“Also, Daiei Academy’s defensive system is half-court man-to-man,” Taoka Moichi said, tapping the tactical board with his fingertip. “Tomorrow, you need to focus on using pick-and-roll plays to create opportunities for the forwards to cut in and shoot.”
He looked up at the players in front of him and said in a deep voice, “The starting lineup is set—Uozumi at center, Gu Jin at power forward, Sendoh at small forward, Koshino at point guard, and Uekusa at shooting guard.”
“Yes!” the few of them responded in unison, their voices filled with tense anticipation.
“Daiei is a veteran powerhouse in the National Tournament. This match is an excellent test for us,” Taoka’s voice was deliberately steady. “In this game, you will truly experience the intensity threshold of the National Tournament. Originally, I also invited the Hainan Team to be our sparring partner, but that guy Takato refused, using ‘secret training’ as an excuse—well, that’s fine. Let’s focus on tackling Daiei, this tough nut to crack, first.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the players: “Daiei is strong, but Ryonan is not a pushover either. I have only one request for you—play with all your might!”
“Ryonan! Ryonan!! Ryonan!!!” Deafening shouts instantly filled the gymnasium, the young voices burning with an unyielding fire.
At 9 AM the next day, Ryonan Gymnasium was already bustling with activity.
News media from Kanagawa Prefecture set up their cameras, aiming them at the court—both teams’ players were doing their final warm-ups on their respective halves, with the sounds of dribbling, sneakers rubbing against the floor, and sideline discussions intermingling.
Next to the coaching bench, Taoka Moichi watched Gu Jin warming up on the court, then gathered his players.
Coach Taoka instructed in a low voice, “Once we get possession, the first wave of offense will feed Gu Jin.”
Then he patted Gu Jin’s shoulder, his eyes filled with expectation, “Let everyone see what you can do—Chairman Shenmu will also be here today.”
“Don’t worry, Coach,” Gu Jin flexed his arm, rotating his shoulder, and lightly spun the basketball half a circle with his fingertips. “I will make everyone remember my name, and I will perform well in front of Chairman Shenmu to let him know your judgment was not wrong.”
Sakuragi Hanamichi also interjected at the right moment, “Me too, me too.”
Taoka Moichi nodded, looking at Sakuragi with appreciation.
“Sakuragi, you don’t have game experience. For a while, you’ll sit next to me, and I’ll explain every play in detail. You must learn seriously.”
“Yes, Coach,” Sakuragi Hanamichi nodded heavily.
Taoka Moichi turned to look at Sendoh, who was casually dribbling the ball: “Daiei’s backcourt is not weak. You need to keep an eye on the perimeter at all times and be ready to step up to support the offense when necessary.”
Sendoh lightly tapped the basketball with his fingertips, the ball resting steadily in his palm. He looked up and smiled: “Understood. If the offense isn’t smooth, do you need me to organize the offense early?”
“Not yet,” Taoka Moichi shook his head, his tone decisive. “Don’t reveal our trump card too soon. Let’s see what they’re made of first.”
On Daiei’s side.
Coach Morita Masanobu stood among his players, tapping the Ryonan Team roster on the tactical board with his fingertip, his voice steady: “Ryonan’s starting lineup has just been confirmed. Pay close attention to these key players—”
He first circled Sendoh’s name: “Small forward Sendoh, both his drives and passes are very dangerous. Tsuchiya, you will guard him. Maintain a one-step distance and don’t be easily fooled by his fakes. You have good court vision, so also pay attention to his passing lanes to the inside while defending.”
Then he pointed to Uozumi’s position: “Center Uozumi has a height advantage. Ben Wallace, you don’t need to physically challenge him. Use your agility to get in front and disrupt his receiving. Once he gets the ball, double-team decisively and don’t give him too much shooting space.”
When mentioning the perimeter, he paused: “Tamaki, watch Ryonan’s guards. They might look for three-point opportunities using pick-and-rolls. Maintain your defensive focus. Onodera, you and Ben Wallace need to coordinate well on the inside rotations to prevent Sendoh from driving and dishing to the inside for put-backs.”
