The sneakers squeaked rhythmically against the polished hardwood of the Nekoma gym, a sharp, clinical sound that usually signaled high-intensity play.
"Again," Kenma said, his voice flat as he watched from the sidelines.
Lev Haiba groaned, his long, lanky arms hanging limp. "Kenma, I've shot so many free throws! My arms feel like noodles. When do I get to rebounds? This is so boring!"
"When you stop shooting 30 percent from the line," Kenma replied, his eyes never leaving the pages of his notebook. He turned his attention to the bench players—Inuoka, Shibayama, and Teshiro. "Positions. We're running the Hack-a-Shaq test again. Lev, you're the target."
The drill was a psychological grind. Lev would receive the ball in the post, and the moment he gathered for a power move, the nearest bench player would intentionally wrap him up. No dangerous hits—just a firm, intentional foul to stop the clock and force a reset.
Inuoka lunged forward as Lev pivoted. Before Lev could even leave the floor, Inuoka's arms were around his waist, pinning his elbows.
Whistle.
"Foul! Two shots," Kuroo called out, acting as the referee.
"This is so annoying!" Lev huffed, kicking the floor. "I had the angle! I was going to crush it!"
"That's exactly the point," Kenma murmured, scribbling a fresh data point. "We know Yosen plays a 4-Out, 1-In Zone. Murasakibara stays in the mid-range or deep paint and doesn't move. If he eventually decides to actually participate on offense like in middle school, we use this. We don't have data on his shooting yet, but we know he's irritable. The 'Hack-a-Shaq' isn't just about the points, Lev. It's about making him lose his cool. If he's tilted, his defense gets sloppy."
Kuroo walked over, wiping sweat from his forehead. "It's a dirty way to play, but against a monster like that, it's a valid strategy. But Kenma, if we're busy fouling him, how are we supposed to actually score?"
Kenma flipped the page, showing a complex map of arrows and screens. "We don't play their game. We play ours. We're sticking to our Screen-Flow Offense. We use our connectivity."
"The Screen-Flow?" Lev asked, blinking.
"It's our usual Motion Offense," Kenma explained. "We don't rely on one-on-one isolations. We use constant off-ball screens and Fast-Pass execution. We move the ball faster than their zone can shift. If we keep the ball moving and set screens at the high post, we force their four outer defenders to scramble. Eventually, someone will have a look that even the big one can't reach in time."
"Besides, if this doesn't work we shift to an outside game with dual shooting guards. With screens, we try to trade 3 points for 2." Kenma continued.
"And what about the other guy?" Kuroo asked, his face growing serious. "The notes said Himuro is the one doing the real damage while Murasakibara stands still."
"That's the biggest threat to our system," Kenma agreed. "Himuro's game is built on fakes and high-level technical shooting. Most guards will jump too early and get caught in the air. But Kuroo... I'm putting you on him."
Kuroo raised an eyebrow. "The Center guarding the Shooting Guard? You're putting a lot of trust on Lev against Murasakibara."
"Because you have Read Defense," Kenma said, looking Kuroo in the eye. "You wont fall for his usual fakes at all. And with youre pressure and reach, you can make his shooting incredibly difficult. If you can shut down their only reliable scorer, their offense stops. Just don't let him jump easily."
Kuroo's trademark smirk returned, sharper than before. "So I'm the anti Himuro huh. Fine by me.."
"Good," Kenma said, shutting his notebook with a soft thud. "Lev, back to the line. Inuoka, don't let him get a single clean jump. He needs to work on his plays under pressure."
"Ugh! You guys are mean!" Lev wailed, while Kuroo laughed.