He never imagined that Shirasawa was so close to him, and that the person he had been searching for, Sota Miyagi, was also so close. In fact, their thoughts and gazes were aligned: they both wanted Shohoku to win, and they both wanted to have a good, unrestrained fight with Shirasawa.
Alex and Sota Miyagi were merely representatives of the entire arena; most of the attention was focused on Shirasawa. The most important player in this so-called epic showdown was Shohoku's number 9 Shirasawa.
From the start of the second half, the two teams went into a fierce battle, as if the first half was just a warm-up. Now everyone was in top form, and the offense and defense were extremely exciting.
The aggressive Shirasawa from the first half has changed; he's not more ferocious, but rather he's toned down his intensity. Fans who know Shirasawa Shirasawa and Shohoku know that this is the strongest Shohoku. To put it bluntly, Shohoku's system has officially begun, and Shirasawa has become the dominant force. His teammates are all integrated into his rhythm. Every offensive play may seem chaotic, but a single pass from Shirasawa can completely dismantle the Chariot's defense.
The Chariot had never seen this kind of offensive pattern before. They were unable to defend against everyone, and their tall defensive barrier, which had only been breached by Shirasawa in the first half, was now being overwhelmed by Shohoku's barrage of attacks. The most prominent example of this was Mitsui Hisashi, who was 2.5 meters tall.
In the first half, Hisashi Mitsui mainly relied on his top-notch shooting talent, shooting three-pointers from one, two, or even three steps away from the three-point line. Apart from Shirasawa, his offensive ability also made the Chariot wary.
The second half featured a more targeted defense, but who would have thought that number 14, who seemed to be just an outside shooter, was so well-rounded? His off-ball movement was absolutely top-notch, and with Shirasawa's passing, Hisashi Mitsui scored two three-pointers and one two-pointer in just five minutes in the second half, racking up eight points on his own, and he was still running.
In the stands, Moichi Taoka stroked his stubble, his eyes gleaming with a mysterious air, a stark contrast to his demeanor during the first half. He was in an exceptionally good mood, his plan being to have Sota Miyagi wear the Ryonan jersey in the new season—a super trio! Each of the three was guaranteed at least 30 points; the game would be a blowout. How could the other teams possibly compete?
Including Shohoku, Shirasawa is widely acknowledged. Even if he scores 50 points and provides 15 assists, his total points (both direct and indirect) would be 80, which is quite impressive, right? But that's still far from the 90 points of the "Big Three" (Shohoku's three super teams). Of course...
This idea was really just Moichi Taoka indulging in wishful thinking, purely fantasizing about the future. However, he was determined that once Sota Miyagi joined Shohoku, he could also dethrone them. His excitement was practically off the charts, and he couldn't help but feel sorry for the Shohoku players.
Hisashi Mitsui, that was Moichi Taoka's favorite back then. Speaking of his "rivalry" with Shohoku, it all started three years ago.
Take last season for example. Mitsui's scoring efficiency, defensive level, and contribution to the team were all top-notch. He was second only to Shirasawa in Shohoku. He was a well-known figure in the national tournament. Not only did he average more than 20 points per game, but when he was on fire, no one could stop him.
However, with Shirasawa as the super backcourt core, Mitsui's scoring method was fixed to three-pointers. Last season, his assist rate was the highest in the country.
It was different when he won MVP in middle school. Back then, he mostly played solo, maybe needing a screen to create space. Three-pointers were just one of his many scoring methods. But now, when you mention Hisashi Mitsui, the first thing that comes to mind is three-pointers.
Later, when Shohoku won the national championship, Mitsui proved himself, but it's hard to say who was stronger when comparing him to his former self, since their roles on the court were completely different.
But now, Moichi Taoka can confidently say that Mitsui has long surpassed his former self! That all-powerful MVP, that super core of the championship team, is no match for this kid now. This is a top-tier 3D player; although he may not be a leader, he is definitely an indispensable and formidable player on the team.
At this moment, Hisashi Mitsui is perfectly embodying the meaning of top-tier 3D. Every step he takes on the court is purposeful, and every movement is deliberate. If Hanamichi Sakuragi has an extraordinary sense of rebounding, then Hisashi Mitsui has the superpower of reading the defense!
After observing for a while, Mitsui had already figured out the Chariot's defense. Now all he had to do was catch the ball and shoot! And he actually did it!
Beyond the three-point line, Mitsui cut out from the baseline, received a pass from Shirasawa Ze, and drifted out to shoot. The Chariot's defenders tried their best, but were still a beat too slow and could only watch helplessly as the ball swished through the basket. Another three-pointer, Mitsui's score increased, and Shirasawa's assist count also increased. Their Chariot was seamless; their run and pass pierced through the tank's seemingly impenetrable defense.
With the score at 77-66, just ten minutes into the second half, Shohoku had already extended their lead to 11 points, marking the first time they had led by double digits in the entire game!
In those ten minutes, Mitsui scored 14 points, unleashing his full offensive power! In the past, he would have been panting like a bellows by now, but now? Mitsui was incredibly steady, immediately returning to defense after each attack, his steps and energy were very steady, showing no signs of exhaustion.
This is one of the reasons why Moichi Taoka has become increasingly optimistic about him. Mitsui has long since shaken off that three-year gap in his career. Now, his skills, experience, and mentality are all at their peak, making him an absolute standout among the third-year students.
This treatment is exactly the same as when he was fiercely sought after by prestigious universities after graduating from junior high school. Although Mitsui's grades were terrible, it didn't stop him from getting into a good university.
This made Kiminobu Kogure, the Four-Eyes from 910, extremely jealous. He wasn't much better at studying than Mitsui, but so far, Kogure had only received an invitation from one university, and it wasn't even a top-tier one. He could only choose a university based on his grades, and the result probably wouldn't be good.
