Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 307 Advancing to the Semifinals
A team that was among the top eight in the country lost 22 points in just ten minutes.

For a time, the remaining surviving regional teams all regarded Kanagawa as their number one rival.

They began to focus their attention on the Kanagawa team, trying to find any possible weaknesses.

Coach Domoto decided that once he returned, he would immediately organize the graduates to simulate the offensive and defensive patterns of the Kanagawa National Team in an attempt to find a way to break through them.

They knew very well that in order to win the championship in the next competition, they had to represent Kanagawa.

Even in this atmosphere, the game continued.

On the Shizuoka bench, Coach Shizuoka appeared unusually anxious.

He knew it would be a tough challenge before the competition even started.

However, Kanagawa's strength far exceeded his expectations.

Despite his repeated requests for timeouts in an attempt to turn the tide through tactical adjustments, the results were minimal.

As the score gap widened to more than 20 points, the morale of the Shizuoka team plummeted, and they appeared somewhat lost and bewildered.

At this point, the Kanagawa team had completely taken control of the game's pace.

Under these circumstances, the Shizuoka team was unable to score on offense or defend, and made numerous mistakes under pressure from their opponents.

Coach Shizuoka was watching with growing anxiety; the game was completely out of his control.

His brow was furrowed; if a solution wasn't found soon, the outcome of the match could turn very bad.

He anxiously sketched on the tactics board, hoping to make a difference in the time to come.

Soon, when Kogure completed his defensive assist again, Coach Shizuoka finally realized the crux of the problem.

"Everyone, when you attack, make sure to stay away from Kogure. Mikoshiba, I'm counting on you from now on!"

Coach Shizuoka stood on the sidelines and shouted loudly.

The reason why the Shizuoka team's offensive efficiency is so low is not only because the Kanagawa players have excellent defense, but also because of Kogure's help defense and support.

Whenever the Shizuoka team's players finally managed to create shooting space through tactical cooperation, Kogure would always appear in the crucial position in time with amazing speed, reaction and accurate judgment.

Kogure is tall, has a long reach, and a great jump. He also possesses top-notch one-on-one defense and help defense. Under his interference, the shooting percentage of ordinary players is predictably low.

It was precisely because of his presence that Shizuoka players' attacks were repeatedly thwarted, and their shooting percentage was greatly reduced.

To break this unfavorable situation, the Shizuoka team must reduce Kogure's influence.

The simplest solution would be to have Mikoshiba take Kogure away.

In this way, the defensive pressure faced by Shizuoka players during their attacks will be greatly reduced.

In addition, Shizuoka players can use passing and cutting combinations to distract Kogure's defensive attention and make their attacks more efficient.

Under Coach Shizuoka's guidance, the Shizuoka team's performance improved, and their shooting percentage increased.

This has also helped the Shizuoka players regain some of their form.

However, this period of good fortune was short-lived, as Kogure proactively changed his defensive tactics.

He stopped watching Mikoshiba and refocused his attention on supporting the defense.

In this situation, the Shizuoka players passed the ball to Mikoshiba.

Unfortunately, he failed to seize the opportunity.

Although Mikoshiba has been developing his mid-range shot, it is not consistent enough and he is too close to the paint.

Therefore, he not only had to keep an eye on Kogure at all times, but also had to face Uozumi, who was guarding the paint from time to time. It's easy to imagine how low Mikoshiba's shooting percentage was.

The performance didn't last long; the Shizuoka team was exposed for what it truly was, with the players' performance being nothing short of atrocious.

However, the Shizuoka manager in charge of filling in the player data had a shifty look in his eyes.

Her gaze fell on Takahashi Shun's data.

Shun Takahashi: Played 18 minutes, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists!

Whether it's points or rebounds, Shun Takahashi consistently ranks first in Shizuoka, and he even shares the top spot in assists with the Shizuoka point guard.

In contrast, the team's ace, Mikoshiba, only managed 2 points and 2 rebounds.

