An All-League Selection on the Chariot Team Put Up 2+2 Against Shohoku in One Half. That Was Awful
But Ryota Miyagi is still struggling on the field.
This game was too restrictive for him. He finally managed to use his signature Jelly Layup, only to have it slapped away by Brad. To other players, the Chariot Team members were a bit tall, but to Miyagi, they were like a moving Great Wall.
However, Miyagi remained calm and continued to run around the field, chasing every ball and doing his best to defend every possession.
He believed in his abilities, and even if he fought hard for the entire game and only got one highlight, it would be a fatal blow.
Looking at his younger brother from the stands, Sota Miyagi couldn't help but shake his head.
"This number seven has plenty of opportunities, but he's lacking in too many areas."
Although he didn't remember that the kid in front of him was his younger brother, the instinct of blood ties still made him stare at Ryota Miyagi, and he even had an urge to go up and give him some pointers.
He used to play point guard in the league, and he was considered one of the tallest point guards back then. But his playing style was different from his younger brother's. He was more like Shirasawa and Sendoh, a well-rounded player who relied on his skills.
Therefore, there are many opportunities that Miyagi simply cannot see, and even if he could see them, he would not be able to seize them.
Miyagi was probably thinking to himself, "Even though we're brothers, you're 20 centimeters shorter than me, and you still dare to talk back?"
With 56-54 in the final minute of the first half, Shohoku was temporarily leading by two points.
The first half was truly spectacular, with Shirasawa being the standout performer.
So far, Shirasawa has scored 35 points and dished out 7 assists, and the Chariot Team him.
What's even more absurd is that they thought Shirasawa had already given it his all, but judging from his condition, it seemed like he hadn't even exerted his full strength yet.
Wagner, who was marking him, was so sweaty that his jersey was almost soaked through.
Although he had been controlling his stamina from the start, it was no use. Shirasawa didn't give him a chance to catch his breath, dominating him on both offense and defense.
His personal stats were even worse, completely disproportionate to the sweat he was covered in.
He's a double-double player averaging 15 points and 11 assists per game in the Chariot Team league, and he was named to the All-Season Team with Hoffmann. His skills are undoubtedly top-notch, but so far today, he's only scored 2 points and had 2 assists.
The best lineup member of the Chariot Team scored 2+2 in the first half against Shohoku, that's just too bad.
Wagner was indignant. He wanted to shout, "You guys don't know how terrifying this Shohoku number 9 is! It's not that I'm bad, it's that he's just too strong! Where's the joy of basketball?! Please give it back to me!"
" Shohoku! Shohoku!"
"Defense! Defense!"
The shouts from the stands shook the entire stadium, especially towards the end of the first half, when the shouts were even louder, as everyone wanted Shohoku to finish the first half with a lead.
This is a partial victory. We'll deal with the second half later. If we can play like this in the first half, winning will definitely be no problem.
Hoffmann received the ball on the left side of the three-point line, and Hanamichi Sakuragi was the one coming to defend him.
Throughout this half, Hoffmann felt he had the upper hand, and statistically, he definitely did, having scored 26 points, second only to Shirasawa.
However, his scoring rhythm is somewhat similar to the one he used against the Cheetah last time.
Back then, he started scoring like crazy, but after about 15 minutes, Robinson, the Cheetah' second-in-command, started to focus on defending him, and his scoring efficiency dropped. It's the same now.
Around the 15th minute of the first half, Hoffmann's attacking efficiency began to decline for two reasons.
First, the game mechanism is different. In foreign countries, it is a four-quarter system, with a game lasting 40 or 48 minutes and divided into four quarters, giving players more time to adjust. However, in China, it is a two-half system, with each half lasting 20 minutes, which is a real test of physical fitness.
Although they are both basketball games, the nature of the sport is intense, involving constant back-and-forth running once the ball is no longer involved. How could foreign players adapt to the fast pace of a 20-minute half-court game in China? Especially the big men like the Chariot, their stamina drops faster than anyone else's.
Take Hoffmann for example, it was a certainty that his stamina was depleted in the latter part of the first half. Naturally, his efficiency dropped accordingly. But the problem wasn't just stamina, there was also Hanamichi Sakuragi.
On the field, Sakuragi still seemed to be his usual loud and boisterous self, but Hoffmann felt that this red-haired guy was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with. Wasn't this the same feeling as when the Cheetah was replaced by Robinson to guard him last time? Shohoku didn't make any changes, it was still this red-haired guy, but the defensive intensity was directly maxed out.
Sakuragi himself didn't even realize it. He suffered a lot in the first half, but he quickly gained experience. As Hoffmann's stamina wore off, Sakuragi slowly gained the upper hand. It wasn't that he figured out how to defend against Hoffmann, but rather that he could keep his man pinned down.
Takenori Akagi saw this perfectly clearly. He couldn't help but marvel at Sakuragi's rapid growth. Genius? Akagi had already accepted that title back when they played against Sannoh.
Hoffmann would dribble the ball and attempt a triple threat, but he could keep up with every fake Sakuragi made. Although Sakuragi's anticipation wasn't great, his quick reactions allowed him to get back in position instantly. Even if Hoffmann saw an opening, he couldn't capitalize on it.
Hoffman's exceptional physical abilities compensated for many of Sakuragi's defensive shortcomings. After several fakes, Hoffmann forced his way to the basket, and Sakuragi closely guarded him, allowing Hoffmann to use the momentum to step back and shoot.
Sakuragi quickly jumped to block, but even with all his might, he couldn't reach Hoffmann's incredibly high release point. Then Sakuragi changed tactics; instead of going for the ball, he aimed his two large hands straight for Hoffmann's face!
