Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 289 Stretcher, get on the stretcher quickly!
"That guy is about my height, he should be an interesting opponent!"

Morishige Hiroshi looked on with interest as he watched Akagi perform a gorilla-like dunk on the court.

In the national junior high school tournament, he never encountered an inside player who could even remotely compete with him.

As for why he didn't win the junior high school championship, it was mainly because he was plagued by foul trouble.

The inexperienced Morishige Hiroshi was clumsy and relied entirely on his explosive physical abilities to play basketball. He also developed a peculiar habit of hanging on the rim and looking down at his opponents, which often resulted in him being called for fouls by the referees.

Even so, he won the runner-up title in the National Junior High School Tournament, defeated by Tomioka Junior High School led by Rukawa Kaede.

Just like Rukawa Kaede saw through Naito Tetsuya's weakness in the anime, Rukawa Kaede also saw Morishige Hiroshi's flaw in the finals and used a foul-drawing method to make Morishige Hiroshi foul out of the game.

"But is he really a high school student? Are you sure he's not middle-aged?"

Looking at Akagi's unusually aged appearance, Morishige Hiroshi was filled with doubt.

It's worth noting that Akagi's appearance was approved by both Maki and Sakuragi, so it's no wonder that Morishige Hiroshi thought that way.

While Morishige Hiroshi was watching the game, Moroboshi Daiki clearly changed his playing style.

Using his teammates' screens, Moroboshi Dai successfully shook off Kogure's entanglement and drove to the basket for a layup.

Call ~
Moroboshi breathed a sigh of relief, but his heart was filled with sadness.

This means he has accepted reality: even though Kogure only used his left hand, he is still no match for him!
Kogure glanced at Moroboshi Dai but didn't say anything sarcastic.

The advantage lies with Shohoku, there's no need for that!

If the opponent is Sannoh Industrial, he wouldn't mind doing that.

Love and Academy ultimately paled in comparison, even falling short of last year's standards.

Although Aiwa Academy didn't make it to the national top four last year, they were simply unlucky and were grouped with Shohoku.

Without giving it much thought, Kogure continued to organize Shohoku's attack.

Aiwa Academy's defense also changed, and they began to double-team Kogure.

The other players, through their relentless running, subtly cut off his passing lanes.

Every time he passes the ball, it is likely to be intercepted by the opponent.

Surrounded by Moroboshi Dai and Yamada Ryo, and with Kogure's convincing feints, Yamada Ryo's center of gravity shifted.

Before Yamada Ryo could adjust, Kogure used his explosive power to slip through the gap in the door between the two.

After achieving this breakthrough, the road ahead is clear and smooth.

At this moment, Kogure reached his peak speed and jumped high after stepping into the free throw line.

During this process, Kogure drifted without decreasing his height, and finally raised the basketball with his left hand, performing a tomahawk dunk.

Bang~
With a loud bang, the entire basketball hoop shook violently, and even the rim was pulled down by Kogure.

"His left hand is almost indistinguishable from his right hand!"

Looking at Kogure hanging from the basket, Dai Moroboshi was filled with envy.

He is a normal person, but his right hand is significantly more dexterous; there are many movements that he can do with his right hand but cannot do with his left.

Spring is here, everything is coming back to life, it's that time of year again...

Kogure released the basket and landed on the ground, patted the stunned Moroboshi on the shoulder, and said, "Good luck, the future is yours!"

"Pah! We're in the same grade!"

Moroboshi Dai couldn't help but complain, "To kill someone, you must first destroy their spirit."

Unless he repeats a year, he won't be able to wait until then.

In fact, with Moroboshi Dai's strength, as long as he seizes the opportunity, he has a real chance to become the vice GOAT.

If you lack the skill, make up for it with shamelessness; all you need to do is imitate gOat!

All of this is predicated on having substantial data to back it up. He can certainly rack up some simple stats, such as fast breaks, free throws, and defensive rebounds.

If you also have the privilege of not having traveling as a violation, that would be even better.

At that point, as long as the media continues to promote him, becoming the vice GOAT will be just around the corner.

I may have lost in love, but I didn't. Check my stats if you don't believe me!
To paraphrase the boastful king: There's a cow flying in the sky, and that's me bragging on the ground.

This is the shortcut to becoming a vice GOAT!
The game continued, but it was clear to everyone that Aiwa's situation had not improved and they were being completely dominated by Shohoku.

During this period, Ai and the coach did call timeouts to adjust tactics.

Unfortunately, in the face of absolute power, all tactics are just paper tigers.

