He leaned against Akagi with his back to him, feinted a couple of times with his shoulders, and pretended to flip over and jump shot.
Akagi moved horizontally to block.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nango twisted his weight and spun around back to his original position.
With a flick of his left hand, he scored again.
Jun Uozumi, watching from the stands, understood everything clearly.
For tall centers like them, lateral movement speed is a natural weakness.
It's really tough to run into someone like Nango, who's both technically skilled and flexible.
Moreover, Nango's athletic ability is exaggerated.
His running and jumping speed is completely out of character for someone his height.
This caused Akagi a real hardship.
The key issue is that this guy from Nango is incredibly arrogant...
He wasn't worried at all, even though his team was down by more than ten points.
He immediately starts showing off after scoring a goal.
For example, right now.
Nango pointed at the basket, "Hey! Nobody can stop me, Koichiro Nango!"
" Shohoku is still a long way off!"
Anyone who didn't know better would think they were in the lead.
Seeing this, Shirasawa decided to fight poison with poison.
Shohoku's offensive pace suddenly quickened.
He exchanged passes with Miyagi and Mitsui, cutting to a 45-degree angle after Natsume.
He casually made a behind-the-back pass to Hanamichi Sakuragi, who was following up.
Sakuragi's eyes sharpened.
He receives the ball, starts running, and leaps into the air towards the basket.
His jumping ability was as terrifying as Shirasawa's; no one could stop Tsukubu under the basket.
Sakuragi's mind was focused on only one word: Deduct!
Bang!
He swung his arm in a wide arc and slammed the ball into the basket.
It was incredibly violent; the basketball hoop trembled.
Koichiro Nango under the basket, stared wide-eyed.
The ball bounced high off the ground, demonstrating the power of the slam dunk.
After dunking, Sakuragi didn't rest either.
He shrugged his shoulders in response to the cheers.
"See that?! That's a genius's offense!"
"I can handle Tsukubu on my own!"
Nango retorted defiantly.
"What nonsense are you talking about? It's just a dunk!"
Who do you think you are?!
Sakuragi's red head also pressed forward without backing down.
"You're not happy, are you? Then try and defend against me."
"Let me show you the difference between a genius and an ordinary person!"
The two were head to head, their faces almost touching.
They kept spouting off, one sentence after another.
The referee blew the whistle and issued a technical foul to one player.
Fairness and impartiality.
"I'm warning you, one more time and you'll be ejected from the game!"
The two finally toned it down a bit.
They continued to glare at each other, their eyes locked in a silent battle.
Until Takenori Akagi over, grabbed Sakuragi by the neck, and dragged him away...
Both teams were awarded technical foul free throws.
Shirasawa and Tomokazu Godai each scored one point from the penalty kick.
Sakuragi and Nango are locked in a fierce battle, automatically facing off against each other, neither willing to give in.
Tomokazu Godai looked up at the scoreboard, feeling a mix of emotions.
Tsukubu's attack turn.
With Hanamichi Sakuragi moving to the center position and facing off against Nango, Akagi could finally catch his breath.
Nango, this guy, isn't exactly top-tier in strength, but somehow he manages to make Akagi feel incredibly awkward.
It was like punching cotton; it didn't work, and even Akagi's defensive threat was diminished.
In the stands, Kenji Fujima of Shoyo had already noticed this.
He crossed his arms and suddenly asked, "What do you think of Tsukubu's Nango compared to you?"
This question was directed at Toru Hanagata was standing nearby.
At this moment, Hanagata no longer possessed the same imposing aura as when facing Uozumi. Fujima's face was too refreshing, like a sunny boy next door.
But it was precisely this face that made the tall, Hanagata appear overshadowed.
Aura is a thing that's hard to define.
Hanagata paused for a moment, then pushed up his glasses. "Captain, comparing me to him is a bit hurtful."
Fujima smiled, quite satisfied with Hanagata's answer.
He asked this question to probe Hanagata's opinion of Takenori Akagi.
The reason for comparing Nango is that their playing styles do have some similarities.
"It's our turn next round," Fujima said, his gaze returning to the field. "Whether you can contain Akagi is crucial to our lineup."
Hanagata nodded. "Leave it to me. But you, Fujima, are no match for Shirasawa."
Fujima still had that same smiling face, and Hanagata couldn't figure out the meaning behind his smile.
However, you could see a hint of excitement in his eyes.
Hanagata smiled and looked back at the game.
Fujima's excitement was the best answer.
Hanagata knew all too well the captain's abilities.
Why are they called the Kanagawa's Twin Pillars "?
Because Kenji Fujima, who gives his all, is someone who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Shinichi Maki the Emperor!
Ryota Miyagi turned around and shouted.
Hanamichi Sakuragi and Nango were both vying for position, neither willing to back down.
The ball bounced off the rim.
The two jumped almost simultaneously. Sakuragi had a faster spring speed, but Nango had an advantage in height and reach.
My fingertips brushed against the ball at the same time, raising it high.
They landed, exchanged a glance, their eyes blazing with fire, and then leaped up again!
Snap
Another penalty kick.
The two players went back and forth four times for a single rebound!
The scene was intense, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed it, unconsciously tensing up.
Sakuragi yelled, and his speed advantage finally widened the gap in the fourth scramble.
He grabbed the backboard and pulled it into his arms!
Nango glared angrily, his competitive spirit completely ignited.
Sakuragi passed the ball out, and the two immediately started competing, even racing to see who could run towards the frontcourt faster.
