Black Basketball: A false start

Chapter 283 Tactical Adjustments
"Shh!"

"Buzz!"

As the sound of a basketball hitting the net was heard, the red light of the timer on the sidelines lit up. When the buzzing sound of the timer resounded throughout the stadium, the first quarter of the game was declared over.

Unlike ordinary games, in this game, when all the players from both sides walked off the court, the audience stands on the sidelines fell into dead silence.

"60... to 12?" In the corner of the audience, an unknown fan stared blankly at the numbers on the scoreboard on the sidelines, swallowed in shock, and said in a trembling voice, "Just after the start of the game... the score difference is five times?"

"It's incredible..."

"It doesn't look like a team of the same level at all..."

"How did Seirin and his gang defeat Toou and Kaijo?"

The voice of the unknown fan at the beginning seemed to turn on the volume button on the sidelines, and a noisy discussion broke out in the originally silent audience seats.

"It's really... frightening!" Aomine Daiki frowned and looked at the field and said, "Has that Kaneki Ken guy... evolved to this level? Sakurai, how many points did Kaneki Ken score in the first quarter?"

“22分+5篮板+10助攻+5盖帽+3抢断……”樱井良一脸瞠目结舌的看着手中记录的数据说道，“不光是金木同学，樱木同学在第一节比赛里面也拿到了20分+10篮板+3盖帽的数据……”

"Haha... this is simply a crushing defeat!" Aomine Daiki sighed with a complicated tone, "Kaneki is such a ruthless guy to his old friend..."

"Hu...Hu..." At this time, on the bench on the sidelines of Seirin High School, the starting players who had just finished a quarter of the game were gasping for breath. The intense burning sensation in their lungs made them not want to say a word.

"What should we do..." Aida Reiko muttered to herself as she looked at the players in front of her with a worried look on her face. "We've only played one quarter, and everyone's energy has been exhausted... But even so, can't we stop the score difference from widening?"

"Guangshu, do you think... can we still win this game?" Shinji Koganei lowered his head silently, deliberately forcing himself not to look at the scoreboard on the sidelines. The intense panic made tears gather in his eyes.

"We can win... We can definitely win!" It was as if he was comforting Koganei Shinji, but also comforting himself. "The game has just begun. It's not like we haven't experienced a big deficit in the first quarter before!"

"Mitsuki is right. The game has just begun. It's not time to despair yet." Hinata Junpei put down the empty drink bottle in his hand, took a deep breath and said, "I need to review the previous game. I failed to play the role of an outside shooter on the court."

"Captain?" Kagami Daiga turned his head to look at Hinata Junpei with a puzzled look, "How could it be your responsibility? It was obviously me..."

"You've tried very hard, Kagami." Kiyoshi Teppei smiled and patted Kagami Daigo on the shoulder and said, "Anyway, we already knew that you couldn't beat Kaneki Ken. We're already satisfied that he didn't score 30 points in a single quarter!"

"Uh..." Kagami Daiga looked at Muji Teppei speechlessly and said, "Muji-senpai, the way you said that, I don't even know if you are comforting me or mocking me..."

"What are you talking about, Kagami?" Muji Teppei rubbed Kagami Daigo's head seriously and said, "When have I ever been sarcastic?"

"Okay, stop talking nonsense now." Hinata Junpei gave Kiyoshi Teppei a speechless look, "The problem now is that if the Fire God can't be opened, our entire team's strength will not be able to be brought into play at all..."

"Let me try, captain." Before Hinata Junpei could finish his words, Katsume Ichiro, who had been silent since the beginning of the game, suddenly spoke up, "Since Kagami-san can't open up space from the inside, let's try to open a gap from the outside!"

"Is it really possible?" Izuki Jun looked at Katsume Ichiro with some hesitation and said, "With Kaneki Ken in charge, Shonan High School's outside line may not be easier to play than the inside line..."

"There's no time to be timid!" Katsume Ichiro said with a look of determination, "In the past, Kagami-san helped us bear the pressure from the opponent's ace. Now it's our turn to do something for Kagami-san!"

