The moment their formation changed, Shirasawa passed the ball out!
The ball was pushed out of Shirasawa's hands, flying past the tip of the defender's ear.
It fell right into the hands of Hisashi Mitsui.
The timing was impeccable.
For Mitsui, this space was practically an open area. He bent his knees and jumped, his hand swiftly bringing down the knife.
Three-point hit.
3 to 3.
Shohoku easily scored three points by relying solely on Shirasawa's individual efforts. Although both teams play as a team, their approaches are completely different.
Kazumi Kawasaki on the sidelines, looked at Shirasawa and sighed softly.
What you miss is always the best one...
Tsukubu's baseline inbounds pass was incredibly fast, and the whole team sprang into action instantly. Two passes were all it took to get past half-court, the forwards used a screen to cut inside, and then passed the ball out from the edge of the box!
Tomokazu Godai and received the ball beyond the three-point line, raising his hand to shoot.
The entire offensive play, from inbounding the ball to releasing it, took less than eight seconds and was incredibly smooth. Shohoku seemed a bit relaxed; they usually dictate the pace, but today their opponents took the lead.
The ball traced an arc in the air.
Tomokazu Godai stared at the basket, a confident look on his face.
Another win!
6 to 3.
This is the first time since the start of the season that Shohoku has allowed an opponent to score consecutively in the opening stages.
Takenori Akagi looked at Tomokazu Godai with a deep gaze. He knew that Godai had made great progress in the past two years, but he didn't expect him to have reached this level.
Confidence and composure were written all over his face.
Akagi clapped his hands, reminding his teammates, "Everyone, stay focused! Don't let them get going!"
Possession changes, Shohoku attacks.
In the stands, Hikoichi Aida stroked his chin, analyzing the situation with great insight. " Tsukubu truly lives up to its reputation as one of last year's top eight teams. Their opening offensive really caught Shohoku off guard. Their Godai, Godai, is incredibly accurate with his three-pointers; it seems like he can make every shot."
Jun Uozumi snorted and shook his head.
"You're looking too shallow, Hikoichi," Uozumi said. " Shohoku was a bit relaxed in the first two rounds, after all, they just played two games where they didn't put up much of a fight, and they've gotten used to that slow pace. But the gap in strength between the two teams can't be bridged by this little advantage."
He paused, then looked towards the arena.
"Just watch, Shohoku will wake up soon."
On the field, Shirasawa is dribbling the ball forward.
Just as Uozumi said, Shohoku was like a lion that had just eaten and was taking a nap. If a fly flew in front of it, it would be too lazy to pay attention to it, but if the fly kept buzzing, the lion would open its eyes.
Shirasawa advanced to the frontcourt, and his teammates began to run around, each finding their own position.
Shohoku's offense is fundamentally different from other teams. Most teams have to run fixed plays or create opportunities through pick-and-rolls, and the defense can anticipate and adjust accordingly. But with Shirasawa as their engine, Shohoku's offense is completely spontaneous.
Player positioning largely depends on on-the-spot reactions, especially with someone like Hanamichi Sakuragi on the team who doesn't play by the rules...
As long as someone creates even the slightest opportunity, Shirasawa can get the ball to them. Sometimes, even without an obvious chance, his pass can create one.
As a result, Tsukubu's overall defense completely fell apart against Shohoku. The zone defense was overwhelmed by Sakuragi and Miyagi, and the perimeter players had to keep a close eye on Hisashi Mitsui at all times, not daring to relax.
Moreover, everyone knows that Shohoku's engine is also its most lethal weapon.
Shirasawa dribbled behind his back, easily shaking off Hiroshi Natsume, and like a knife, pierced straight into the defense! His immense passing threat made the defenders dare not be careless; a quick glance to the side was enough to draw someone's attention.
Koichiro Nango, was seething with anger. After waiting for so many days, he had finally gotten his hands on Shirasawa! He bypassed Akagi and blocked Shirasawa's path of attack.
"You think you can get past me? Give it a try!" Nango shouted confidently.
No sooner had he finished speaking than Shirasawa suddenly stopped abruptly.
The change in rhythm contrasted sharply with the previous smoothness. Nango was taken aback, and subconsciously paused as well.
In that brief moment of opening, Shirasawa ducked past him. Facing the empty space under the basket, he flicked his wrist and gently tossed the ball upwards.
Takenori Akagi rose from the dry ground and soared into the air.
A powerful Alley-oop pass -oop dunk!
The fans, who had been waiting for ages, finally let their emotions run wild, and the stands erupted in enthusiastic cheers. It was as if watching Shohoku game wouldn't have started without this moment.
After scoring, Akagi roared with his head held high, boosting the morale of the entire team.
Meanwhile, Koichiro Nango gritted his teeth and glared fiercely at Shirasawa. In their first encounter, Nango had undoubtedly suffered a setback.
"You won't be so lucky next time!" he shouted at Shirasawa's retreating figure.
Upon hearing this, Shirasawa glanced back at him as if he were a fool, smiled faintly, and didn't consider him a rival at all...
"Damn it! How dare they look down on me!" Nango was so angry he was about to explode.
After scoring, the score became 5-6. Shohoku was still trailing by one point, but the players on the court had completely regained their form.
The roles of offense and defense have shifted once again.
Tsukubu wanted to play fast and push the pace. Being at a height disadvantage, a positional war was the worst option for them.
Unfortunately, this time, Shohoku didn't give them another chance.
When it comes to speed, Shohoku has never been afraid of anyone!
The ball had just been served when the entire Shohoku team was already in position, waiting for them.
