The fans on the Shohoku side, especially Tetsuo Hotta, were furious when they heard this. They unleashed a barrage of sarcastic remarks, each one more unique than the last. The stands on both sides immediately descended into chaos, filled with boos and shouts, the tension so palpable that it made everyone want to cough.
The organizing committee hurriedly called the security department, demanding that additional personnel be sent after the event.
To avoid a mess like a group fight.
The scale of this national finals was indeed quite grand.
Looking back over the past few years, no final has ever attracted so many eyes.
Whether it's a university league or a professional competition, they all pale in comparison to this.
This directly pushed the popularity of high school basketball to its peak.
On the bench of the Sannoh, Goro Domoto was giving his final instructions.
" Ichinokura, you're starting today."
He benched Minoru Matsumoto and substituted him with Satoshi Ichinokura.
"Yes!"
Satoshi Ichinokura agreed readily. In Sannoh territory, Satoshi Ichinokura the coach has spoken, it's a done deal.
Even if it were Big Kawata, he wouldn't utter a sound if asked to sit on a bench.
Because Domoto always has his reasons for arranging things.
This time, Ichinokura is going up there Ichinokura to target Shohoku's second-best offensive weapon, Hisashi Mitsui.
Locking Shirasawa up completely? That's really unrealistic, but we can try to control his henchmen.
Ichinokura is perfectly suited for this job.
Meanwhile, Coach Anzai wasn't idle either.
" Mitsui, Sannoh will probably send that kid Ichinokura to keep an eye on you."
"He's a pretty good defender, so we'll let you break the deadlock right from the start."
Coach Anzai stared intently at Hisashi Mitsui, his gaze steady.
"Because I don't believe there's anyone in this world who can lock you up completely."
The old man guessed the Sannoh's plan, but he didn't intend to avoid it and chose to confront him head-on.
It's simple, yet it's the most effective solution.
You want to pinch me? I'll make sure you don't succeed!
You are confident in your defense against Ichinokura, and we are equally confident in our firepower against Mitsui!
Getting Mitsui hot first is an unavoidable move in this game.
Shohoku can't let Shirasawa carry the burden alone.
Hisashi Mitsui curled his lips into a smile, his confidence written all over his face.
Leave it to me.
Just before going on stage, Takenori Akagi grabbed Sakuragi's shoulder.
Hanamichi Sakuragi turned around and grinned at him.
"Don't worry, Gorilla, the genius is already prepared."
Takenori Akagi nodded emphatically.
An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for only one.
Back during the prefectural tournament, Coach Anzai had already declared that Hanamichi Sakuragi would be Shohoku's most lethal asset in the future.
Takenori Akagi always believed in this, and he never stopped training Sakuragi.
Sakuragi, in turn, repaid in kind, game after game.
He used his performance to show everyone that he truly was a genius!
If we put it in today's context, Sakuragi would have already broken into the top 20 in the country.
Individual ability is what it is; no one else can help.
Even on the rebounding end, Akagi has to give up three points.
Coach Anzai Anzai's prediction has come true.
How well Sakuragi performs in this final is crucial.
Akagi could tell that Sakuragi himself seemed to have figured this out as well.
They must build the strongest twin towers to withstand the onslaught of the Sannoh!
The referee blew his whistle, signaling the starters from both sides to come onto the field.
Takenori Akagi gathered his teammates together.
" Shohoku!!!"
"We are the strongest!!!"
They shouted this slogan right there on the floor of the national finals.
The first time they shouted was at the county competition. To outsiders, it just sounded like a bunch of kids trying to embolden themselves.
But having come this far, they have gradually and forcefully turned the title of "strongest" into reality!
This time, they shouted the loudest they've ever done.
Kogure even shouted until his eyes turned red.
"Go, Akagi!"
"Conquering the nation with the Problem Children Army!"
Akagi grinned. "Today, I'm a problem child too."
"Let's go!"
"Superior!"
The deafening roar of the crowd was deafening, and the starting lineups from both sides entered the stadium amidst this cacophony.
Shohoku: Shirasawa, Ryota Miyagi, Hisashi Mitsui, Hanamichi Sakuragi, Takenori Akagi.
Sannoh Industrial High School: Kazunari Fukatsu, Eiji Sawakita, Satoshi Ichinokura, Masahiro Nobe, Masashi Kawata.
Four five-star high school students, and eight formidable figures who are among the top twenty in the country.
The starlight was so dazzling it made my eyes dizzy.
Go for it, kids, the future belongs to you!
Coach Anzai murmured to himself, his old eyes filled with expectation and satisfaction.
He had long since lost interest in those empty titles; he already had all the necessary experience and didn't need to prove himself anymore.
It was this Shohoku that gave him a glimpse into the future.
He has to thank these kids for letting him burn one last fire in his twilight years.
Every single one of them is a source of pride for Mitsuyoshi Anzai.
He's determined to win this national championship for his team, no matter what!
The two teams stood in the center of the field, with Takenori Akagi and Masashi Kawata facing off in the center circle.
Big Kawata is the toughest nut to crack that Akagi has encountered so far.
But he had no intention of backing down; he was prepared to gamble everything!
The referee blew his whistle again, and the basketball was tossed into the air.
The National Tournament Finals have begun!
drink!!
Takenori Akagi roared, showing no intention of holding back from the moment he stepped into the arena; he was going to go all out from the very first second.
Shohoku must seize this opening advantage!
"Well done, Akagi!!"
Akagi forcefully pushed Big Kawata aside and flicked the ball away, causing Kiminobu Kogure to jump up from the sidelines.
He didn't even sit down; he stood on the sidelines, determined to fight alongside his brothers until the very last second.
