Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 293 Sannoh Industrial's Tall Man Lineup
During Shohoku's attack, at Kogure's signal, Okamoto Nobuhiko began to back down Ichinokura Satoshi.

Physical confrontation is Nobuhiko Okamoto's strongest weapon; in the point guard position, he is no less capable than Fukatsu in terms of physical confrontation.

In addition, Nobuhiko Okamoto's weight is significantly greater than Satoshi Ichinokura's.

Compared to Nobuhiko Okamoto, Satoshi Ichinokura's physique is too slender, which is a significant disadvantage on the defensive end.

Satoshi Ichinokura: 171 cm tall, 60 kg, second grade!

Of course, Ichinokura Satoshi also has many advantages, such as his excellent physical fitness, strong will, and expert-level persistence.

However, his slender build and lack of explosive athleticism make it difficult for him to contain players with strong physical strength, such as Nobuhiko Okamoto.

Nobuhiko Okamoto began back-to-back attacks on Satoshi Ichinokura. His back-to-back attacks had been instructed by Kogure, and he had already reached the basics.

bang~
Upon impact, Ichinokura Satoshi couldn't help but take a step back.

Seeing that things were looking promising, Nobuhiko Okamoto's confidence soared.

After defeating Ichinokura Satoshi once again, Okamoto Nobuhiko turned and broke through.

Ito had no choice but to abandon Naito and quickly head towards Okamoto Nobuhiko.

After drawing Ito's defense, Okamoto Nobuhiko forcefully threw the ball toward the basket.

Naito jumped up with force, caught the basketball with both hands, and slammed it into the basket.

Bang~
With a dull thud, Naito grabbed the rim and pulled it so that it bent at a certain angle.

Under the light, Naito's bald head reflected a dazzling light.

"Okamoto-senpai, well said!"

After landing, Naito gave Nobuhiko Okamoto a thumbs up.

"Okamoto, keep fighting like this!"

Beside him, Kogure also offered a timely compliment.

"No, no, I'm not that good."

Okamoto Nobuhiko scratched the back of his head sheepishly, grinning and revealing a smile reminiscent of Nohara Shinnosuke.

"This guy……"

On the Sannoh bench, Coach Domoto frowned and couldn't help but stand up.

Initially, his intention was to use Ichinokura's defensive skills to limit the performance of Shohoku's key outside player, Mitsui.

Unfortunately, Mitsui's height and wingspan advantage was too obvious, rendering Ichinokura Satoshi's defense ineffective.

Coach Domoto had no choice but to switch Ichinokura Satoshi and Fukatsu on defense, thinking that even if Ichinokura Satoshi couldn't stop Mitsui, he could at least limit a role player.

Then he realized he had overestimated Ichinokura Satoshi.

The defensive expert was in an awkward position, repeatedly being tormented by Mitsui and Nobuhiko Okamoto.

Not only was their defense completely overwhelmed by the opponent, but their offense was also utterly ineffective; they could only be described as utterly pathetic.

He played for two or three minutes and scored zero on all five major statistics.

This also made Coach Domoto somewhat embarrassed, because he realized that his substitution had hit a major hurdle.

Minoru Matsumoto may not seem to have made many contributions, but his role on the field is far more significant than that of Satoshi Ichinokura.

Should we bring Matsumoto back into the game?

Just as Coach Domoto was struggling with his decision, Nobuhiko Okamoto once again successfully backed down Satoshi Ichinokura.

This time, Ito Yu dared not go to reinforce the defense again, for fear of missing Naito again.

Nobuhiko Okamoto seized the opportunity and threw a shot the instant he approached the paint.

shuh~
The basketball hits the net!

Hua Hua Hua~
Inside the arena, waves of cheers surged toward Nobuhiko Okamoto.

He looked around and saw that there were many spectators cheering for him.

Today's applause was enthusiastic and frequent, a stark contrast to the sparse responses of the past.

"As expected, hard work doesn't lie!"

Okamoto Nobuhiko silently recited to himself, clenching his fists. All of this was the reward for his countless days and nights of hard work and sweat.

He acknowledged his limited talent, but he never gave up, only wanting to contribute his own strength to the team.

The applause and cheers from the audience were not only recognition of him, but also an affirmation of his perseverance.

He is determined to turn this strength into motivation and continue to move forward on the road ahead, surpassing himself.

beep~
It was at this moment that Coach Domoto requested a timeout.

When he left the field, Ichinokura Satoshi looked like a child who had done something wrong, keeping his head down without saying a word.

"Ichinokura, the fault is not yours; it's that I didn't consider things thoroughly enough."

Coach Domoto patted Ichinokura Satoshi on the shoulder and offered a word of comfort.

He always had a great fondness for this hardworking player.