If you only look at the player's stats and don't consider his performance on the field, a normal person would think that Shun Takahashi's performance completely outshone Mikoshiba's, and someone who didn't know better would think that he was Shizuoka's ace.

However, the manager of Shizuoka did not think so.

Because she could see very clearly that Takahashi Shun's performance was not as good as she had imagined; on the contrary, he was in a sorry state under Uozumi's suppression.

The reason he was able to achieve such statistics is mainly because he accounted for almost all of the team's easy shots.

On the defensive end, Shun Takahashi mainly coasted along, going through the motions but not putting in much effort, and occasionally even making defensive lapses.

His main focus is on defensive rebounds, and he is always ready to launch a fast break.

As for the offensive end, Shun Takahashi often monopolizes the ball, frequently attempting to dribble past opponents multiple times and calling for screens multiple times, but still failing to penetrate. In the end, he often passes the ball in the last few seconds, forcing his teammates to take a shot.

Without a doubt, this is a classic example of shifting blame, also known as the "gorilla-sucking technique"!

If the ball goes in, it's Takahashi Shun's assist; if it doesn't, it's the teammates' fault. If the game is lost, the 'junior high school student' teammates can draw the blame.

According to Shun Takahashi's statistics, his points mainly come from fast breaks and free throws, and his rebounds are all defensive rebounds. His assists have already been mentioned.

No wonder Takahashi Shun said that last year, "I lost the game, but I didn't lose. Look at my stats!"
Shun Takahashi's playing style is undoubtedly a great threat to the team.

It was precisely because of his obsession with simple shots that he often became disconnected from his teammates.
His stats were impressive, but his contribution to the team was minimal.

Coach Shizuoka clearly saw this as well, and he felt very helpless about it.

Shun Takahashi's 'problem' stems from his junior high school years. He craved to be the center of attention and pursued honor, which ultimately led him to become that kind of person.

However, there was no center better than Shun Takahashi in Shizuoka, which is why he was like "the monkey king in the absence of a tiger".

Coach Shizuoka sighed softly, but still made a quick decision.

Since Takahashi Shun is seriously out of sync with the team and affecting the team's operation, he should be substituted off the field.

So, as the first half was about to end, Coach Shizuoka did not hesitate to put Shun Takahashi on the bench.

After being substituted off the field, Takahashi Shun immediately asked the manager for the data book.

Upon seeing his data, Shun Takahashi couldn't help but smile.

The Shizuoka coach, manager, and players watched with furrowed brows.

Does this guy even care about the team's wins and losses?

Coach Shizuoka took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his anger, and refocused his attention on the field.

The player who replaced Takahashi Shun was a short center who was good at playmaking.

He is less than 190 cm tall and of medium build, which contrasts sharply with the imposing presence of Uozumi.

After Takahashi Shun was substituted off the field, the Shizuoka team not only did not encounter greater difficulties, but their situation actually improved.

That's embarrassing!
Not long after, the first half finally ended.

Call ~
The Shizuoka players on the field all breathed a sigh of relief.

They walked silently toward the bench, heads bowed, their spirits clearly dampened, their eyes revealing weariness, frustration, and heaviness.

For them, this match was not just an ordeal, it was an agonizing experience; every second felt like an eternity.

On the other side of the court, the Kanagawa players high-fived each other in celebration, their smiles radiating confidence, a stark contrast to the Shizuoka players.

This can be seen from the score of the two sides.

Numbers don't lie; they're clearly recorded on the electronic scoreboard. In the first half, the Kanagawa team's performance was remarkable, leading their opponents by an astonishing 37 points.

With such a huge disadvantage, unless a miracle occurs, the Shizuoka team has no hope.

For this reason, Coach Taoka once again made five substitutions, bringing on Shohoku's F4 and Naito.

