"What did you all do over the summer?"
Matsumoto Yukinori looked curiously at Akashi Asuka beside him.
Hmm… yes!
That's right!
Akashi Asuka hadn't played in this game.
It was his own request, because only by sitting out could he clearly see the gap between Senshinkan now and before the summer.
Hearing Matsumoto's question, Akashi's lips curled slightly in a faint smile as he replied, "The summer? Not much, really… I just used a little method to… motivate the players a bit."
After Akashi spoke, Matsumoto didn't react much. But the other bench players' eyes twitched wildly.
They stared at Akashi as if saying:
You devil, do you even blink when lying?
Motivate us? You clearly pointed a gun at our backs to force us forward!
Even now, just thinking about the events of this summer made Senshinkan's players shiver.
The game on the court continued.
Senshinkan's point guard struggled, yet still couldn't break past Kasuga Ryuhei's defense. Forced to pass, the moment he released the ball, Kasuga, as if anticipating the pass, suddenly intercepted it.
Snap!
"Counterattack!"
Kasuga shouted, and Omuro Yoshikasu and Sakamoto Kenjiro charged forward, leading the fast break.
"Damn it, stop them!"
Senshinkan's point guard's face darkened. This wasn't the first time Kasuga had intercepted his passes.
Twice before, the same outcome occurred. It was as if Kasuga could see through his passes in advance, always half a step ahead.
Has he developed a new move?
Omuro received the ball and drove toward the basket. Just as he went for a layup, an opponent caught up.
But Omuro remained calm. He faked a forward dribble to distract the defender, then suddenly stepped back for a jump shot.
Swish!
The ball fell perfectly into the hoop.
The defender froze.
"This step-back… it's so fast… and the motion is so strange."
Senshinkan's opponents were elite players, the Three Kings of Tokyo. A normal step-back wouldn't threaten them.
Yet Omuro's shot was different.
Not only was the step-back lightning fast, but the motion was unusually simple and deceptive. Even the defenders couldn't react in time.
78–55.
The gap widened.
"Damn! Did Seiho all take steroids or something? How did they improve so fast?" The Senshinkan point guard shouted in frustration.
"This isn't just a skill gap. Senshinkan has improved a lot, but to get such a lead without even using the 'ace'…"
The captain glanced at Akashi on the sidelines and sighed quietly.
"We're carrying different weights now."
Before this scrimmage started, the captain already had a bad feeling.
From the moment he arrived at Senshinkan, he noticed the players' eyes had completely changed.
Compared to the past, Senshinkan's players now exuded pressure.
This wasn't just fighting spirit or determination.
It was the dignity and honor of a champion team.
In a match, the weight carried by the challenger and the champion is entirely different.
Senshinkan's opponents launched an attack.
Their power forward drove in, but before he could penetrate, Tsugawa Tomoki blocked him.
This guy again… this kid's defense is even harder to handle than last semester.
In last semester's preliminaries, Senshinkan had faced them in the finals. Aside from Akashi, Tsugawa had left the deepest impression on the opposing power forward.
If Akashi's defense was simply powerful, Tsugawa's was downright annoying.
Like a fly clinging to your body, constantly provoking mistakes.
Whoosh!
Seeing Tsugawa approach, the power forward passed immediately.
After a breakthrough, the ball returned to him.
"Huh? Double team coordination! Better than last time! But this alone won't break my defense!"
Tsugawa's lips curved into a slightly perverse smile. Suddenly, he spun with a speed so fast it left an afterimage.
[Pressure Defense]
This technique was developed during their match against Rakuzan. During the summer's grueling training, Tsugawa perfected it, making it his signature move.
The Senshinkan power forward, relying on teammates, thought he had broken through. But before he could shoot, the scene flickered, and Tsugawa was right in front of him again.
"What the—?"
The power forward almost dropped the ball.
"I can't break through? Fine, I'll just shoot."
With a ruthless glint, he pulled up for a jump shot. Tsugawa followed immediately, unable to block due to height disadvantage, but his presence disrupted the shot.
Clang!
The rebound was up for grabs.
Tsutomu Iwamura and Senshinkan's center battled for position, another set of old rivals.
Iwamura was a power center; the opponent was a technical center. Different types, but equally matched.
Previously, most matchups were fifty-fifty.
Today was different.
Iwamura, the power center, now used technique, light, agile moves.
[Force-Release Footwork]
This was another technique mastered against Rakuzan and refined during summer training.
Now, combining strength and technique, Iwamura could challenge technical centers with advantage.
After several maneuverings, Senshinkan's center outmaneuvered the opponent, snatching the rebound…
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria