Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 171 Friends

"Was that Murasakibara Atsushi just now?" Kagami Daiga recalled Murasakibara Atsushi's proud back when he left, and said unhappily, "It feels like he's targeting you in particular. Didn't you have a bad relationship in junior high school?"

"On the contrary, as a normal classmate, I like Murasakibara-kun very much." Kuroko Tetsuya said seriously, "But unfortunately, as a teammate, he and I have never gotten along well."

"What do you mean?" Kagami Daiwo asked curiously.

"It's nothing. I'll tell you some things later. Let's go watch the game now." It was obvious that Kuroko Tetsuya didn't want to keep pestering Murasakibara Atsushi.

"Hey, I told you two to go to the bathroom, why did you wait till now?" Aida Reiko looked at the two of them with some displeasure and said, "It's already been two minutes since the second quarter started."

"We met on the road..." Kagami Daigo was about to say something when he was interrupted by Kuroko Tetsuya.

"I met an old friend on the way and chatted with him, which delayed me a little bit," Kuroko Tetsuya asked calmly, "How is it? What's the score now?"

"The score is gradually widening." Aida Reiko said with a serious look, "In the second quarter, Kaneki Ken and Aomine Daiki did not play. The intensity of the first quarter was too high, and the core players of both sides were exhausted. There is no problem with the arrangements made by both coaches."

"But that's the problem..." Hinata Junpei's expression was a little complicated, "After removing the core members of the two teams, the gap between the two sides is too big..."

As if to confirm Hinata Junpei's words, Rukawa Kaede on the court intercepted the ball and tried to break through Shotaichi Sae with a fast break layup to score.

"Nice defensive counterattack!" Tashiro Heihachi said excitedly, "Use offensive defense to suppress the opponent's rhythm, and wait for the opportunity to create the opponent's mistakes and score fast breaks. At the beginning of the second quarter, Shonan High School has used a very oppressive and mobile forward defense group to cause Toou High School to make three consecutive mistakes!"

"Kaneki Ken has coached Shonan High School very well~" Kazunari Fukatsu sighed as he watched the score difference on the court being pulled to 20 points, "Their attacks are quick and accurate, and their counterattacks are swift and steady... Even without Kaneki Ken, this Shonan High School team can at least make it to the top four of the national competition..."

"Yes, Kaneki is a good candidate to be the captain..." Nijimura Shuzo looked at Kaneki Ken sitting on the bench on TV and said with a complicated expression, "If Kaneki hadn't left at that time, perhaps everything would be different..."

"Coach, I want to play!" Aomine Daiki looked at the one-sided situation on the court and became a little impatient. "If I don't play, the team will collapse!"

"Sit down, Qingfeng!" Yuan Zekede, who always indulged Qingfeng Daihui, looked at Qingfeng Daihui very seriously and said, "I told you to have a good rest, didn't you hear me?"

"Coach..." For some reason, Aomine Daiki saw the former Shirogane Kozo in Hara Sekode's eyes.

"In fact, I don't plan to let you play in the next game." Yuan Zekede's eyes were particularly firm.

"Coach!" Aomine Daiki's expression suddenly became nervous, "I can still fight! We may not lose!"

"No, Qingfeng." Yuan Zeked said, "Don't you realize that your legs are shaking as you stand and talk to me? If I let you play now and risk getting injured, it would be irresponsible of me as a coach!"

"I... I don't need you to meddle in my business!" Qingfeng Daihui clenched his fists unwillingly, turned around and ran out of the field.

"Aomine!" Wakamatsu Kosuke quickly stood up and wanted to chase after Aomine Daiki, but was stopped by Harasawa Kede.

"It's okay, Wakamatsu." Harasawa said expressionlessly, "In fact, for Aomine right now, it's just right for him to lose a game at this time. Just like learning to ride a bike, the younger you are, the less painful it is to fall. Otherwise, when Aomine's playing style is fully established, if he falls again, he won't be able to bear it."

"But coach, are we going to give up this game so easily?" Wakamatsu Kosuke asked unwillingly.

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it." Yuan Zekede chuckled and said, "In fact, long before the national competition started, a friend who claimed to be Qingfeng told me that Qingfeng's right elbow had a hidden injury. At that time, I was thinking that if the draw was okay, I would let Qingfeng take a few games... Since it's impossible to do anything about it, I can't let Qingfeng continue to be willful."