With a whoosh, Hoffmann got goosebumps. That huge hand was about to slap his face! His teammates held their breath, thinking Sakuragi was about to explode.
But Takenori Akagi laughed. Sakuragi wasn't acting impulsively; he was using the same Hanagata Akagi used to defend Hanagata! If you can't stop the ball, attack the opponent's mental defense!
With a whoosh, Hoffmann frantically threw the ball, even feeling Sakuragi's hand touch his hair. " Gorilla!" Sakuragi yelled.
Takenori Akagi understood immediately and tightly marked Brad behind him. Clang! The basketball bounced off the rim, and Takenori Akagi roared as he forcefully grabbed the rebound, overpowering Brad!
Sakuragi, who had almost slapped someone's face just moments before, was now charging towards the frontcourt. "Go! Go! Go! No one can catch you!" The situation changed in an instant, and this attack successfully disrupted Hoffmann's shot.
Takenori Akagi anticipated the play and positioned himself well to secure the rebound. With the Chariot's offensive run over, Shohoku had already switched to their own offensive possession. Sakuragi, in particular, had already reached half-court.
He trusted the Gorilla's rebounding ability, abandoned secondary defense, and went straight for a fast break to attack the basket. Akagi didn't disappoint him, grabbing the rebound and tossing the ball into the air.
The two didn't have any complicated teamwork; it was just a deep trust and understanding between them. Sakuragi knew Akagi could get the rebound, so he ran down the court early.
Whoosh! The basketball flew out, and there was no one in front of Sakuragi. Amidst the cheers of the crowd, he dribbled straight to the basket, crossed the free throw line, and unleashed a powerful one-handed dunk!
Shohoku extended their lead to two possessions before halftime. "Great shot! Beautiful dunk!" "Hold on! We're going to win the first half!" "Defense! Defense! Defense!"
The fans in the stands and the Shohoku bench cheered deafeningly, creating a huge atmosphere for the final attack. Akagi, with his arms outstretched, roared from the backcourt, while Sakuragi, without returning, went from the baseline to the Chariot to inbound the ball from the sideline.
For Wagner, this was imprisonment. As the team's core point guard, his shooting percentage in the first half was almost the worst on the team. Shirasawa didn't give him any chance to receive the ball, and he struggled himself, feeling even more pressure every time he received the ball.
Just as the serve was about to expire, the Chariot served the ball. Sakuragi turned and rushed back to the backcourt, taking his position in advance to wait for Hoffmann to come over.
Hoffmann stared at the red-haired guy, completely bewildered. Putting aside his defensive quality and offensive ability, just considering his stamina, this red-haired guy did nothing but run and jump throughout the entire first half, and even when he was grabbing rebounds, he had to tense his muscles to position himself, yet he still had so much energy!
The entire Chariot team had good stamina, but compared to Sakuragi, they were far inferior. As a seasoned player who had honed his skills in the national tournament, Hoffmann finally realized that the opponent he was facing could run faster and exert more pressure than any other player he had ever encountered.
This guy has the foundation that every basketball player dreams of. As for his skills? As long as he's willing to practice like crazy, he'll develop them eventually.
Hoffmann has now truly acknowledged that Hanamichi Sakuragi's skill level is genuinely impressive.
The ball passed around a few times before finally landing in the hands of Huoyin, the consistent scorer for the Chariot Country. Holding the ball on the left side, he could drive to the basket or pull back for a three-pointer; his style of play was unpredictable.
Hoffmann received the ball and made a triple threat, but didn't rush to shoot—there were less than 30 seconds left in the game. The Chariot Country isn't good at playing fast; controlling the tempo is their forte. They'll stall for as long as possible, and ultimately shut down Shohoku.
If there's enough time left, a long-range three-pointer might turn the game around in the first half. After all, every second that's wasted now is disadvantageous for Shohoku.
With the 24-second shot clock ticking away, Hoffmann's triple threat had Sakuragi completely under his thumb. But just then, Hoffmann made his move.
Sakuragi immediately spun around, using his core strength to battle Hoffmann. The two were locked in a struggle, with Sakuragi gaining a slight advantage. But Hoffmann suddenly slowed down, took a slower second step, created some space between himself and Sakuragi, and passed the ball directly to the basket.
He wanted to secure the victory steadily, so he deliberately chose the safest method—passing to Brad. If the opportunity was good enough, Brad could simply dunk it off using his height; if the opportunity wasn't so great, Brad could adjust. After shaking off Sakuragi, the area under the basket would be the domain of their two towering figures.
Brad received the ball under the basket, nudged Akagi with his shoulder, Akagi gritted his teeth and didn't budge. Seeing that he was about to pass the ball hand-off, Brad understood and passed the ball out smoothly.
Just one final step was needed, but suddenly a red hand reached out from between the two. A crisp snap! Red Ghost Number 7 appeared!
Ryota Miyagi finally seized his opportunity, slicing the ball away and then slipping between the two players, heading straight for the basketball. Brad cursed in frustration, but Miyagi remained composed. He lunged forward, caught the ball, and charged towards the frontcourt.
" Miyagi -senpai!"
"Your opportunity has finally arrived! No one can underestimate you now!"
"Number one speed in the country! Lightning fast! Charge! Let them show us what they're made of!"
Miyagi's steal was truly beautiful, a style unique to him that others couldn't imitate. After all, it requires the agility of a small player, lightning speed, and incredibly accurate judgment of the situation—that's what makes Miyagi stand out on the court.
If you think he got to where he is today just because of his speed, you'd be sorely mistaken. He knows all the teams he's played against very well, especially Aiwa Academy and Sannoh Industrial High School, who have suffered many defeats at his hands.