It's worth noting that players like Owada, Nobe, Fukatsu, and even Sawakita have a history of escaping from the training camp because they couldn't endure the high-intensity training, but Ichinokura Satoshi did not.

This is also why Coach Domoto has high hopes for him!
However, Coach Domoto seems to have forgotten that Minoru Matsumoto also appears to have been caught in the crossfire.

In Ichinokura Satoshi's recollection, there is no record of Matsumoto Minoru escaping.

"coach!"

Satoshi Ichinokura looked at Coach Domoto with emotion.

"Alright, you can go and rest now. You can leave the rest to your teammates."

Despite greatly admiring Ichinokura Satoshi, Coach Domoto gritted his teeth and made the decision to replace him.

For the team to win, Ichinokura Satoshi must leave the field, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable.

As soon as Coach Domoto finished speaking, Minoru Matsumoto tried to stand up.

He subconsciously thought the coach would put him back on the court!

Coach Domoto glanced at Minoru Matsumoto, paused briefly, and then turned his gaze to Masahiro Nobe.

"Nobe, you're replacing Ichinokura!"

To Matsumoto Minoru's disappointment, Coach Domoto did not select him.

Nobe Masahiro was quite surprised, and then stood up excitedly.

"Your task is simple: defense and rebounding. Understand?"

"Yes, Coach!"

Coach Domoto then looked at Kawata and said, "Kawata, you'll play small forward. Remember to go for the rebounds when you get the chance!"

"Coach, watch my performance!"

Upon hearing that he no longer had to face off against Kogure, Kawada couldn't help but show a look of delight.

Owada possesses excellent athleticism, making him a good fit for the small forward position.

"Alright, get on stage!"

After the timeout, both teams returned to the court.

Seeing Sannoh Industrial's tactical change, Kogure couldn't help but show a surprised expression.

With the addition of Masahiro Nobe, Sannoh Industrial's height has increased significantly, with its average height now reaching the level of Shoyo during the story's timeline.

In addition, all five players from Sannoh Industrial possess excellent defensive abilities and talent.

Center Forward: Ito Yu
Ohmae: Masahiro Nobe

Komae: Masashi Kawada

Shooting Guard: Eiji Sawakita

Point Guard: Kazunari Fukatsu

"It's a bit difficult to handle!"

Looking at this lineup, Kogure couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache.

He really wanted to be like "Brother Crow" and flip the table on the spot, saying, "If it's too difficult, then let's not do it."

However, this is a basketball game!

Soon, Fukatsu dribbled the ball past midfield again.

Without hesitation, Fukatsu passed the ball to Owada.

Meanwhile, the remaining Sannoh players quickly moved away from their respective opponents. Facing Yamamoto's defense, Kawata displayed speed and agility disproportionate to his size.

In the blink of an eye, Kawada easily broke past Yamamoto Kuma and drove into the basket for a dunk.

"Naito, we'll switch positions in a bit!"

Kogure immediately came up with a solution.

He decided to sit under the basket because Masahiro Nobe didn't seem to be able to shoot.

In the Xiangshan battle of the storyline, apart from defense and rebounding, Nobe Masahiro did not demonstrate any shooting ability.

Of course, this doesn't mean he can't shoot.

Sannoh Industrial is known for its intense training, and Nobe Masahiro must have received shooting training, but whether he has any accuracy is another matter.

Naito naturally did not refuse, especially since he was already used to defending against Ito.

Kogure then turned to Yamamoto and said, "Yamamoto, if you can't stop Owada, then force him to come here."

"Yes, Captain!"

Yamamoto Kuma breathed a slight sigh of relief; he was genuinely afraid of being thrashed by Kawada.

At this moment, Shohoku had already inbounded the ball, and Nobuhiko Okamoto slowly dribbled it across half-court.

Kogure quickly stepped forward and set a screen for Nobuhiko Okamoto.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Nobuhiko Okamoto dribbled past his defender and, after drawing the defense, instinctively passed the ball to Kogure, who was cutting towards the basket.

slap~
The moment Okamoto Nobuhiko passed the ball, Sawakita lunged at the passing lane and instantly intercepted it.

The basketball flew towards the frontcourt, and Zebei started again, leaving everyone else in the dust. He controlled the ball beyond the three-point line and hit a three-pointer.

shuh~
Zebei hit a three-pointer, successfully narrowing the gap to single digits.

Soon, Shohoku launched another attack.

Kogure stepped forward again to set a screen for Nobuhiko Okamoto once more.

"Okamoto!"

The difference was that Okamoto subtly passed the ball to Kogure using a hand-to-hand pass, while he himself made a dribbling and breakthrough stance.

Okamoto Nobuhiko's actions naturally attracted the attention of the Sannoh players.

However, by the time they realized the basketball was no longer in his hands, it was too late.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kogure turned around, took a step, and stopped abruptly outside the paint to shoot a jump shot.

shuh~
The basketball arced through the hoop, creating a splash of net paint.

