On the other Chariot Team, the atmosphere was much more subdued. Ever since Shirasawa dunked on him, star player Hoffmann hadn't uttered a single word, looking as if his soul had been ripped out.
Hoffmann has always been a steady player, but that doesn't mean he's unmoved. If Shirasawa were to get dunked on like that, he'd probably feel frustrated too. But Shirasawa would never let that happen.
The second-in-command of the Chariot Team, Gner, was tied up with Shirasawa for half the match.
Compared to Hoffmann, Wagner wasn't as severely impacted; his emotions didn't break down, but he was on the verge of collapse.
If the referee had added five minutes of stoppage time at that point, Wagner would definitely have fainted on the spot.
Not only was his physical strength depleted quickly, but the psychological torment was even more devastating. With these two factors combined, Wagner was on the verge of collapse.
With their star players Hoffmann and Wagner in such poor form, and still trailing in points, where was the morale of the other players? A group of them, heads down, scurried into the players' tunnel.
At this rate, if they start the second half right away, Shohoku's victory is practically guaranteed, and they might even win by a large margin.
But reality is rarely so smooth; strong teams, besides having good players, always need a capable head coach.
Take Sannoh, who has dominated the national championship for many years, for example. Some people say that with Sannoh's team culture, anyone could win the championship if they were coached, but that's absolutely nonsense.
Sannoh is extremely strict in choosing its head coach. Goro Domoto is known as the best coach in the country. Even if he went to university or professional leagues, he would still be a formidable figure. Without him, Sannoh would not be that team at all.
Moreover, that team culture, to put it bluntly, was entirely cultivated by the coach.
The same goes for Shohoku. Shirasawa is indeed ridiculously strong, but basketball is a team sport. If you let him lead four bench players to play against Sannoh, they would definitely lose.
Mitsuyoshi Anzai was the one who built the framework for Shirasawa. He used his own methods to make Miyagi, Mitsui, Sakuragi, and Akagi stronger, constantly adjusting them to fit Shirasawa, so that they could step in at crucial moments.
Conversely, why did Shoyo lose for several years? Fujima himself wasted his high school career. He was a talented horse, but he didn't meet the right mentor. That's the weight of a coach.
The head coach of the Chariot is a big name in the domestic coaching circle. It remains to be seen whether he can bring the team back during the 20 minutes of halftime.
Whether the Chariot can regain its fighting strength in the second half, and whether Hoffmann and Wagner can find their form, all depends on him.
A dozen minutes later, as halftime was about to end, both teams made adjustments and returned to the field.
Shohoku's momentum was much stronger than at the start; they had adapted to the intensity and proved that they could go toe-to-toe with the Chariot, and even win.
This is the players' self-affirmation, which is crucial to the game. From playing against Shoyo, Kainan, and Sannoh, to now against the Chariot, Shohoku has broken through time and time again, proving that they deserve a higher stage. Now they have the feel of a powerhouse team.
The Chariot on the other side has completely changed. Hoffmann has regained his confidence, Wagner is chatting and laughing with his teammates, and their physical fitness issues have been resolved. They have become that composed and strong team again.
The balding, fierce-looking head coach was indeed quite capable. As soon as the whistle blew, both teams' starting lineups took to the field, and the crucial second half began.
After the first half, both sides have figured each other out, and they will definitely make targeted adjustments in the second half, going all out from the start.
Whoosh! The referee tossed the ball up, and the game began with the second jump ball between Takenori Akagi and Brad!
Suddenly, the Cheetah Team appeared on the sidelines, and the one speaking was Robinson, the second-in-command who had shut down Hoffmann in the last game.
Robinson smacked his lips.
"I didn't expect Shohoku to be in the lead?"
I thought they were going to get crushed by Hoffmann.
After the game Shohoku and Chariot ends, it will be Cheetah' turn to play Changwon. This is an exhibition match, and Changwon is not even in the same league as Cheetah.
In this Four Nations Tour, Changwon was just there to give away points, much like Kanagawa Gori High School. They gave points to every team, so no one felt awkward.
But what about us? Who the hell could have imagined we were so weak? We should never have come; we've only brought shame upon ourselves.
This time when I went back, my country's basketball not only didn't improve, but actually regressed. After all, Changwon's star player, Park Shuo-qi, was beaten so badly by Shirasawa that he questioned his existence. He was the top player in the high school league, and if he was like this, how could basketball develop at all?
Why not get plastic surgery, sign with an agency, and form a boy band? They can sing, dance, and rap; basketball is out of the question, don't add to the drama.
The Cheetah Team didn't take Changwon seriously at all, or rather, they didn't take any of them seriously. They weren't prepared for the upcoming game at all, and the whole team had just woken up and arrived at the stadium.
Changing into a game uniform and watching the game while doing nothing, or planning tactics in advance? No need.
But as soon as the game between Shohoku and Chariot ended, the Cheetah Team didn't linger. They went straight onto the court to shoot a couple of balls to warm up, playing a tanking, fun style of basketball.
However, the Cheetah's head coach is no pushover either; he's known for his ruthless training methods back in the Lighthouse Country. But this time, he treated the Four Nations Invitational like a team-building activity, giving the players a rare break.
Alex stared at the Shohoku bench on the sidelines and suddenly spoke up, "I told you, Shohoku's ace is no ordinary player."
Robinson and the others had just arrived when he was already squatting there watching from the moment the game started. This guy was a warmonger; he couldn't resist punching any skilled player he saw. He had been obsessed with Sota Miyagi before, and now Shirasawa had become his obsession as well.
