The scoreboard's fluorescent digits glowed above the court.
Yokonan 22, Toshigawa 27.
Kayano pushed the ball forward.
Ryuu stepped in, planting his feet beside Hayato.
Kayano crossed to his left and slipped past Hayato.
"He's through!"
"Watch the basket!"
Voices rose from the stands.
Kayano dribbled beneath the basket and leapt into the air.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Tetsuo's torso rising beside him.
Kayano glanced up.
His eyes widened.
Kayano twisted in midair and snapped the ball behind his back.
The ball left his fingertips with a soft thud, spinning toward Manabu.
Crap.
Takahiro abandoned the player he was guarding and sprinted toward Manabu.
Manabu caught the ball just outside the three-point line and planted his feet.
He pushed off the floor, rising into the air.
Takahiro jumped after him, stretching both arms toward the ball.
Manabu flicked his wrist.
The ball sailed over Takahiro's outstretched hands.
Swish.
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Takahiro stood with his hands on his hips, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
I was too late.
"Well, what do you know? Manabu is back in the game!" Yanagi raised his phone, grinning as he recorded the court.
Eiji cupped his hands around his mouth.
"Nice shot, Manabu!"
Manabu's shoulders loosened. He gave both sides of his jaw a light slap.
"Yes!"
He turned and sprinted back on defense.
Coach Arimoto kept his eyes on the court.
Kayano is the best guard a coach could ask for. He knows how to keep the game moving while tearing apart the other team's defense.
The corner of his mouth lifted.
Good. We can take the lead from here.
Kayano wiped the sweat from his forehead. His gaze followed Tetsuo as he ran back toward his half of the court.
It's one thing to watch him play from the sidelines. Going up against him is something else entirely.
His fingers trembled. Kayano glanced down at them, then let out a small smirk.
He's good. That last play nearly caught me off guard.
Haruko exhaled, her eyes following Kayano as he moved across the court.
Yokonan's guard is fast. Really fast. He knows where everyone is at all times, and his passing is just as good. This game is on a whole different level from what I'm used to.
Nanaho bit her lower lip.
He's making things a lot harder for us. And he managed to create an opening for Manabu. I need to find a way to stop him, or we'll lose our lead.
Hayato tightened his grip on the ball before passing it to Yukio.
Yukio caught it beneath the basket, his back pressed against Ryuu as he tried to push past him.
"Bring it on, Hamaguchi."
Ryuu planted his feet.
Yukio glanced over his shoulder, his teeth clenched.
I can't get past him this time.
He passed the ball out to Takahiro, who caught it in stride.
His defender quickly closed the gap.
Takahiro shifted the ball toward his right hip, glanced across the court, then passed to Hayato.
Hayato caught the ball and held it close to his body. Sweat ran down his face as he drew a heavy breath.
He began dribbling with his left hand, keeping his body between Kayano and the ball.
Dammit. Ever since he came on, I can't even get a clear look at the rim.
Sweat trickled from beneath Hayato's headband and ran down his temple.
The shot clock is almost up. I have to do something.
His eyes moved across the court.
Shino was waiting on the left wing, beyond the three-point line. His defender stood near the left elbow of the free-throw line.
Hayato raised the ball and extended his hand toward Takahiro.
Kayano shifted his weight and jumped toward the right.
But Hayato had already pivoted.
He sent the ball toward Shino.
"Shino, catch!"
Shino reached out and caught the pass.
His chest rose and fell as he tightened his grip on the ball.
"Don't move! He'll pass the ball. Stay with your assignments!"
Kayano stepped forward, extending both arms as he watched Hayato. He shifted from side to side, matching his movements and blocking every attempt to create space.
I know I can't shoot like Tetsuo, but I've learned a lot from watching him these past few weeks.
Shino bent his knees and raised the ball above his head.
Is he really going to shoot?
Manabu's eyes widened.
He lunged toward Shino, both arms extended.
Ryuu's expression hardened.
"Manabu, you idiot!"
Shino brought the ball back down.
Manabu's mouth fell slightly open.
A fake? But how...?
His eyes dropped to Shino's feet.
He hadn't left the floor.
"Tetsuo!"
Shino spun on his heels and passed the ball to Tetsuo.
Tetsuo caught it on the three-point line, rose into his shooting motion, and flicked his wrist.
Swish.
The ball struck the floor and rolled away.
"That's it! Atta boy, Tetsuo!"
Nanaho sprang from the bench, both fists raised above her head.
"That number eleven is at it again. That's his fourth three-pointer."
A Yokonan student leaned toward his classmate and muttered under his breath.
Coach Arimoto's jaw tightened.
"That idiot Manabu fell for a rookie's feint."
Kogure's eyebrow twitched.
Coach is really losing it. Training is going to be brutal from now on.
"That's the way to go! Nice shot, Kawaguchi!"
Haruko's cheeks flushed slightly, but a smile spread across her face.
I guess cheering for someone isn't as hard as I thought.
Kogure glanced at her, his eyes narrowing.
Wait... Did she just say Kawaguchi? Where have I heard that name before?
He brought a hand to his chin.
The rest of the quarter unfolded with one possession following another.
Kayano dribbled hard down the court before passing to a teammate. The player caught the ball, drove beneath the basket, and flicked his wrist.
The ball struck the backboard and dropped through the net.
Hayato quickly moved the ball to Takahiro, who caught it near the corner. His defender rushed toward him, stretching out a hand, but Takahiro rose for the shot.
The ball rattled around the rim before dropping in.
Ryuu received a pass near the basket. He pivoted and released a shot over Yukio's outstretched arms.
