Kainan actually used a five-to-one defense tactic against Shirasawa!
This is probably the most direct and highest-level "recognition" of a player's ability. The audience didn't care about gambling in Kainan; they just thought the scene was too exciting, constantly cheering and shouting for Shirasawa to just take on five opponents at once...
The other four members of the Shohoku team on the court were stunned. Sakuragi, Mitsui, Miyagi, Kogure stared at each other, not a single defender in sight. Being afraid of Xiao Bai was understandable, but this was just too damn disrespectful!
On the sidelines, Takenori Akagi was sweating for Shirasawa. Being outside the game, he could see things more clearly. Kainan's encirclement was like a mobile cage, trapping Shirasawa inside. Passing the ball sounds easy, but in that densely packed environment with almost no gaps, passing it out was incredibly difficult. If they made a mistake, Kainan could immediately launch a counterattack.
" Xiao Bai, Shiro!" Akagi gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath.
Surrounded in the middle, Shirasawa really didn't have time to think much. He lowered his center of gravity and firmly protected the ball. This Box-and-One Defense came too suddenly, and he really didn't expect Kainan to make this move. He was originally thinking of breaking through and passing the ball... His mind was briefly in turmoil, but he quickly regained his rhythm and focused on controlling the ball.
On the Kainan side, they didn't really expect this super double-team to be effective indefinitely. They knew that Shirasawa would definitely not fall into this trap again in the next round. They only hoped to catch the opponent off guard this time and successfully defend against this shot. If they could defend it and then launch a counterattack, the score difference would be reduced to 7 points. Continuing to close the gap would give them a psychological advantage, and at the same time, it would disrupt Shohoku's offensive plan, making them unable to guess what Kainan would do next.
However, they still underestimated Shirasawa.
They underestimated his reliable passing skills!
Shirasawa stabilized the ball within the encirclement, then suddenly turned and took a step back. Without even looking, he tossed the ball high above his head!
The people surrounding him were stunned; no one expected him to turn around to pass the ball!
Jin and Takasago, who were standing at the innermost part, quickly turned around and rushed back, but their speed was no match for the speed of the ball. The basketball drew a high arc, passed over their heads, and flew straight towards the basket.
At the same time, as if he had a premonition, Hanamichi Sakuragi suddenly rushed towards the basket and jumped with all his might! A voice in his heart shouted: As long as it's Shirasawa who passes the ball, it will definitely be in my hands!
really!
The basketball flew to its highest point and began to fall, landing precisely in Sakuragi's hands just as he reached the top of his jump!
Sakuragi stretched out his arm and slammed the ball into the basket!
boom!
A powerful Alley-oop dunk!
Sakuragi himself realized that the pass wasn't as smooth as usual... but to pass it so accurately when surrounded by five players was already ridiculous enough. So ridiculous that the Kainan players who were double-teaming him were all standing there dumbfounded, unable to react for a long time.
Riki Takato on the sidelines was also stunned. He had considered many ways to break the deadlock, but he never expected Shirasawa to pass the ball in such a way that was almost a "blind pass"... More than thirty assists per game, he was indeed not a freeloader.
He knew that Shirasawa would never be surrounded like this again in the next round, and the score difference was back to 9 points.
Riki Takato swallowed hard, realizing that the best opportunity had probably already passed...
Meanwhile, Coach Anzai slowly stood up on the Shohoku bench.
He called Hanamichi Sakuragi over to him.
Kainan continued its offensive.
With little time remaining in the game, they had little room for error and could only grit their teeth and execute their final tactical plan: relentlessly target Maki Shinichi Maki on offense and completely shut down Shirasawa on defense. This strategy was inherently risky, but they believed it was worth the gamble!
Next time, we must be more careful. Even if Shirasawa turns around, we must prevent his passing lanes!
Nobunaga Kiyota the ball past midfield.
Kainan continues to rely on off-ball pick-and-roll plays in the paint.
But this time, no matter how they tried to cover for him, Hanamichi Sakuragi stuck to Shinichi Maki and refused to switch positions.
As soon as Shinichi Maki ran out, Sakuragi didn't follow at all. Instead, he turned around and set a screen for Shirasawa, allowing Shirasawa to quickly switch defenses.
Even Akagi couldn't help but think to himself, "This Red-haired Monkey has really figured things out lately. Not only can he understand the coach's intentions, but he also executes them without hesitation."
Coach Anzai, standing on the sidelines, adjusted his glasses with satisfaction.
What he just told Sakuragi was actually very simple.
Don't switch guards. Shinichi Maki can run wherever he wants; just ignore him.
Just keep a close eye on the person you're assigned to.
The simpler the words, the more effective they are on Sakuragi... Coach Anzai's strategy is to do the opposite: you 'Riki Takato of Shirasawa, so I'll just let Shirasawa pester you relentlessly.
You want Shirasawa to control the ball and organize the Takato, but I'll make sure he doesn't touch it.
If you abandon our defense of our other points, I'll focus on attacking your "weaknesses" from now on.
There's only one reason: none of our Shohoku starters are easy to mess with!
On the court, Shirasawa and Shinichi Maki were locked in a fierce battle once again.
The two grappled at the edge of the penalty area, the sound of their muscles colliding echoing loudly. Shirasawa took the lead, cutting off the passing lane. Shinichi Maki was equally decisive, his thick arm wrapping around Shirasawa's side, pulling him close while simultaneously giving him a push with his shoulder, regaining the advantageous position.
