No sooner had he finished speaking than Shirasawa made his move! Shirasawa dribbled past half-court, reached a roughly suitable position, and pulled up for a shot, exactly like Hajime Chiba had done just now, without any preparatory movement, catching his opponent completely off guard. Clearly, Shirasawa had accepted the challenge!
The entire arena stared wide-eyed at the basketball. This wasn't just a long-range three-pointer; there was more to it than met the eye! It was a direct shooting duel between two star players! This was the first time anyone'd seen so openly competing in three-pointers during a game. Just how confident were these two in their shooting touch?
After Shirasawa released the shot, a smile involuntarily crept onto his face, because the feeling was just too perfect. Actually, neither Shirasawa nor Hajime Chiba were true three-point shooters; three-pointers were just one of their many weapons. If we were to compare three-point accuracy alone, many pure shooters in the league could easily outshoot them. But in this kind of ball-handling shooting, especially in such close contests, what's needed more than accuracy is the decisiveness and ability to deliver the final blow. Clearly, Shirasawa possessed that.
Thump!! The basketball slammed against the back of the rim and bounced into the net with a whoosh! Instantly, the entire arena erupted in cheers. This kind of ace showdown was much more exciting to watch than dunks! Everyone was thinking: Let's see how far you two can shoot, and whether you can make it! The fans on both sides were also like they were on steroids, constantly shouting and cheering for their ace players.
Hajime Chiba was really into shooting, his touch was on fire, and there wasn't much time left in the first half, so he decided to go all out! He dribbled past midcourt, stood directly on the center circle line, and pushed the ball forward before throwing it out! That's right, at this distance, a normal shooting form was no longer feasible, so he had to switch to a push shot.
Hajime Chiba made that shot, everyone in the arena gasped. If that actually went in, it would be a disaster! " Hajime Chiba too daring! The last shot might have had some chance, but this one was pure nonsense. If they did this in a real game, wouldn't their coach be furious?" Nobunaga Kiyota's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. If this happened in Kainan, forget about shooting from the center circle; if you even showed any sign of trying to shoot this kind of fancy shot, Coach Takato would probably take you out of the game.
"No, it's because he keeps scoring," Shinichi Maki said casually. "And Kiyota, the term 'privileged player' is only used by Kainan. Other teams can let their star player go wild occasionally..." By the end, Shinichi Maki himself felt a little sour.
Thud! Just as they were talking, Hajime Chiba's incredibly long-range three-pointer slammed into the rim. Considering the distance, it was already pretty good that it hit the neck of the basket; if it had been just a tiny bit less powerful, it might have gone in. The fans in the arena let out a sigh of regret and clapped their hands.
Hanamichi Sakuragi reacted quickly, grabbing the long rebound and passing the ball to Shirasawa. The crowd erupted in cheers, urging Shirasawa to shoot again and return the ball. The Hakata Shodai fans, in particular, went wild. "We've all shot! If you dare to back out, you're really not human!"
Shirasawa naturally wouldn't back down. Since Hajime Chiba hadn't scored either, the pressure on him had lessened considerably; at worst, it would just be a matter of each side canceling out the other for one possession. But if he made the shot, the outcome would be completely different. After crossing half-court, Shirasawa didn't disappoint. Standing at center circle, he opened his hand and shot. Due to the difference in strength, Shirasawa's shooting motion was quite standard, with a very high arc, flying steadily towards the basket.
This shot made everyone in the arena hold their breath. Thud! The basketball had incredible power, first hitting the backboard, then bouncing off the rim, and then... it actually went in! The stands and the bench erupted instantly! No doubt, Shirasawa won this round! Three three-pointers, each farther than the last. After watching this, all those so-called shooters seemed to pale in comparison. Even Hisashi Mitsui looked incredulous; he certainly wouldn't have stood a chance if it were him.
Shirasawa himself was a little surprised. To say that this shot was purely due to skill would be utter nonsense; it was just a combination of feel, luck, and a competitive spirit. He had won against Hajime Chiba in the night market shooting game before, and today, in a formal competition, Shirasawa won again in a different way. In any case, Hajime Chiba was speechless now.
With just over a minute left in the first half, Hajime Chiba received the ball in the backcourt and, without hesitation, launched a long-range three-pointer! The basketball arced through the air, and at the same time, the referee blew the whistle to end the first half. Clang! The ball bounced directly off the backboard, not even touching the rim.
Shohoku led 70-63 at halftime. In the final minute, Shirasawa single-handedly scored 11 points, a feat largely thanks to Hajime Chiba's "motivational tactic." The crowd was still roaring, even though Hajime Chiba's final shot was purely reckless and had little to do with the previous play—it was simply a matter of running out of time and taking the plunge... But this match was undeniably thrilling!
Shirasawa wasn't going to take another shot. That long-range three-pointer was pure luck; he'd be lucky to make even one out of ten. That mid-court miracle was already amazing enough; let's leave some room for imagination...
Although the shooting duel just now was thrilling, the game eventually had to be played at halftime, and both teams' players returned to the locker room.
That last duel was no joke; both teams' star players were on fire, and they were both holding back their energy. They weren't just casually throwing shots around.
In the final minute, Hajime Chiba and Shirasawa racked up points. Hajime Chiba first half, which was pretty impressive, right? But Shirasawa was even more outrageous, scoring 42 points and 7 assists in the first half, breaking the 40+ mark once again. He achieved the feat of scoring 40+ points in the first half for two consecutive games, a record that is simply incredible!
