Fujima was serious; this arrangement was indeed a misjudgment on his part.
In the audience, Soichiro Jin smiled and looked at the person beside him.
" Fujima finally couldn't sit still anymore. Maki, it seems that Shirasawa is now in the same league as you guys."
Shinichi Maki simply smiled faintly.
"So what? I only believe that the winner takes all."
On the other side, the cheers from Shoyo suddenly erupted, sweeping away the previous slump.
With Fujima on the field, that's their biggest source of confidence.
Fujima received the serve from the baseline, Shirasawa continued his relentless press throughout the court, unchanged.
He wanted to test just how much Fujima was capable of.
Fujima guessed his intention and his gaze became focused.
" Shirasawa is at it again! I wonder if Fujima can handle it!"
"Don't put too much pressure on Shirasawa. The opposing team has a top-tier point guard. It's already impressive that they managed to force Fujima out of the game within the first minute."
Amidst the murmurs, the two faced off in the frontcourt.
Fujima dribbled the ball skillfully, and Shirasawa didn't rush to steal it, but simply blocked the path with his body.
Fujima would absolutely not pass the ball, nor would he call for a pick and roll.
Otherwise, even if they pass the halfway point, they won't be able to turn the tide.
Whoosh--!
Fujima suddenly sprang into action, his speed astonishing, and in one step he lunged toward Shirasawa's right!
This is his greatest advantage: he's left-handed.
This completely contradicts the defensive habits of right-handed players.
Even Shirasawa is no exception.
The body's instinctive reactions cannot be changed immediately.
With Fujima's top-notch speed and technique, Shirasawa couldn't immediately cut him off.
Fujima was also somewhat surprised; it was indeed rare for a right-handed player to defend him to this extent.
No wonder Ito got beaten so badly.
Under Fujima's control, Shoyo finally managed to advance into the frontcourt for the first time.
Once the ball crossed half-court, Shoyo's crisis was temporarily resolved.
The team members visibly relaxed, and their eyes regained their light.
"The real Shoyo has arrived... Go, Problem Children Army!" Kogure clenched his fists nervously on the sidelines.
Fujima passed the ball to Nagano, while he himself began running off the ball with Shirasawa.
In this way, Shirasawa was at least kept in check.
Nagano facing Miyagi, as long as Nagano doesn't dribble, Miyagi can't do anything about him.
He easily lobbed the ball into the paint.
Miyagi could only curse inwardly; there was truly nothing he could do.
Hanagata leaped up and caught the ball, finally getting his first attacking opportunity.
He had been holding back his energy for a long time, and his desire to attack was so strong that he couldn't suppress it.
Takenori Akagi.
The two are about the same height, but Akagi is clearly more muscular.
A large hand was firmly planted behind the Hanagata, giving him no chance to turn around and face the frame.
The two are strikingly different; one is dark and muscular, while the other is fair and slender.
He dribbled in Hanagata, took a hard step, Akagi held on tightly, remaining completely still.
Immediately afterwards, Hanagata suddenly turned around and jumped directly in front of Akagi.
I'm going to vote!
Red eyebrows furrowed, then he suddenly leaped up.
He timed his jump perfectly and had an advantage in speed.
The entire Shohoku bench stood up, eager to see a Gorilla- like block!
However...
In Akagi's eyes, Hanagata seemed to be getting further and further away from him.
He swung his hand down to block the view, but only managed to slap the air.
Hanagata leaned backward in the air until he was almost at his limit before throwing the ball.
This is his signature move—the fadeaway jump shot.
A fadeaway jump shot is difficult to defend; you need to lean back and use a high arc to avoid being blocked.
However, it is not easy to use; it requires extremely strong core strength and a sense of balance.
Even so, it still needs to have a soft feel.
The Hanagata backward lean was almost perfect in terms of both timing and balance.
Given his height of nearly two meters, this move is almost impossible to counter.
This is the killer move that allows Hanagata to survive.
Takenori Akagi watched helplessly as the ball flew over his head.
Swish!
The basketball went through the net cleanly.