He had noticed Shirasawa's skills during the previous game Shohoku and Changwon. Shirasawa clearly wasn't using his full strength then, which made him even more eager to try.
Add to that the terrifying statistics Shirasawa put up in the high school league, how could he possibly let such a precious talent slip by? So he made a point of coming early to stake out the game between Shohoku and Chariot, just to see Shirasawa's true level and whether this guy was good enough to go toe-to-toe with him.
After the first half ended, he slapped his thigh loudly. "He's more than qualified, I want to drag him off the court and have a match right now!"
I didn't manage to catch Sota Miyagi before, but I've stumbled upon someone even more ruthless than him! This trip was definitely worthwhile!
He's incredibly anxious about playing Shohoku in the next round. He's hoping Shohoku beats Chariot so both teams will have 2 points and secure a top-two finish. Then the two teams can go head-to-head for the championship – that's the real deal! Shirasawa will definitely give it his all to win the title; that's what makes it exciting!
As for the rest of Shohoku, he didn't take them seriously at all. Including Hanamichi Sakuragi, with his red hair and the ability to jump so high he could hit the ceiling. Even though he managed to defend against Hoffmann at one point, and even though his rebounding and athleticism were off the charts, in Alex's eyes, Sakuragi was simply not in the same league as Robinson, there was no comparison. As for the others, they were even less worthy of consideration.
Apart from Shirasawa, no one in Shohoku can rival the Cheetah! Alex is indeed arrogant, but he has the right to be arrogant, which is his solid strength.
He himself is definitely among the top players in high school basketball. He will be participating in the NBA draft soon. Current reports say he will be selected quite high, but whether he will ultimately be drafted or spend another year honing his skills is entirely up to him.
The NBA draft isn't as glamorous as it sounds. Getting drafted doesn't guarantee a smooth ride; it's a gamble with your life. Many high school players had great draft prospects and high picks, seemingly living the high life, only to find out how terrible they were once they entered the NBA. Most couldn't keep up, either their mentality collapsed, or they were marginalized or even dropped out of the league.
After all, there are tons of people vying for each rotation spot, leaving absolutely no room for error. If you miss your chance, it's incredibly difficult to catch it again. By then, you're no longer a star player; all you'll be facing is criticism and backlash, which will severely impact your career. Every year, there are tons of people like that.
Therefore, many players are now taking a conservative approach, honing their skills and gaining experience before entering the draft. Coaches from various teams are also advising them not to be lured away by money and fame, as the NBA is a temple that not just anyone can enter.
Alex is quite mature. He set a goal for himself: before running for election, he must defeat all the tough guys in his cohort and become the best in his class in terms of personal ability!
Alex's goal before entering the draft was to crush all the tough guys in his class. He previously thought that these tough guys were only in his own little high school league. After all, he was in the world's strongest basketball nation and played in the top league. This year, he led his team to the championship, so he should be the strongest high school player.
But Alex didn't think so, because a year ago, Sota Miyagi had shown him that the strong weren't all in the Lighthouse Country! The NBA draft wasn't just for the Lighthouse Country; it was for the whole world. Only now, after meeting Shirasawa, did he understand this even more, even see it clearly.
Take his championship for example. To be honest, it wasn't won by him alone. His great partner, Robinson, is a top-five player in the league! Robinson averaged 22 points, 20 rebounds, and more than 3 blocks per game. His scoring, defense, and assists are all outstanding.
Robinson significantly boosted Alex's stats. The team's victories were largely thanks to him. Without Robinson's anchor, it's uncertain how far Alex could have led the team, and their playing style might have been drastically different.
Alex is far from being considered the best high school player in the nation. But looking at the NBA, how many superstars have led their teams single-handedly? The contributions of teammates cannot be ignored, but his teammates may not be among the top ten in the league. How to connect with his teammates and lead the team forward is something that this point guard has been constantly thinking about.
Although he wasn't overthinking things, he was indeed mature enough not to be blinded by honors and the future. Watching Shirasawa play right now resonated with many of his thoughts. Putting aside his offensive abilities, even in terms of playmaking and linking up play, Alex felt he was a step behind. He admitted he couldn't do Shirasawa's passes and transitions.
But he didn't want to admit it. Perhaps only by defeating Shirasawa could he see things more clearly. Shirasawa and Sota Miyagi, Alex wanted to take them both down during this so-called team-building activity so that he could make sense of the selection process.
However, the match against Shirasawa is relatively easier to handle. Regardless of whether Shohoku wins or loses this match, they will have to face the Cheetah in the next round of the tournament.
The only thing to fear is that Shohoku loses today, especially if it's a close defeat. Will they strategically forfeit their next game against Cheetah? After all, Chariot is a big name, and a close defeat for Shohoku would be a good result. Forfeiting is much more meaningful than being slaughtered. In that case, their big battle with Shirasawa would most likely be canceled.
So right now, Alex is silently cheering for Shohoku. Only if Shohoku wins and advances to the championship game can they ensure that Shohoku gives it their all.
But the other Sota Miyagi was in trouble. He and Robinson followed the clues about street basketball and found that the street basketball here was pitifully weak and had little reputation. With Sota Miyagi's skill level, he would be absolutely unchallenged here.
But after making inquiries, he found out there was no high school league, no college league, and no street basketball. This made Alex think that Sota Miyagi was definitely using a fake name and must have been hiding something. He would most likely have to return to Japan with regret.