled expressions, their eyes seeming to ask, "Another accident?"
Hajime Chiba and Ken Hoshino were both a bit stunned. They really hadn't expected that the Shohoku players would have such "amazing" shooting ability. And this red-haired guy was supposed to be a starting player? This was too unbelievable!
Among the crowd, only Yoko remained smiling lovingly, proving that her feelings for Sakuragi had absolutely nothing to do with his basketball skills. Moreover, Yoko knew in her heart that Sakuragi's abilities were far more than what they appeared to be; in just a few days, he would make the whole country know the name Hanamichi Sakuragi!
"When!"
"Clang~~"
Hanamichi Sakuragi was a little embarrassed and angry. He threw several balls in a row, and his shooting motion was obviously distorted. The more anxious he became, the more outrageous his shots became. By the eighth shot, his accuracy was still a pitiful 0%. He was so stubborn that he almost knocked the rim off its edge.
This situation was actually within Shirasawa's expectations. Although Sakuragi's shooting had improved considerably, it was still far from consistent. Especially for a player like him who relies heavily on mentality, his performance was even more unpredictable outside of specific game situations. In addition, the hoops and basketballs here were different from those he usually used in training.
For Hanamichi Sakuragi, making a shot is purely accidental; missing is commonplace.
However, we can't let Sakuragi end up so humiliated, after all, this "genius" is extremely concerned about his image.
" Sakuragi, this ball might feel a bit light. Adjust your power and don't jump so high when you shoot," Shirasawa reminded him from the side.
Shirasawa knew perfectly well that whether his words would work or not was another matter; the key was to calm Sakuragi down from his impatience.
It's clear that Sakuragi noticed the ball and the basket were different from usual and tried to adjust, but his mindset was too chaotic, and his shots became increasingly unpredictable.
Just as Shirasawa had predicted, Sakuragi calmed down considerably after receiving these instructions.
After all, Sakuragi always took Shirasawa's words quite seriously.
With this moment of calm, he began to mentally review the key points of shooting.
Picking up the ninth ball, Sakuragi took a deep breath, bent his knees, adjusted the angle of his elbow and wrist, and then shot...
Swish!
Finally, finally in!
Yoko waved her little hand excitedly, her voice ringing out, "Great shot, Sakuragi! That was amazing!"
She acted as if she hadn't seen the eight missed shots at all.
Hanamichi Sakuragi is truly naive; as if he hadn't been the one hitting the wrong shots just now, he clenched his fist, and his confidence instantly returned!
He picked up the last ball, threw it steadily, and won the game-winning shot!