Finally, he glanced at Ryonan’s power forward position, only mentioning it lightly: “Number 17, Gu Jin, is a first-year rookie with no major game experience. No need to specifically target him; normal defense will suffice. We’ll play at our regular pace first. Tsuchiya, you can try more isolations on offense to get the rhythm going.”
“Understood!” the Daiei players responded in unison, their eyes showing disdain for their opponents—especially for the unknown Number 17.
Fifteen minutes later, the game officially began.
The moment the referee tossed the ball into the air, Uozumi and Daimoto Tadunobu jumped almost simultaneously—two tall figures briefly confronted each other under the basket. Uozumi forcefully tipped the ball with his long arm, and the basketball flew with a spin towards Ryonan’s half!
“Good play! Uozumi tipped the ball to Sendoh!” The commentator’s voice on the sideline suddenly rose.
Sendoh caught the ball steadily and dribbled it up the court.
Daiei’s guard had already closed in, and Tsuchiya Jun followed like a shadow from the side-rear, his gaze locked on him.
The stands erupted in cheers, and Ryonan’s cheerleaders waved their support signs vigorously: “Sendoh—Go!”
Sendoh dribbled and changed direction, attempting to break through, but the opposing guard held his route tightly.
Just then, he flicked his wrist, and the basketball suddenly passed under the defender’s armpit—Gu Jin was cutting in from the free-throw line using Uozumi’s screen. The moment he received the ball, he turned and went for a three-step layup directly against the rushing Onodera Ritsu!
Taoka Moichi lightly tapped Sakuragi’s arm with the tactical board, his gaze still fixed on Gu Jin’s movement on the court: “Sakuragi, look closely at Gu Jin’s cut just now—Gu Jin didn’t just charge blindly; he moved the instant Uozumi set the pick. As soon as the opponent tried to rotate, he was already in the restricted area.
This is the reaction a power forward should have. You need to engrave this awareness into your bones.”
Sakuragi, uncharacteristically quiet, stared intently at the court, unconsciously rubbing his knee with his finger, and responded in a low voice, “Mhm.”
Taoka turned his head, looked at his serious expression, and nodded in satisfaction: “You need to seriously learn these movements and the timing of using screens. I believe it won’t be long before you become the top power forward in Ryonan, even Kanagawa. You definitely will.”
Sakuragi’s ears quietly turned red, “Got it, Coach! This genius will definitely be stronger than him!” Only, the hint of excitement in his voice couldn’t be hidden.
On the court, Onodera Ritsu reached out to block, but Gu Jin used his momentum to bump him half a step away.
Gu Jin slightly adjusted his shot in mid-air, avoiding Daimoto Tadunobu’s help defense, and with a gentle flick of his fingertips, the basketball grazed the backboard and fell into the hoop!
“Swish—”
15 seconds into the game, Ryonan scored the first 2 points!
Ryonan’s bench instantly erupted, players jumping up and slapping towels.
Flashbulbs on the stands suddenly lit up, and some reporters were already quickly recording—this unknown Number 17 had completed a clean offense right at the start.
When Gu Jin landed, his sneakers made a harsh squeaking sound on the floor.
He raised his hand and high-fived the retreating Sendoh, his peripheral vision catching Morita Masanobu’s almost imperceptible frown on the Daiei side.
After Daiei inbounded the ball, Tsuchiya Jun dribbled it up the court.
He didn’t rush to attack but scanned the entire court with his eyes. Suddenly, he accelerated and broke through Sendoh’s defense, attracting a double-team before decisively dishing the ball—Tamaki Otoko received the ball outside the three-point line, jumped, and shot in one fluid motion!
“Watch the three-pointer!” someone from Ryonan’s bench shouted.
The basketball arced and swished through the net!
“Beautiful! Tamaki’s three-pointer!” Daiei fans’ cheers immediately drowned out Ryonan’s shouts.
Taoka Moichi clapped his hands hard on the sideline: “Defense! Watch your transition speed!”
The air in the gymnasium was instantly ignited, and the back-and-forth rhythm between the two teams grew faster and faster, with the cheers from the stands rising in waves—this opening match left no room for probing from the very first basket.