"Really? You actually dare to steal my limelight at this time..." Hinata Junpei stared blankly at the determined Katsume Ichiro for a long time, then suddenly chuckled and stretched out his hand, "Count me in! Even if I die, I will make the three-pointer!"

"And I!"

"And I!"

Under the encouragement of Hinata Junpei and Katsume Ichiro, the players of Seirin High School finally regained their spirits. They formed a circle at the same time, put their hands in the middle, looked at each other with firm eyes, and shouted loudly: "Come on, Seirin! Come on!! Come on!!!"

"Wow, you're quite passionate." Kaneki Ken, who was drinking water, was attracted by the shouting coming from the direction of Seirin High School. He gently put down the drink bottle in his hand and said in a playful tone, "It's really not easy. After fighting to this extent, you haven't given up yet..."

"Kaneki-san..." At this moment, Anton Mitsuyoshi beside him suddenly spoke slowly, "Do you want to take a break for the second competition?"

"Ah? Rest for a while?" Kaneki Ken looked at Anton Mitsuyoshi with some doubt and said, "I personally think my current physical condition is okay, Coach Anton..."

"I'm not worried about your condition, Kaneki-san. You've never let me down since you were in the first year of junior high school." Anton Mitsuyoshi looked at the field and said with a glimmer in his eyes, "In fact, I didn't guide you much during this year at Shonan High School... You are too mature, whether it's mentally, physically or in terms of ball skills... in all aspects. You don't need this level of competition to practice now, but Sakuragi-san and Rukawa-san still do."

"But Kagami and the others don't seem to be giving up the game yet..." Kaneki Ken said hesitantly, "The next game may be very intense..."

"You have to believe in your teammates, Kaneki-san." Anton Hiroyoshi said with an expectant look in his eyes, "Rukawa and Sakuragi-san have both embarked on their own basketball journeys. I think it's time for you to let go and let them try to face the desperate counterattack from a miracle on their own."

"I understand, coach." Kaneki Ken nodded silently and said, "I will be on the sidelines. If there are any problems in the game, I will go on the court."

"Thank you for your understanding, Kaneki-san." Anton Mitsuyoshi gently patted Kaneki Ken's shoulder and sighed, "As a coach, it is a happy trouble to have talented players like you, Rukawa Kaede, Sakuragi, and Kabaji at the same time!"

…Buzz!”

As the countdown to the intermission came to an end, the timer on the sidelines rang on time. The players sitting on the sidelines stood up one after another, preparing for the upcoming second quarter.

"Then, the strategy for the second quarter has been decided." Aida Reiko looked at the players in front of her and made the final arrangements. "Hagami and Muji will pull Kaneki Ken and Sakuragi to the left corner as much as possible. Hinata, and Ichiro, your task is to shoot when there is an open position! Regardless of whether it goes in or not, you must shoot decisively!"

"Don't say such discouraging words, Coach Reiko!" Hinata Junpei took off the towel on his head and said with a smile, "When you smashed my figurine and forced me to score a goal, you didn't leave me so many ways out."

"Stop talking nonsense." Aida Reiko was also amused by Hinata Junpei's deliberate joke. "If you dare not score a goal when you go on the court later, I will smash all the remaining figures you have!"

"What if I make the shot?" Hinata Junpei asked with a smile.

"Then...just wait until you make the shot!" Reiko Aida subconsciously wanted to say something, but stopped abruptly and changed the subject abruptly.

"Okay, everyone, it's time to get together!" Hinata Junpei smiled and shook his head. Then, his expression gradually became serious. He stared at the direction of Shonan High School and said in a deep voice.

"Yes, captain!" The players of Seirin High School responded one after another.

"Sakuragi, the next game will be handed over to you and Rukawa." At the same time, Kaneki Ken was also giving Sakuragi Hanamichi a final pre-match mobilization. He slowly put Sakuragi Hanamichi and Rukawa Kaede's hands together and said solemnly, "The future of Shonan still depends on you, so next, show me your best!"