Natsume dribbled past half-court and was guarded by Shirasawa. He called for his teammates to set a screen, and was about to use the screen to move laterally when a shadow suddenly darted out from the side of the screener!
Ryota Miyagi seemed to spring up from the ground, reaching out and slicing the ball off.
After stealing the ball, he didn't even look at it, and swung his arm to throw it forward.
Shirasawa had already started moving and arrived just in time. He caught the ball and took a big step, leaping into the air.
With no one guarding him, he could really have his way.
He leaped to the highest point, grabbed the ball with both hands, and began to swing it down from his chest. Halfway down, he suddenly switched to one hand, then continued the arc upwards.
The movements were fluid and graceful, like a slow-motion scene from a movie.
The entire audience craned their necks until they were sore, all waiting for that moment.
With a full arc, Shirasawa used his waist and abdomen to slam the ball into the basket with one hand!
What a windmill dunk!
The stands erupted instantly.
"Holy crap! That's awesome!"
"A big windmill! It really is a big windmill!"
"That jumping ability, it must have been fed on springs!"
" Shirasawa! Shirasawa! Shirasawa!"
Even Sanae jumped up from her seat and screamed along with the crowd.
The ace players from each team were stunned. They had seen windmill dunks before, but they had never seen one as graceful and powerful as Shirasawa's.
Jun Uozumi gasped and turned to Sendoh, asking, "These moves... are you two sure you can pull them off?"
Akira Sendoh watched the game with a chuckle and casually replied, "I don't know about Kaede Rukawa, but if it were me, I would definitely go for a layup. It's two points anyway."
Uozumi was speechless after hearing this.
That's true, but you're being incredibly unambitious...
But then he thought about it again and laughed. It was precisely because Sendoh seemed so indifferent that even he, as the captain, couldn't figure out just how strong Sendoh really was.
But he dared to guarantee that Sendoh was definitely among the top tier in Kanagawa.
As for who the other top player is, we'll have to wait and see in the semifinals.
7 to 6.
Shirasawa's dunk put Shohoku ahead.
Amidst cheers from the crowd, the match had barely begun when the referee blew his whistle.
" Tsukubu requests a pause!"
Kazumi Kawasaki's timeout left even his own teammates a bit bewildered.
Captain Tomokazu Godai scratched his head. "Coach, isn't this... giving them time to celebrate?"
Koichiro Nango chimed in, "That's right! We should hurry up and catch them!"
It's only one point, what's the big deal about being behind! Besides, timeouts are so precious, shouldn't they be saved for crucial moments?
It's normal for the players to think that way. When you're on the field, you always feel like the next shot will definitely go in and the momentum can be turned around.
But what if they can't get in? Then not many people would even consider it.
That's why coaches are so important.
Kazumi Kawasaki's call for a timeout was perfectly timed.
Shirasawa's dunk set the entire arena ablaze. The fans went wild, and the Shohoku Team went on a scoring spree. At this point, it became increasingly difficult for Tsukubu to score. If he missed, Shohoku would launch a counter-attack, and the team's morale would plummet, potentially causing their mentality to collapse.
This timeout, ostensibly for himself, was actually a gift to Shohoku.
Kazumi Kawasaki wanted to use this minute or so to cool down the excitement of Shohoku and quiet down the audience.
Coach Anzai held his teacup and nodded slightly.
This apprentice is becoming more and more capable.
The timeout has ended, and the game has resumed.
Kazumi Kawasaki's goal was indeed achieved. The audience quieted down considerably, and the momentum that Shohoku had been building up also eased a bit.
With just one point separating them, it seems like both sides are back on equal footing.
Tsukubu attacks.
But the current Shohoku is completely different from the one at the beginning.
Everyone seemed to have wheels on their feet, reacting and covering for each other quickly. Coupled with their physical advantages and the fact that point guard Natsume was completely covered by Shirasawa, Tsukubu's teamwork was simply not working, and they ended up in a positional game.
In positional warfare, their only hope lay with Godai and Koichiro Nango.
However, Godai played awkwardly today.
Hisashi Mitsui was pressing too close, making him feel uncomfortable all over.
The ball was passed around several times before finally landing in the hands of Koichiro Nango.
Nango is paired with Takenori Akagi.
His height and build are completely obscured; he'd definitely be at a disadvantage in a head-on confrontation.
But he didn't intend to force the issue.
Instead of shooting, he retreated, taking two steps outwards.
Akagi had no choice but to follow.
Nango then turned around with astonishing speed.
It brushed past Akagi's side.
After gaining half a body length advantage, he deftly flicked a reverse shot under the basket.
Goal!
7 to 8.
Tsukubu has kept the score close again.
Nango raised an eyebrow at Akagi with a smug look.
Hanamichi Sakuragi shouted from the sidelines, " Gorilla, block him! That blond guy is too arrogant!"
Akagi frowned. "I know. Take care of yourself."
It's Shohoku's turn to attack.
Tsukubu's defense had no way to deal with Shirasawa.
If the defense gets too close, he can easily get past it with a change of direction; if the defense is too far away, he can simply raise his hand and throw it.
Apart from Koichiro Nango, no one else could reach the height of Shirasawa.
After several rounds, Tsukubu suffered another loss.
25 to 14.
The score gap gradually widened.
At this Tsukubu is relying entirely on Koichiro Nango.
In front of Akagi, he was like a slippery eel.
With his speed and agility, he always managed to leave Akagi behind.
Akagi was frustrated by his defense, but couldn't catch him for a while.
The ball was passed to Nango again.