Unfortunately, there's a clear difference in the lineups between the two sides.

Except for the small forward position, Shohoku has an absolute advantage in all other positions.

The gap between the two sides is even greater than the gap between Shohoku and Sannoh Kogyo in the original storyline.

Apart from Moroboshi Dai, the rest of Aiwa Academy's main players are only at the level of a strong team's starting lineup.

To defeat Shohoku, Aiwa Academy needs to receive unprecedented reinforcements.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

beep~
With the referee's whistle, the first half of the game officially ended.

The Shohoku players left the court in high spirits, having finished the first half with a near-perfect performance.

On the other side, Ai and the players left the field with gloomy expressions.

They rarely communicated, occasionally exchanging brief but heavy conversations.

Coach Ai had a gloomy face, clearly dissatisfied with the team's performance.

The 25-point gap on the giant electronic scoreboard felt like an insurmountable chasm, putting immense pressure on Ai, the coach, and the players.

This was only because Kogure used his left hand; otherwise, the score difference between the two sides would have been even greater.

In the first half alone, Kogure achieved a stat line of 20+10.

These are all stats he got with his left hand. If he continues to play in the second half, he could very well get a triple-double like Bird.

The difference is that Bird had to use his right hand in the final quarter to win, and the game went into overtime.

Kogure stated that he could not replicate this, nor did he want to.

During halftime, the Shohoku starters sat together, listening to Coach Anzai's plans for the second half.

Despite having a significant lead in the first half, the game was far from over, and Coach Anzai would certainly not make the mistake of underestimating his opponent like Coach Domoto did.

Soon, the second half began.

Akagi once again overpowered Sugiyama Shoyo and passed the ball to Kogure.

Once Kogure had the ball past half-court, he noticed that Aiwa Academy's tactics had changed again.

This time, they chose regional joint defense.

To be more precise, it's a two- or three-way joint defense.

Unlike the normal 2-3 zone defense, Mizuki Watari and Moroboshi Dai were mainly responsible for marking Kogure and Mitsui, while the paint area was guarded by two forwards and a center.

Kogure was well aware of the characteristics of the 2-3 zone defense and quickly made preparations.

The 2-3 zone defense is primarily designed to prevent drives to the basket. When the opponent shoots, all five players on your team can immediately retreat to the paint to secure the rebound.

The next moment, Kogure dribbled between his legs repeatedly.

When the basketball emerged from between his legs again, Kogure made a feint to change direction.

Moroboshi Dai subconsciously thought that Kogure was going to use a crossover to get past him, and couldn't help but take a step back.

At that moment, Kogure instantly gathered the ball, and with a swift motion, launched a three-pointer.

Moroboshi Dai only had time to extend his hand; he didn't have time to react in any other way.

Compared to before entering the training camp, Kogure's shooting speed has increased significantly.

This was mainly due to guidance from Bird, who didn't keep his skills to himself but completely passed on his shooting techniques to Kogure. Swish!
The basketball slammed into the net, sending the net swirling wildly.

Love and the Academy did not give up easily; they immediately launched a counterattack.

With Hattori Desaku's screen, Mizuki Watari successfully got rid of Mitsui.

Naito immediately switched defenses, and Mizuki Watari then passed the ball to Hattori Tokusawa, who was making a run down the court.

The latter quickly rushed to the basket, preparing to make a layup.

However, at that moment, Kogure appeared behind Hattori Tokusuke.

The moment Hattori Desaku went for a layup, he delivered a chase-down block.

*Smack!* *Thud!*
Kogure slammed the basketball against the backboard.

By the time Kogure landed on the ground, Naito had already started moving and quickly rushed towards the front.

Without hesitation, Kogure threw the ball with his left hand.

The basketball, like a welcoming blast, roared as it hurtled towards the frontcourt.

Both the angle and the power of the shot were flawless.

When Naito received the ball, he didn't even need to adjust; he could simply jump and put the ball into the basket.

Bang~
With Kogure assisting Naito for a dunk, Shohoku's lead reached 30 points.

At this moment, Ai and the players were clearly hit hard, and their morale plummeted further.

beep~
Seeing this, Ai and Coach had no choice but to request another timeout.

During the timeout, Coach Ai racked his brains and gave the players plenty of motivational speeches.

Unfortunately, the results were not ideal.

Even after the timeout ended, Ai and the players' morale remained low.

The situation on the court was completely one-sided, with Aiwa being utterly suppressed by Shohoku and having no chance to fight back.