If you can't play, then shout until you're hoarse to cheer them on.
Shirasawa retrieved the ball in the backcourt, and the entire stadium erupted in cheers, marking the start of Shohoku's first offensive attack.
" Kazunari Fukatsu! He's up against Shirasawa!"
Nobunaga Kiyota jumped up from his seat, his voice booming like thunder.
That's someone even Shinichi Maki doesn't want to mention. Now, Fukatsu's ranking is even higher than Maki's, so Maki Shinichi wants to avoid the topic even more. Just mentioning it makes him grit his teeth. Right now, Shinichi Maki is probably screaming in his heart, "Shirasawa, beat him up! It would be best if you could knock him down a few places in the rankings!"
Shirasawa dribbled the ball forward, Kazunari Fukatsu wasn't in a hurry. He started to take a defensive stance from midfield, retreating a step for every step Shirasawa took.
They just hover there, neither too close nor too far, giving you no chance to accelerate or make a move.
Takenori Akagi plunged into the paint, grappling with Masashi Kawata. Big Kawata didn't go around to the front, but instead stayed Hiroshi Morishige behind Akagi, his strength rivaling even that of Hiroshi Morishige. Akagi felt as if he were trapped in a giant net, unable to breathe; he had never experienced such oppression before.
Hanamichi Sakuragi Masahiro Nobe on the other side of the basket. In Masahiro Nobe's eyes, Sakuragi was just a greenhorn, and he had always thought he could handle Sakuragi. However, right now, this greenhorn was a bit too much. Sakuragi's footwork was solid, his body was like a spring, and he also exuded a calmness, which was quite different from the hothead he had seen in the previous video.
Just then, Sakuragi suddenly used a hidden force, deflected the force, and slipped past Masahiro Nobe, disappearing at lightning speed.
Sakuragi's movement caused Shirasawa's eyes to flicker slightly, and Hisashi Mitsui was also affected.
It turns out that Sakuragi's positioning was a plan laid out in advance by Coach Anzai, but because it was Hanamichi Sakuragi, the plan was full of surprises. No one knew when he would move, or whether he would move correctly. This required Shirasawa and Mitsui to have a very high level of understanding, especially Shirasawa, who had to accurately catch Sakuragi's route.
This was easy for Shirasawa, whose vision was practically godlike. The moment Sakuragi moved, Shirasawa moved as well, immediately drawing Sannoh's defensive attention.
Sakuragi's hidden force was so powerful that Masahiro Nobe had no time to catch up, probably cursing in his mind, "Despicable!"
Sakuragi and Shirasawa's move was to create an opportunity for Hisashi Mitsui, and Mitsui would not let them down. He seized the opportunity at the 45-degree three-point line, made a reverse breakaway, and flashed away.
Mitsui's off-ball movement is among the best in the country. Even if Satoshi Ichinokura's predictions were accurate, he couldn't possibly anticipate it completely. However, Mitsui's reaction was indeed quick, and he judged it instantly, barely managing to shake off Mitsui. But as he turned around, he crashed headfirst into a wall!
Hanamichi Sakuragi appeared at the most opportune time and in the most opportune position, completely blocking Satoshi Ichinokura.
At the same time, the basketball was passed from Shirasawa's hands. Kazunari Fukatsu had no idea whether Shirasawa would drive, shoot, or pass, and these three options gave him a headache.
Mitsui successfully broke free, caught the ball steadily, and had a wide-open space in front of him.
He bent his knees, jumped, and brought his most beautiful shooting form to the largest stadium in the country.
The basketball streaked across the sky like a rainbow, Mitsui simply turned away without even looking.
Swish! The ball went into the net.
Three-pointer made!
" The Mitchy!!"
That was an amazing shot!
In the stands, Tetsuo Hotta threw away the Shohoku banner and replaced it with a giant " Flame Man " banner, waving it wildly and stirring up the atmosphere in the entire stadium.
Hisashi Mitsui's three-pointer gave Shohoku the lead.
Coach Anzai smiled with satisfaction. Finding an open spot against Sannoh Industrial High School was no easy feat. Goro Domoto was already rubbing his chin.
*Clap! Sakuragi and Mitsui high-fived. Hanamichi Sakuragi was instrumental in this attack.
" Sakuragi -senpai is unusually calm today!" Hikoichi Aida, his eyes shining with admiration.
Kaede Rukawa, his face cold, uttered two words: "A coincidence." He paused, then added, "But the effect was alright."
It's rare for Sannoh to concede an early win, especially considering they brought on Satoshi Ichinokura early, clearly indicating a defensive strategy. However, this won't panic them; instead, it will make them even more focused.
Sannoh inbounds the ball from the baseline, Kazunari Fukatsu dribbles forward, meets Shirasawa in midfield, and lands steadily in position. Just as Takenori Akagi expected, Masashi Kawata has moved directly to the free-throw line! He didn't even move it this high when playing Ryonan, which shows how much he values Akagi.
Jun Uozumi frowned, staring intently at the field. Although he had only played against Big Kawata for half a game, he could already feel the pressure.
Uozumi's half of the game, Big Kawata didn't play seriously at all. It wasn't that he looked down on him; it was more like he was just taking him for a stroll on the court—whether he wanted his younger brother to get some practice early on, or simply felt that Uozumi wasn't good enough.
Even so, Uozumi still felt that oppressive force.
He's as strong as a traditional center, and his speed and agility are miles ahead of them. Most importantly, this guy can shoot from beyond the three-point line! If Big Kawata really wanted to beat him up in that game, he could easily score forty points without even breaking a sweat. Uozumi couldn't keep up with that kind of pace.