Having been classmates with Takenori Akagi for six years, they have to part ways this time. It's also basically impossible for him to be classmates with Mitsui anymore. The only thing he can hope for is for Yasuharu Yasuda and his friends to go to university. With their grades and abilities, they will most likely be able to team up with Kogure.
Back on the court, the cheers from the crowd never stopped. After Shohoku took the lead, the fans went even crazier, as if a basketball door to a new world was slowly being pushed open. Everyone was looking forward to it and wanted to push the door open as soon as possible.
But the players on the tank didn't want that. They had to Chariot tooth and nail to block that door. Shohoku could open up a new world for themselves, and they didn't want to be stepping stones.
The Chariot Country is considered a top-tier team in the world of basketball. In recent years, its basketball culture has developed well, producing many excellent players. They have also gained enough experience in European leagues and are showing signs of catching up with the Lighthouse Country.
But theory is one thing, in reality they are still far behind the Lighthouse Country. No matter how other countries train, the Lighthouse Country can simply field Dream Team. How do you deal with that? The answer is no.
The same applies to high school leagues. Take the last round of matches, for example; the Cheetah easily defeated the Chariot.
The Chariot's star player, Hoffmann, couldn't gain any advantage against the Cheetah Team ' second-in-command, Robinson. Although Robinson was doing well in European leagues, the difference in their absolute abilities was undeniable.
To put it bluntly, their purpose in coming to the Four Nations Invitational was to leverage the high school league to further solidify their basketball's standing. After all, Hoffmann's skills were clearly visible to everyone on the court.
If they could defeat the Cheetah, that would be something to brag about for years, generating massive buzz and exposure. Even if they lost, it would still catch the eye of NBA scouts, paving the way for Hoffmann to be drafted to the NBA next year. Win or lose, it would all contribute to the development of basketball.
But for Changwon Team and Shohoku, the thinking was completely different. They had to win these two games, and by a large margin, so that the whole world would know the dominance of the Chariot Basketball".
But what about now? They're being completely dominated by Shohoku, with less than ten minutes left in the game. If they lose to Shohoku, they can't afford the consequences.
Losing to Shohoku? The Chariot Team absolutely cannot withstand the consequences. It's not just a loss of face; this is a major issue concerning the development of basketball. If they really lose, it won't be a matter of progress but regression; it will be a complete shattering of their reputation and dignity.
But for Shohoku, the situation was completely reversed. To put it bluntly, one side was straining to push the door open, while the other side was holding on tightly to prevent it from opening. Shohoku's goal was to break down the door. As for your ambitions, you'd better go Shohoku Cheetah...
Compared to the players on the court, the head coach of the Chariot was well aware of the gravity of the situation. When Shohoku extended their lead to 11 points, he immediately called a timeout.
As soon as the timeout started, his eyes widened like saucers, and he started babbling incoherently. Although most people couldn't understand him, judging from his expression, gestures, and voice, anyone could guess what was going on. He probably even dragged out the ancestors of some players and cursed them, including Hoffmann.
Anyway, not every team has privileged players. Even in the domestic league, they're not given out casually.
Take Eiji Sawakita of Sannoh for example. In front of Goro Domoto, he was just an ordinary team member. Domoto Goro could scold him or punish him as he pleased, without any special privileges.
On the other hand, Coach Anzai of Shohoku and Moichi Taoka of Ryonan are incredibly protective of their ace players, and their results are outstanding. If Hoffmann knew this, he would probably be very envious.
After the timeout, the players were either jolted awake by the Chariot or regained their confidence; in any case, their competitive spirit was immediately at its peak. Everyone was giving their all in offense and defense, and the competition on the court instantly intensified several notches.
Hisashi Mitsui was at a disadvantage, finding it difficult to replicate his efficient performance from the first ten minutes and having to focus more on defense. Ryota Miyagi was in the same boat, running all over the field to put pressure on the opponent but not contributing much else.
However, by this point in the game, Ryota Miyagi had become a troublesome figure that the Chariot had to keep an eye on, and even annoyed them. Whenever a player from the Chariot tried to pass the ball, that number 7 would spring out like a spring, greatly disrupting their offensive rhythm.
Wagner was even a little envious of Miyagi's stamina. In this race, Miyagi definitely ran the most; his stamina seemed inexhaustible. But Wagner, on the other hand, was constantly teetering on the edge of physical collapse, never having a moment of comfort.
Even during timeouts, the head coach was yelling at him, and he looked like he was going to eat him alive.
With a whoosh, Hoffmann squeezed past Hanamichi Sakuragi to his left side, his feet swaying as he raised his hand to shoot.
Sakuragi still uses the same "eye-blocking defense," which can also be called "face-flipping defense." Basically, the bottom line is not to touch you, but to scare you.
Even Takenori Akagi had to admit that Sakuragi had used this move flawlessly. The distance was perfect, the momentum was there, and even his expression was spot on. It was as if he had perfectly combined his years of fighting experience with basketball.
Hoffmann gets goosebumps every time he raises his hand to shoot; he needs time to get used to it. Plus, he's so eager to score right now, so his efficiency is predictably low.
The basketball slammed into the rim, and Hoffmann missed again. He cursed in frustration.
Hanamichi Sakuragi didn't hold back either, immediately retorting arrogantly. Neither of them could understand what the other was saying, but it was definitely unpleasant. The tension instantly escalated.
Takenori Akagi leaped high to grab the rebound, demonstrating his strengths, but Brad from the Chariot was no slouch either. In the matchup, Akagi failed to gain the upper hand.