In the seventh minute of the second half, Kogure grabbed his tenth rebound, completing a triple-double.

At this point, Coach Anzai voluntarily substituted all the key players off the court to prepare for tomorrow's finals.

At this point, Shohoku's lead had reached 45 points.

For Love and Academy, they have completely lost any chance of turning the tide.

The outcome is already decided; there's no need to waste the energy of our key players.

As Kogure left the stage, countless audience members spontaneously stood up and erupted in thunderous applause, giving the strongest recognition to Kogure's outstanding performance.

In an instant, the entire stadium was shaken by a huge wave of sound.

This match can be described as another solo showcase for Kogure.

木暮上场27分钟，就获得了33分16助攻10篮板3抢断2盖帽的全面数据。

For most players, such statistics are unattainable, and the key is that all of Kogure's statistics come from his left hand.

In other words, Coach Anzai substituted Kogure early; otherwise, Kogure's stats would have been even more impressive, and he would have had a good chance of achieving a triple-double.

This has refreshed the audience's impression of Kogure once again.

They knew Kogure was strong, but they didn't expect him to be this ridiculously strong.

As a strong contender for the 'second best high school player in the country,' Moroboshi Dai was surprised to be defeated by Kogure in this way.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Moroboshi Dai will inevitably lose his chance to compete for the 'Second Place in National High School Basketball'.

Surprisingly, after Shohoku substituted their reserve lineup, Coach Aiwa did not remove the starters.

To avoid too much of a blow to the players, since the game is already decided, we should try to narrow the point difference as much as possible, so that we can lose in a more respectable way.

In this way, the team loses more gracefully, the players get better stats, and he can better claim credit for himself to the school administration.

Everyone has a bright future, and everything is going well!
However, Ai and the coach seem to have made their plans too early.

As the saying goes, "The weather is unpredictable, and fortune can change in an instant."

"what!"

Just as the game was about to end, during a contest for the ball with Emperor Kakuta, Dai Moroboshi seemed to twist his right ankle, letting out a heart-wrenching scream.

His face was covered in cold sweat, and he was clutching his right foot tightly with both hands, his voice filled with pain as he tried to alleviate the agony.

Beside him, Emperor Kakuta tried to open his eyes wide, his expression showing utter innocence.

However, his eyes were still too small; no matter how hard he tried to open them, they were still not as wide as the slits of a normal woman's eyes.

At that moment, the audience, who had previously shown little interest, suddenly perked up.

"Holy crap, it's him again!"

"Moroboshi Dai has fallen yet again."

"It's him, it's him, our 'God of War' Moroboshi Dai!"

……

The audience was buzzing with discussion, and all eyes were on the fallen Moroboshi Dai.

Many people have heard of Moroboshi Dai's title of "Stretcher God of War".

As for who leaked it, you'll have to ask Basketball Weekly.

In one issue last year, Basketball Weekly listed the titles of outstanding high school basketball players nationwide.

During last year's competition, Moroboshi Daikai was carried on a stretcher multiple times, and Mitsui made unrestrained remarks in an interview with Aida Yayoi.

Therefore, the title of "Stretcher Warrior" spread like wildfire.

"What was bound to happen has finally happened. He truly lives up to his reputation as the God of Stretchers!"

Kogure sat on the sidelines, silently mourning for Moroboshi Dai.

Poor kid, how many times has this happened already?

To be honest, he believes that Moroboshi Dai is likely suffering from underlying injuries, and he always seems to injure the same foot.

It was only then that Ai and the players finally realized what was happening.

They quickly gathered around Moroboshi Dai and began to offer him words of comfort and concern.

"Moroboshi, are you alright?!"

"He looks like he twisted his ankle! What are you all standing around for? Get the stretcher, quick, get the stretcher on!"

Ai and the players were clearly familiar with the procedures and immediately activated the emergency plan—putting them on stretchers!

Soon, Moroboshi Dai was carefully lifted onto a stretcher by his teammates.

The entire process was so skillful it was heartbreaking.

Since the Shohoku bench was near the players' tunnel, the stretcher naturally headed towards that side.

Kogure said solemnly, "Moroboshi, take good care of your injuries. I hope you recover soon."

"Baka, I'll be back!"

Dai Moroboshi made an international gesture to Kogure, extending his sincerest greetings.

Soon, the cursing 'stretcher warrior' was carried into the players' tunnel and disappeared.

"What a disgusting feeling!"

The last words of Dai Moroboshi echoed in the players' tunnel.

Ultimately, the match ended in such a dramatic way.

(End of this chapter)