But Shirasawa didn't even have a chance to catch his breath. He turned around in one smooth motion, used his leg to pin the other person down, and at the same time used his arm to pull Shinichi Maki back.
This doesn't look like a ball game, it's more like wrestling! Every inch of ground has to be fought for!
For the time being, the Kainan Team couldn't find an opening to feed the ball in.
Sanae, watching from the audience, was heartbroken...
When I get home tonight, I absolutely have to arrange a full massage for Shirasawa to treat him properly.
It should be at least the treatment of Emperor...
In the midst of this fierce struggle, Shinichi Maki suddenly took two steps forward and finally received the pass.
But the moment he caught the ball, he was hit hard on the back. Shirasawa followed closely and poked the ball. The ball had just left Shinichi Maki's hand when he was pulled back by him.
There was no room for the two of them to relax even slightly; whoever let their guard down first would immediately suffer the consequences!
Shinichi Maki was pinned down and unable to move, so he had no choice but to pass the ball to Jin on the outside.
Hisashi Mitsui was going all out at this moment. Why conserve energy in the last few minutes? He took quick, rapid steps, his defense tight and impenetrable. Jin was forced to retreat to the three-point line, where Mitsui's long arms were already blocking his view, almost forcing him to make a mistake.
The opportunity wasn't good, and Jin didn't dare to shoot a three-pointer rashly. After all, Sakuragi was too much of a threat under the basket, and he couldn't afford to gamble. The ball spun around and was eventually lobbed back to the most reliable Shinichi Maki.
Maki stuck out his butt and sat back hard, forcibly creating a sliver of space. He never liked mid-range shots, but this time, with little time left on the shot clock, he opted for a turnaround jump shot.
However, Shirasawa proved to him through his actions:
Your long-held belief that "the closer you are to the basket, the higher your success rate" is absolutely correct!
Under Shinichi Maki's watchful gaze, Shirasawa continued to rise, soaring into the air.
The ball just left my hand--
A clean, powerful block sent the ball flying!
The entire audience erupted in enthusiastic cheers!
Fujima, standing in the stands, shook his head regretfully.
" Maki lost," he said in a low voice. "Next up is Kainan."
In Fujima's view, this block was enough to mark the end of their duel. In the remaining minutes, even if Shinichi Maki could score against Shirasawa, it wouldn't matter much. Even if Kainan miraculously turned the tide, Maki would have to face the fact that he had been defeated.
Dai Moroboshi, who was standing to the side, also sighed.
Perhaps out of pity for his friend, a high school career that shone brightly from the start was overshadowed as it neared its end. This wasn't a case of a hero's decline; Shinichi Maki was clearly at his peak.
Just as the banner said, a new king should rise, and Maki, the proud old king, can only leave the stage in disgrace.
Dai Moroboshi didn't watch any further. He said goodbye to Fujima and left the stadium early. In his opinion, the outcome was already decided, and the next few minutes were no longer in doubt. With so many spectators in the stadium, it would definitely be incredibly crowded when everyone left...
The epic duel between Shirasawa and Shinichi Maki had him on the edge of his seat. He was incredibly excited to fight Shirasawa and couldn't wait to rush onto the stage.
Once he returns to the Aiwa Academy, he must train even harder! He wants to be in top form and wait for Shirasawa at the national competition!
Little did he know that in Aichi Prefecture, he was about to encounter a situation similar to that of Shinichi Maki.
Because there, a super rookie has also emerged this year.
That guy just didn't have the same presence as Shirasawa, so this " Star of Aichi " didn't take him too seriously.
Soon, the throne of Aichi Prefecture will likely be occupied by someone else.
On the offensive end, Shirasawa also relinquished possession of the ball, allowing Ryota Miyagi to orchestrate the offense.
However, the Kainan Team still implemented an extreme " Box-and-One Defense " defense against Shirasawa when he was off the ball.
Many viewers thought Kainan had gone completely mad.
So what? You can lose the match, Shirasawa must "die," right?
That's right, that's exactly what Coach Riki Takato planned.
Because he truly had no other options.
As long as the ball is in Shirasawa's hands, he either scores easily himself or provides a brilliant assist to his teammates. It has been proven that he is simply unstoppable.
Since that's the case, why not lock him down completely and then use the flexibility of the zone defense to disrupt the other Shohoku players?
Since it's a do-or-die gamble, let fate decide the outcome.
Shirasawa constantly made off-the-ball runs on the offensive end, drawing the attention of Kainan's entire defense. Under his immense pressure, even without the ball in their hands, no one in Kainan dared to relax their guard against him in the slightest.
As a result, Hanamichi Sakuragi and Hisashi Mitsui became the biggest beneficiaries.
Miyagi dribbled left and right, using his speed to tear apart the defense and create opportunities for Sakuragi and Mitsui. In this way, both Shohoku's inside and outside players could score.
Even if Mitsui misses his shot, Sakuragi always manages to grab the rebound, which makes Mitsui feel more confident taking shots.
In contrast, Kainan's Jin always seems to have to think twice before shooting, which makes him less decisive in his shots.
After several rounds of fighting, time was running out.
There was only a little over a minute left in the entire match.
The final score was 96-75.
Shohoku is leading by a whopping 21 points!
Even if Shohoku substituted all their substitutes at this point, Kainan wouldn't be able to turn the tide.
The Kainan substitutes' bench was deathly silent; no one spoke.
The defeat is inevitable; Kainan's sixteen-year undefeated myth is about to come to a complete end in this minute.