Besides Shirasawa, Shohoku was the most consistent performer for Akagi. The Gorilla truly lived up to his reputation as a pillar of strength, scoring 16 points and grabbing 5 rebounds in the first half, and looking like he's heading towards a 25+10 performance. Hanamichi Sakuragi was equally impressive, contributing 8 points and 8 rebounds, keeping Ken Hoshino running himself ragged and earning him the title of "Never-Ending Runner" for the first half... Coach Anzai will probably secretly add this unexpected run-and-gun tactic to his notes...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Sannoh Industrial High School's first half also ended. This half was very different from their usual performances, mainly due to the "human scoring machine" Eiji Sawakita averaged 6.4 points per game. He scored a whopping 31 points in just 15 minutes on the court, igniting the Sannoh fans! Sawakita is still the same Sawakita; the difference between 6 points and 30 points is just a thought away for him.
He came out firing on all cylinders as soon as he entered the game, unstoppable with his inside drives and outside shots. This was probably because he had watched Shirasawa's 62-point game yesterday and had nowhere to vent his frustration. Goro Domoto was naturally happy to see this, so he deliberately let Sawakita play for an extra 5 minutes. This guy single-handedly crushed the opponent, showing everyone the invincible Sawakita that they hadn't seen in a long time.
During halftime, Kazunari Fukatsu walked over to Sawakita and patted him on the shoulder. " Sawakita, it seems that Shirasawa really provoked you."
He paused, then added, "But whether Shohoku can make it to the finals is still uncertain."
They didn't know the outcome of the game between Shohoku and Hakata Shodai yet. If they had, they definitely wouldn't have said that. Anyone with eyes could see that it was only a matter of time before Shohoku beat Hakata Shodai. Hakata Shodai Twin Stars had improved a lot since last year, but they just happened to run into Shohoku, who could counter their pick-and-roll, especially that red-haired number 10, Sakuragi, who completely exceeded their expectations. In the second half, Sakuragi would probably continue to wear down Ken Hoshino.
Sawakita smiled faintly, "Not only Shirasawa, there's someone else."
Kazunari Fukatsu frowned, looking puzzled. "Hmm? Who is it? Besides Shirasawa, who else could you possibly take seriously?"
" Akira Sendoh of Ryonan," Sawakita replied with a smile.
Sendoh might not remember Sawakita's name, but Sawakita could never forget him. In that one-on-one duel a few years ago, Sawakita won but always felt unsatisfied. Sendoh was the strongest opponent he had encountered in recent years, without exception.
Kazunari Fukatsu's eyes lit up. "Isn't that our next opponent? Interesting."
Sawakita is the true Sannoh when they get serious. It's no fun just stomping on weaker opponents all the time. They also want to play some high-intensity matches, otherwise they won't have any room for improvement in the expeditions.
Kazunari Fukatsu said confidently, "However, Ryonan's path ends in the next match."
This year, strong teams like Shohoku have indeed emerged, but in Fukatsu's eyes, no team can truly threaten Sannoh; at most, they can only force them to use a fraction of their strength.
Sawakita nodded noncommittally. "But they have no regrets, after all, they made it to the semifinals."
The two exchanged a smile, the Versailles vibe was absolutely palpable...
The camera shifts back to the game between Shohoku and Hakata Shodai, where the second half has already begun.
In the first jump ball, Akagi smoothly passed the ball to his teammate. Shirasawa directly broke through Hajime Chiba and drove into the three-second zone, showing no hesitation even when facing a group of muscular men. He toughed up against small forward Ryoji Matsubara and made a layup, drawing a foul in the process – 2+1!
On the sidelines, Sendoh stroked his chin and smiled slightly, " Hakata Shodai are out of luck. Shirasawa has exposed all their weaknesses."
Hikoichi Aida frowned, staring at the field. "Weakness? I don't see it. Shirasawa has been playing too crazily these past two matches. I don't think anyone can stop him." As an analyst, he felt ashamed for not seeing his opponent's weakness.
Sendoh explained, " Shirasawa is indeed in phenomenal form, but Hakata Shodai's problems are obvious. Their defense is very aggressive, always sticking close to the opponent, making it hard to breathe and constantly trying to break free. But actually, all you need to do is break through... Hakata Shodai's players are all strong, but apart from Hajime Chiba, the others are slow. With Shirasawa's speed and strength, breaking through them is child's play. You can tell from his playing style that this guy can still make such calm judgments in such a high-intensity game, he's really amazing."
Sendoh nodded seriously and uttered two words: "I'm convinced."
Okay, no problem.
Hikoichi Aida's eyes widened, his mouth formed an "O" as he stared at the red figure on the field, his mind churning: Sakuragi- senpai had already seen through Hakata Shodai's weakness, maybe... he knew more than anyone else!
That's why I dragged Ken Hoshino around the field for some kind of "special training"...
Hikoichi hung his head, feeling a mix of emotions: Sure enough, compared to Sakuragi- senpai, my analysis was practically elementary school level...
If Hanamichi Sakuragi on the field knew what Hikoichi was thinking, he would definitely jump up and cry foul, "Damn it, I didn't know anything!"
He plays purely on instinct; his brain? That thing has long been left behind by his physical movements.