The first half was exactly what Akira expected: brutal.
Shibuya High played as if they had been practicing street fights instead of basketball. They always set their screens with sharp elbows. Getting a rebound was like a wrestling match.
When a hard foul knocked a player to the floor, they just shrugged and gave a quick, half-hearted apology.
And the referees? They were either blind or bribed… probably both.
Still, Akira dominated.
He moved like a pro, using his enhanced skills to get past the defenders, hotting fade-away jumpers and threading passes through impossible gaps. By halftime, he had scored eighteen points and made seven assists, which made Shibuya's coach yell on the sideline.
Akira wasn't really bothered by the physical play. His first real basketball experience had been street ball, when Mia introduced him to the crew that played in the underground warehouse basement.