Offense and defense reversed!

Fukatsu dribbled the ball past half-court and then passed it to Owada again.

No matter how you look at it, Kawada has the biggest advantage in their matchup.

The Sannoh players quickly took their respective opposing players away.

However, Kogure did not keep up with Nobe Masahiro completely, and was about two steps away from him.

The moment Kawada received the ball, Yamamoto immediately clung to him, intentionally or unintentionally drawing him towards Kogure.

Kawada easily broke past Yamamoto Kuma, and just as he was about to attack the basket again, a figure suddenly rushed out from the side—it was Kogure.

Kawada was clearly taken aback, and like a frightened bird, he shot the ball with an extremely awkward posture, even leaning back.

Here it is! The legendary four-pointed, eight-spread fadeaway jump shot!

Everyone else's fadeaway jump shot is beautiful, but his is ugly as a gorilla!

bang~
With Kogure interfering, Kawada's shot ended up missing the target.

Naito and Yamamoto immediately engaged Ito Yu and Nobe Masahiro.

They don't fight for rebounds, and they also prevent their opponents from fighting for rebounds.

As for protecting the backboard, that was left to Kogure.

Kawada instinctively tried to grab the rebound, but was easily blocked by Kogure.

Kogure raised his hands and successfully grabbed the rebound.

Before the first half was even over, Kogure had already grabbed double-digit rebounds.

That's the advantage of using a card!

In the future, "God Turtle" relied on his ability to consistently achieve a triple-double average for the season, causing the value of the triple-double average to plummet.

Poor O, he was originally in the top ten of all time, but because of this incident, his historical status plummeted.

In addition to grabbing double-digit rebounds, Kogure also recorded 8 assists.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he is very likely to achieve a triple-double in the first half.

That's what makes Kafeng so great!

In return, on the next offensive possession, Kogure drove to the basket, drawing the defense and assisting Naito for a dunk.

It's a win-win!
Kogure and Naito Seiseki cooperated and each achieved the results they wanted.

The game continues, with both teams giving their all.

Under Fukatsu's leadership, Sannoh Industrial launched a fierce counterattack in an attempt to narrow the score gap.

Unfortunately, Shohoku did not easily relinquish their lead.

With Kogure's outstanding performance, Shohoku, relying on their sharp offense, held their own and was in no way at a disadvantage.

For a time, the score fluctuated and rose back and forth.

Despite Sannoh Industrial's strong counterattack, Shohoku maintained their lead throughout, with the score difference fluctuating between 8 and 10 points.

beep~
Before we knew it, the first half of the game finally came to an end with the referee's whistle.

Both teams' players left the field to rest and replenish their energy, preparing for the second half.

After catching his breath, Kogure waved to Emperor Kakuta.

Ayako was taking care of Akagi at the hospital, so the versatile Kakuta became the temporary basketball manager of Shohoku.

As everyone knows, Emperor Kakuta is not only a player, but also Shohoku's chief masseur, a level 2 professional referee, and now he has become the interim basketball manager.

"team leader!"

Emperor Kakuta hurried over and, at Kogure's prompting, handed over the data sheet he was holding.

Like the future gOat, Kogure also enjoys looking at his own stats.

15分12篮板10助攻2盖帽2抢断，这就是木暮上半场获得的数据。

Unsurprisingly, Kogure once again achieved a triple-double in the first half.

"This match could potentially yield milestone statistics!"

Looking at his own stats, he then looked at his teammates' stats.

Mitsui scored 21 points in the first half.

Neither Minoru Matsumoto nor Satoshi Ichinokura limited his performance.

Mitsui's scoring efficiency only declined slightly when he faced off against Sawakita, but it was still at a decent level.

Sawakita is a strong defender, but he is not very good at off-ball movement, which allows Mitsui to always find open spaces.

Naito was the second highest scorer for Shohoku, with 16 points.

In other words, the "new Shohoku Big Three" combined for 52 points in the first half alone.

As a result, the combined scores of Nobuhiko Okamoto and Kuma Yamamoto barely reached double digits.

During halftime, the players were covered in sweat and panting, trying to recover their depleted energy.

The coaches of both teams quickly gathered their players, pointed out the problems in their teams, and emphasized the importance of teamwork and energy management.

The coach explained the instructions while drawing various diagrams and arrows on the tactics board to help the players understand better.

"In the second half, Suzuki replaces Yamamoto Kuma as power forward, and Miyagi replaces Okamoto Nobuhiko!"

On the Shohoku bench, Coach Anzai quickly made arrangements.

Upon learning that he would be able to play, Miyagi immediately became excited.

He couldn't wait to play against a top team like Sannoh Kogyo, especially since his opponent was Kazunari Fukatsu.

(End of this chapter)