"Should we tell Aomine about this?" Wakamatsu Kosuke asked hesitantly.

"He will figure it out." Yuan Zekede smiled and said, "Now all we have to do is to give the audience a wonderful game."

"Yes, coach." Everyone at Toou High School said in a deep voice. "Ken-kun, A-Da seems..." The situation at Toou High School naturally could not escape everyone's attention, including Momoi Satsuki and Kaneki Ken.

"If you are worried, just go out and take a look." Anton Mitsuyoshi keenly caught Kaneki Ken's slightly moved expression and said with a smile, "Leave the game to your teammates, no problem."

"Thank you, coach." Kaneki Ken nodded and took Momoi Satsuki to the player tunnel.

……

Aomine Daiki didn't walk far, and Momoi Satsuki and Kaneki Ken saw Aomine Daiki at the entrance of the stadium.

"You guys are here?" Aomine Daiki heard two footsteps behind him, turned around and looked at him, and said listlessly, "Congratulations, Kaneki, you won this game."

"I did win, but the basketball game between you and me has not yet been decided." Kaneki Ken and Aomine Daiki sat on the ground, "You just couldn't keep up with your body, so you are weak."

As he spoke, Kaneki Ken handed Aomine Daiki a bottle of sports drink.

"You know everything?" Aomine Daiki looked at Kaneki Ken in surprise and then understood, "Yes, you are an expert in data analysis, there is nothing you don't know."

"You can't say that. With your training style of working in isolation and not doing it for long, it's normal that you can't keep up with me physically when you go head to head with me. There's no need to analyze..." Kaneki Ken shrugged.

"Hey, hey, hey, if you want to tease me, why don't you go to the court and have a fight first?" Aomine Daiki interrupted Kaneki Ken's sarcasm with some dissatisfaction.

"Okay, no more nonsense." Kaneki Ken watched Aomine Daiki's unhappy expression gradually relax, and changed the subject, starting to talk about business, "Actually, you did a good job today, it's just that I'm stronger. I believe that even if Akashi came, he wouldn't be able to do better than you."

"..." Aomine Daiki looked at Kaneki Ken with an expression that said "I believe your lies" and said nothing.

"If you ask me, Coach Harazawa was right not to let you play." Kaneki Ken opened the drink in his hand and took a sip, "You are still too immature in basketball. When you meet an opponent you are interested in, you just use all your strength without considering the progress of the game or the thoughts of your teammates."

"Is there a problem with going all out when facing an evenly matched opponent?" Aomine Daiki asked unconvincedly, "They are no match for you. Is there a problem with me taking over the ball?"

"Do you remember what I said to Kuroko? He is a shadow, so he can't be more excited than the light on the court." Kaneki Ken recalled the past, "When he first played, I told him that enthusiasm is necessary, but it must be kept in the heart."

Kaneki Ken paused, looked at Aomine Daiki and continued: "Now I'm also telling you, going all out doesn't mean leaving no room for maneuver. Attack the enemy three points and keep seven points for yourself, so that you still have some strength left at the critical moment."

Qingfeng Daiki raised his eyebrows, looking noncommittal.

"As for you saying that the others are no match for me, so you took over all the ball rights..." Kaneki Ken chuckled, "When we were in the first year of junior high school, none of you were my opponent. Did I ever deprive you of the ball rights?"

"..." After hearing Kaneki Ken's question, Aomine Daiki was completely speechless.

"Think about it carefully, Aomine." Kaneki Ken stood up, patted Aomine Daiki on the shoulder, and said in a light but serious tone, "After the game, go and apologize to Coach Harazawa, practice harder when you go back, give your teammates more trust... and then try to lead Toou High School to defeat Shonan High School!"

"Tsk, who wants to be lectured by you..." Aomine Daiki curled his lips in dissatisfaction, "You won this game, let's do it again in Winter Cup!"

"I'm looking forward to it." Kaneki Ken smiled, turned around and walked into the stadium. When he turned the corner, he looked back at Aomine Daiki and said, "By the way, remember to change your catchphrase to... 'The only ones who can defeat me are Kaneki Ken and me'."

"Really, this guy's foul mouth problem hasn't changed at all after so many years." Aomine Daiki looked at Kaneki Ken's back and chuckled, then raised the drink in his hand and drank it all.

(End of this chapter)