With the Hanagata landing, the score became 6-2, Shoyo finally broke their scoring drought.
Takenori Akagi frowned. He had indeed lunged at the ball, but he just couldn't reach it.
As for Hanagata, he smiled and looked quite relaxed.
The two teams' centers faced off head-to-head for the first time, and Akagi suffered a setback.
The offense and defense have switched, and now it's Shirasawa's turn to keep an eye on Fujima.
Fujima isn't very tall, but his speed and judgment are top-notch.
Shirasawa could feel the pressure just by dribbling the ball, especially from the opponent's unpredictable left hand, which always made him react a beat too late.
Honestly, even if Fujima weren't left-handed, he would still be a top player, but having a left hand makes him even more difficult to deal with.
However, this pressure was not enough to throw Shirasawa off balance.
He held the ball at the top of the arc, observing his teammates' runs.
Shoyo used a man-to-man defense, but thanks to their height and wingspan, they managed to raise the intensity of their defense to a whole new level.
Even if they're a step slower, their long arms can still disrupt the pass.
Normally, a one-step shooting space is required, but against Shoyo, you need to take two steps, as if everyone has a hood over their head.
This makes it much more difficult for Shirasawa to pass the ball.
The ball may be delivered to the right position, but teammates may not be able to seize the fleeting opportunity.
So Shirasawa decided to do it himself first!
Clear a path for your teammates!
Slap! Slap!
He dribbled behind his back repeatedly, then sped up at the right moment!
The best way to deal with Fujima is to simplify things—just overpower him with sheer physical strength!
bass!
Shirasawa brushed past Fujima in one step, and the moment their bodies made contact, Fujima was pushed away.
The difference in strength is truly obvious.
Upon reaching the paint zone, Takano and Nagano joined forces to defend, like two mountains about to merge, blocking off the front 180 degrees.
Fujima was watching from behind.
Seeing this, Shirasawa immediately started moving, his shot as fast as lightning, tossing the ball high past his ear.
Not only is it fast, but its arc is also exceptionally high.
Takano jumped but didn't even touch the edge of the ball.
The basketball fell almost vertically into the basket.
If Hanagata's backward lean is hard to defend, then Shirasawa's throw is even harder to defend!
" Shirasawa really has a lot of offensive methods," Sendoh commented with a smile. "It seems that Shoyo has no way to deal with him."
Kaede Rukawa, standing beside him, nodded slightly, appearing to agree.
Sendoh was a little surprised. "Huh? You're acting a bit strange today."
Kaede Rukawa coldly uttered two words: "Watch the game."
Exchange of offensive rights.
Shoyo made several passes, then lobbed the ball to Hanagata in the Hanagata.
Fujima hasn't made a move yet because Hanagata is currently in top form.
This way, he can conserve his energy to specifically wear down Shirasawa.
The second round between Hanagata and Akagi has begun.
Moichi Taoka couldn't help but sigh inwardly:
"The three strongest centers in the prefecture are Uozumi, Hanagata, and Akagi."
" Hanagata's style is completely different from the other two. If Akagi can't handle him, Uozumi probably won't be able to control him either."
"Could it be that Hanagata... has already surpassed them?"
On the field, Hanagata still had his back to Akagi.
Having learned his lesson the hard way, Akagi was much more cautious this time, his whole body tense, ready to jump at any moment.
The Akagi resembles a burning fire, yet its Hanagata is as calm as a still pond.
He remained calm and patient, waiting for his opportunity with his back turned.
This time, the Hanagata didn't try to withstand the attack head-on; instead, it suddenly twisted, pulled up, and spun around!
A turnaround fadeaway jump shot!
Akagi reacted a beat too slow and quickly jumped up to block the shot.
To reach the ball, he leaned forward with all his might.
The two lunged forward, the other leaned back, and were about to collide—when Hanagata threw the ball.
The next moment, Akagi crashed into him solidly.
Bang!
The two collided and both struggled to regain their balance.
The referee's whistle blew at the same time.
Without a doubt, it was Akagi committed the defensive foul.