“Ahhhhhhhh!!!” As soon as Kaneki Ken let go of his hand, Sakuragi Hanamichi screamed, grabbed his left wrist, and shouted like a joke, “My right hand is rotten, I can’t keep it!”

"I don't know if idiocy is contagious..." Rukawa Kaede on the side did not want to be outdone and took out a handkerchief and kept wiping his right hand.

"Really? When will these problem teenagers grow up?" Inoue Ayako shook her head helplessly, smiled bitterly and looked at Rukawa's back and complained.

"Ayako..." Miyagi Ryouta, who had already finished warming up, took a deep breath, looked at Inoue Ayako nervously and said, "Can you give me some encouragement?"

"I don't want it." Inoue Ayako's eyes flickered slightly, and she took out a marker from her pocket, looked at Miyagi Ryouta who looked a little disappointed, waved her hand and said, "Give it to me."

"Ah?" Miyagi Ryouta didn't react for a moment. He looked at Inoue Ayako with a confused look on his face, not knowing how to react.

"What? I told you to show me your hand!" Inoue Ayako muttered with a sour face, picked up the marker, and started writing and drawing on Miyagi Ryouta's hand.

"God... Nagawa... the best... point guard?" Miyagi Ryouta read word by word, paddling the pen under Inoue Ayako's hand. "Isn't it a bit too arrogant? After all, Kaneki Ken..."

"Kaneki-san, you can't be counted." Inoue Ayako waved her hand nonchalantly and said, "And Kaneki-san doesn't play like a standard point guard, but a ball-holding core. So there's no doubt that you are the best point guard in Kanagawa."

Later on, Inoue Ayako herself felt that there was nothing wrong with what she said.

"Haha, you're right!" Miyagi Ryouta clenched his fists and said with a smile, "I am... the strongest point guard in Kanagawa, Miyagi Ryouta!"

"Beep~" With the referee's whistle, the players from both sides officially stepped onto the court, announcing the official start of the second quarter of the game.

"Kaneki Ken... is actually resting on the sidelines?" Hinata Junpei looked at Kaneki Ken off the court with a surprised look on his face, and then a mixture of humiliation and relief came over him, "Is he looking down on us? Well, no wonder, a player like Kaneki can already be the leader of an adult professional team in Japan!"

"While Kaneki Ken is away, hurry up and make up for the difference!" Relatively speaking, Kagami Daiga's thoughts were simpler. Looking at the players from Shonan High School who were now on the court, Kagami Daiga said excitedly, "As long as we play as a team, with coordination and momentum, we have a chance of winning!"

"Seirin, serve the ball!" Kagami Daiga had just finished speaking when the referee on the sidelines handed him the basketball. After Kagami Daiga received the basketball, he immediately passed the ball back to Kiyoshi Teppei who had just served the ball.

"Everyone, run!" As Teppei Kiyoshi slowly advanced with the ball, the Seirin High School players on the field also started running actively.

"This guy is actually playing point guard..." Miyagi Ryouta looked at Kiyoshi Teppei's slowly approaching figure and sighed helplessly, "You big guys, is there any popular sign of playing point guard now?"

"There's no other way. To deal with a monster like Kaneki Ken, we have to seize every possible opportunity to win!" said Kiyoshi Teppei with a smile.

"Yeah!"

As if to confirm what Muji Teppei said, there was the sound of a basketball flying past his scalp.

"The force of the pass is too great, Senior Muji!" The basketball left a shadow in the air. Katsume Ichiro rushed forward, jumped up staggeringly, and caught the flying basketball in the air.

"Sorry, sorry!" Muji Tieping scratched the back of his head awkwardly and said, "But since you've already received the pass, let's go for it bravely!"

"You don't need to remind me, Senior Muji!" Katsumi Ichiro looked at Mitsui Shou in front of him with a complicated expression and said, "I have already started working hard!"

"Come on, Ichiro." Mitsui Shou looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar junior in front of him and said, "Let's end it here...!"

(End of this chapter)