Shirasawa receives the ball and launches a fast break, dodging the defense and rushing into the penalty area for a one-handed dunk!
Less than a minute remains in the first half.
62 to 31.
Shohoku leads by 31 points.
Kazumi Kawasaki tried everything, but the gap in skill was simply too great.
Two timeouts were called, but they still couldn't break Shohoku's offensive momentum.
Tsukubu was suppressed in most of his matchups.
Especially Natsume, who was completely outmatched by Shirasawa, couldn't even launch an attack.
Without him, Tsukubu's overall attack simply wouldn't work.
Only Koichiro Nango, who has decent one-on-one skills, can still make some noise on the offensive end.
On the field, Tomokazu Godai was desperately trying to find his position, but Hisashi Mitsui was sticking to him like a shadow.
With Natsume locked down, Tsukubu's tactical positioning became less smooth, and with Miyagi constantly flitting around, it was difficult to create opportunities for Godai.
Finally, Godai received the ball and forced a three-pointer against Mitsui.
Mitsui leaped up with all his might to interfere, causing Godai's shot to become distorted.
Another missed shot.
Godai angrily clenched his fist, his anxiety growing.
By this point in the game, he had only made 3 of 8 three-point attempts, completely lacking his usual accuracy.
But Mitsui was also exhausted.
Because Godai is incredibly fast!
To get a shot off, one has to run around most of the court for 20 seconds.
This made Mitsui miss the goodness of Shirasawa...
Godai runs, he has to chase him.
The exertion in this half was even more tiring than playing the entire game.
Since his return, Mitsui has never pushed himself to such a physical level.
After all, his physical strength had not fully recovered, and this 20-minute high-intensity shuttle run had almost pushed him to his limit.
Another scramble for the rebound in the backcourt.
The 31-point deficit did not deter Tsukubu.
Hanamichi Sakuragi and Koichiro Nango once again engage in a jumping duel.
This time, in a contest, the two players poked the ball forward.
Both of them lost their balance and stumbled several steps side by side after landing.
Shirasawa had secured the ball and launched a counter-attack directly towards the frontcourt.
Sakuragi and Koichiro Nango were still locked in a fierce battle.
Staggering, neither was willing to give way, and with a sudden shove of their shoulders, they both fell to the ground.
But that's not all.
They turned and glared at each other, then gritted their teeth and squeezed each other to stand up again.
However, due to excessive force, they fell into a heap again.
This scramble for the ball was even more exciting than a fast break in the frontcourt.
At this moment, Shirasawa assisted Miyagi to cut in and score, further widening the point difference.
Sakuragi and Nango then angrily got up, and then together disgustedly wiped the area that had been squeezed...
Their movements were remarkably synchronized.
Nango even forgot that his original goal was to defeat Shirasawa.
Now all I can see is that glaring red...
In the last attack of the first half, Tsukubu once again had Godai make a strong pitch against Mitsui.
Godai's mindset was already in disarray, and Mitsui noticed it as he jumped.
For pitchers, mindset is crucial.
Mitsui didn't even jump; he just stood there and reached out to interfere.
He was certain that the ball wouldn't go in, even if no one was defending it.
As expected!
Trailing by a large margin, Tomokazu Godai completely lost his composure.
He was in a hurry to catch up, but the more anxious he became, the more chaotic his actions became, which was evident in his shot selection.
With Godai's missed shot, the first half ended.
64 to 31.
Judging from both the point difference and the current situation, Tsukubu's journey in the prefectural tournament has only twenty minutes left.
During halftime, both teams' players returned to the locker room to adjust.
Tomokazu Godai stood on the sidelines, staring intently at the scoreboard.
He didn't respond when his teammates called him.
Finally, Kazumi Kawasaki walked over.
" Godai, now is not the time to admit defeat."
"If I give up, then it will truly be the end."
As soon as he finished speaking, Tomokazu Godai's eyes brightened instantly.
Kazumi Kawasaki's phrase "nonsense literature" was actually inherited from Coach Anzai.
However, he made some minor modifications himself.
But this sentence has a special meaning for Godai.
Three years ago, Tomokazu Godai joined the Tsukubu basketball team with the goal of defeating Akagi.
However, his skills haven't improved much since junior high school, and he can't even get a starting spot on the team, widening the gap between him and Akagi.
Just when he was feeling disheartened and about to give up, Kazumi Kawasaki appeared.
They called him a natural archer.
The reason is that Godai possesses a flexibility in his body that others lack, especially in his fingers and wrists.
With more training and by making the most of this strength, I can definitely become an excellent shooter.
Kazumi Kawasaki's affirmation greatly encouraged Godai.
From that day on, Godai buried himself in rigorous training.
But he didn't know at the time that Kawasaki's words were just a white lie.
Although Godai's skills were average, he was the hardest working in training and was willing to give everything for basketball.
This is precisely what Kawasaki admires most about him.
Seeing the young man's discouragement, Kawasaki came up with this white lie.
He wanted Godai to give him another chance!
Of course, it's not all a lie; the smoothness of the Godai is indeed quite excellent.
As for the so-called "natural pitcher," Godai certainly doesn't qualify; he's an extremely rare breed.
But Kawasaki believes that as long as Godai keeps up the good work, he can also become an excellent shooter.
And so, Tomokazu Godai practiced three-pointers for three months.
The results, however, were not satisfactory.
They are far from being "born archers".
He felt he had let his coach down, and even if he had the talent, he might not be suited to playing basketball.
It was at this moment that Kazumi Kawasaki uttered the phrase "nonsense literature."
"If I give up, then it's all over."