After landing, the Hanagata stumbled back two steps before being caught by its teammates.
Akagi used his weight to steady himself and quickly turned to look at the basket.
The basketball is going through the net.
" Shohoku's number 4, defensive foul!"
Goal stands! Penalty kick added!
After the referee announced the ruling, Hanagata's lips curled into a slight smile.
In this matchup, he has completely gained the upper hand.
Akagi seems... to have no other options.
"Give me more balls," Hanagata called to his teammates, "Let's catch up."
Takenori Akagi frowned, never expecting that he would become Shohoku's biggest weakness.
" Gorilla! Why don't you teach this bespectacled kid a lesson!"
"He looks so weak!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi shouted, hands on his hips.
Hanagata stepped up to the free-throw line, and Sakuragi's loud shouts could be heard throughout the entire arena.
"Can't make the shot~ Can't make the shot~ I'll draw a circle and curse you~~"
Hanagata completely ignored it, simply dribbled the ball, and then released it steadily.
Additional penalty: a clean shot into the net.
Sakuragi was dumbfounded and stomped his feet in anger.
The Shohoku bench on the sidelines was getting restless, and a few of them huddled together whispering.
"It seems the captain really can't handle that Hanagata; he scored five points in the blink of an eye."
"But the only one on our team who can match his height is the captain."
"This is the first time I've seen the captain so passive..."
Before she could finish speaking, Ayako smacked her with her fan.
"Shut up, all of you!" she frowned. "It's only been two rounds. Captain Akagi will definitely have a way!"
Kogure adjusted his glasses, his gaze fixed on Akagi on the field.
"We have to believe in him," he said very seriously. "No one wants to win more than him."
He paused, then added, "No center is better than him."
Having played basketball together since middle school, Kogure knows all too well Akagi's dedication to the sport. Especially after joining Shohoku, the team was never fully formed, but Akagi single-handedly carried the team to this point.
In Kogure's mind, Akagi's strength lay not only in his skills, but also in his unwavering determination to win.
"This is an opportunity he's been waiting for for a long time, his last chance in high school." Kogure's voice wasn't loud, but it was firm. "He will never let it slip away."
I believe him.
The game involves a transition between offense and defense.
As Fujima dribbled the ball forward, he raised his hand to signal to his teammates.
The meaning is clear: expand the defense further and keep a close eye on the rest of Shohoku's players.
So far in the season, all eight points that Shohoku has scored have come from Shirasawa alone.
Fujima believed that no matter how good one person is, they can't defeat a team. What's scary about Shohoku is that the whole team is firing on all cylinders; once Shirasawa gets his teammates connected, their offense becomes unstoppable.
Therefore, he was determined to sever this connection no matter what.
If you, Shirasawa, are so capable, then do it yourself. Stabbing him one by one is much easier than dealing with a barrage of arrows.
The score was 8-4.
Shirasawa received the ball and advanced, immediately noticing that Shoyo's defensive formation had spread out again.
He immediately understood Fujima's plan.
However, this suited him perfectly.
Then let's keep going recklessly!
I'll go all out until you're speechless, I'll go all out until the situation changes!
Shirasawa made a sharp crossover, carrying Fujima as he charged into the penalty area. He suddenly leaped up and fired a shot from horseback, scoring two more points!
" Fujima has solved the offensive problem, but he still can't handle Shirasawa on the defensive end," Soichiro Jin shook his head on the sidelines.
Nobunaga Kiyota snorted in dissatisfaction upon hearing this.
"If I were in his place, Fujima wouldn't be able to stop me either!"
Shinichi Maki glanced at him and immediately poured cold water on his enthusiasm.
" Fujima's defense isn't as bad as you think."
He crossed his arms and looked at the field. "It's more accurate to say that Shirasawa's offense is too strong. Kiyota, you can't do that yet."
Soichiro Jin smiled, turned his head and asked, " Maki, if it were you, could you defend against it?"
Shinichi Maki's lips curled up, and a hint of fighting spirit flashed in his eyes.