Swish.
On the next possession, Hayato brought the ball upcourt. Kayano stepped forward, bending his knees.
Hayato crossed to the left, but Kayano cut him off. He spun in the opposite direction, only for Kayano to shuffle across and block his path again.
Hayato pulled the ball back and stepped beyond the three-point line.
He jumped.
The ball left his hands.
Kayano's mouth opened slightly as he turned to follow its trajectory.
"It's off! Rebound!" Hayato shouted.
The ball struck the rim and bounced away.
Yukio leapt, catching it above the other players.
He turned toward the basket midair and slammed the ball through the rim.
The gym filled with shocked gasps. A few Yokonan students jumped from their seats, cheering.
Kayano received the ball on the next possession. He feinted left before crossing over to the right, slipping past Hayato's outstretched hand.
He passed to a teammate, who drove toward the basket and launched a layup.
Swish.
On the next play, Yukio dribbled toward the rim and jumped.
Ryuu rose beside him, stretching his arm toward the ball.
Yukio twisted in midair, shifting to the opposite side of the rim. He flicked his wrist backward, sending the ball against the backboard.
It dropped through.
Manabu caught a pass from Kayano and went up for a three-pointer.
Tetsuo jumped and swatted the ball away as it left his hand.
He landed, scooped up the loose ball, and pivoted toward Takahiro.
"Here!"
Takahiro caught the pass in stride and sprinted down the court. He took his final steps toward the basket before laying the ball against the backboard.
Him again...
Manabu clenched his teeth, his eyes following Tetsuo.
Kayano brought the ball forward and passed to Ryuu, who released a high-arcing shot over Yukio's outstretched arms.
The ball dropped through the net.
Hayato answered on the next possession. He drove toward the basket and floated a soft shot over Kayano's hand.
The net rippled as the ball fell through.
Ryuu set a screen for Manabu, giving him enough room to receive Kayano's pass. Manabu caught it and drove toward the basket, finishing with a layup.
"Let's go! Let's go, Yokonan!"
"You can do it, Yokonan!"
The spectators in the stands shouted.
Yukio received the ball just inside the three-point line. He pivoted, rose, and flicked his wrist.
The ball struck the backboard and dropped into the rim.
Kayano passed to another teammate, who drove through the defense and scored another layup.
Kayano is doing well on offense, but even with him, we won't be able to close the gap.
Kogure glanced toward Coach Arimoto.
What are you going to do, Coach?
Hayato passed the ball to Tetsuo.
Tetsuo raised his shooting arm.
Manabu immediately jumped, extending both hands.
But Tetsuo brought the ball down and drove toward the basket.
Ryuu stepped across his path.
Both players jumped.
Tetsuo made contact with Ryuu in midair before flicking his wrist.
The ball struck the backboard and dropped through.
Kayano brought the ball down the court, dribbled past Hayato, and pulled up near the free-throw line.
He released the shot.
Swish.
Takahiro received a pass and sent the ball toward Yukio.
Yukio caught it, bounced it once, and drove into Ryuu. Yukio spun away from him before stepping through and laying the ball into the net.
The crowd continued shouting from the stands.
"Let's go, Yokonan!"
"Come on! Keep it up!"
Kayano passed to Ryuu again. Yukio stepped forward and pressed against his back, preventing him from turning toward the basket.
"God damn it," Ryuu muttered.
He tossed the ball toward a teammate.
The pass travelled across the court and landed in Shino's hands.
Shino froze.
His mouth fell slightly open as he looked down at the ball.
Huh? I got the ball.
"Go, Katsuragi!" Hayato shouted.
"What are you waiting for? Take it to the rim!" Yukio called.
"R-Right!"
Shino's sneakers squeaked against the polished floor as he started dribbling.
His foot slipped slightly, forcing him to adjust his balance before continuing forward.
Several Yokonan players turned and rushed toward him.
"Go, Shino! Don't let up!" Nanaho shouted from the sidelines.
Stay calm. Remember what Tetsuo taught you.
Shino lifted his gaze toward the backboard.
He drew a breath and continued dribbling.
Manabu moved closer to the three-point line.
I won't make it.
Shino took another step toward the basket.
The voices from the stands became difficult to distinguish. He could hear his own breathing and the steady pounding of his heart.
He planted his foot and lifted the ball.
It left his fingertips, travelling toward the backboard.
Shino landed and looked up.
The ball rolled along the rim.
For a moment, it stayed there.
Then it dropped through the net.
"No way..."
Shino stared at the basket.
It went in!
His mouth opened into a wide grin.
"I scored! I actually scored against Yokonan! My first in-game points! I did it! I did it!"
He jumped into the air, his cheeks turning bright red.
A female teacher watching nearby chuckled.
"He's like a little kid."
"Aww! Look at him! He's absolutely adorable!" a girl in the crowd said, leaning forward.
"Did he just say those were his first in-game points? Our basketball team is a joke," a soccer player muttered, crossing his arms.
Another soccer player covered his mouth.
"You said it, not me."
"Great work, Katsuragi!"
Hayato approached and held out his hand.
Shino quickly returned the high-five.
Takahiro nodded and smiled as he headed back toward the bench.
Tetsuo walked over and patted him on the back.
Shino turned toward him.
Tetsuo's expression remained unchanged.
"Nice layup, Katsuragi."
Shino's cheeks grew even redder.
Even Tetsuo is praising me! This is the best!
The referee's whistle sounded.
The scoreboard glowed above the court.
Yokonan 39 – Toshigawa 48.