Center: Tetsuya Naito

Ohmae: flower-shaped transparent

Komae: Minori Kishimoto

Shooting Guard: Nan Lie

Point Guard: Kenji Fujima

Although Naito is still a rough guy, his characteristics are a perfect fit for the Shohoku team.

Naito possesses top-tier physical attributes, enabling him to keep up with Shoyo's run-and-gun offense.

At the same time, Naito also has excellent rim protection ability, which can effectively improve the defensive strength of the Shohoku team.

If Shohoku had Naito, they could have gone even further, and there's even a good chance they could have defeated Sannoh Industrial.

Unfortunately, there is no if!
Naito is a player from Shohoku, so it's impossible for him to transfer to Shoyo.

After discovering that Kanagawa's lineup consisted of five players coming in and five going out, the Shizuoka players all breathed a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.

In the second half, the Kanagawa team completely changed their playing style, switching from a one-star-four-shooter formation to a run-and-gun style, focusing more on offense.

Under Fujima's leadership, the Kanagawa team played offensive basketball.

They used precise passing and teamwork to constantly tear apart Shizuoka's defense and score points.

On the defensive end, Naito single-handedly carried the defensive system.

Since most of them are players from Xiangyang, their teamwork has been practiced countless times, and every pass and cut is just right, which can be described as smooth and effortless.

For a time, the audience was overwhelmed by the sights, and applause and cheers rose and fell, deafeningly loud.

Meanwhile, the Shizuoka players seemed somewhat out of sorts.

To make matters worse, without realizing it, they also sped up their pace.

Under these circumstances, Shizuoka players made more and more mistakes, and their physical strength depleted even faster.

As their stamina rapidly depleted, the Shizuoka players' shooting percentage was also negatively affected.

They tried hard to turn the tide, but all their efforts were in vain, and the Kanagawa team easily defeated them.

The Kanagawa team has completely taken control of the game, and the gap between the two sides is widening.

The supporters of the Shizuoka team could only watch silently as the scoreboard rose higher and higher, their cheers growing fainter until the entire stadium was filled with cheers and applause for Kanagawa.

Time passed slowly, and soon the long whistle signaling the end of the game rang out.

At that moment, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the stadium.

The Kanagawa team won the respect and applause of all the spectators with their performance.

After the match, the Kanagawa players had smiles on their faces that they could hardly hide.

They not only won the game, but won it by a huge margin of 71 points.

This is even more exciting than winning by 100 points in the last game, because their opponent is no longer a pushover, but a top-eight team in the country.

This number is arguably the best proof of the efforts made during this period.

On the other side, the Shizuoka players appeared extremely frustrated, their eyes revealing intense disappointment, resentment, and despair, as well as a visibly relieved expression.

The game is finally over, and they no longer want to endure this torment.

After the match, the Kanagawa team successfully advanced to the semifinals.

Their next opponent will be determined after the remaining two groups decide their match.

Before that, they naturally wouldn't forget to watch the game.

The next two matches were held in the afternoon, and Kogure and the others arrived as scheduled, sitting in the audience seats provided for them by the organizing committee.

The third match was between Aichi and Kyoto.

Aichi Prefecture has Aichi High School, while Kyoto Prefecture has Rakuan High School; the difference between the two is not significant.

Therefore, the third game is the most suspenseful.

Soon, the third match officially began.

From the very first minute of the match, the two sides engaged in fierce competition.

Both teams showed their determination and fiercely fought for every possession.

The audience held their breath, not wanting to miss a single exciting moment.

As time went on, the competition between the two sides became increasingly fierce.

The two teams were evenly matched, with neither having a clear advantage, and the game gradually entered a stalemate.

By the end of the first half, the Aichi team was only leading by 3 points.

The second half remained a close contest.

Until the final five minutes, the two sides were still tied, and either side could win.

In the final stages of the match, both sides intensified their defenses without hesitation, making every battle for possession extremely fierce.

Despite their significant decline in physical strength, the players' fighting spirit remained undiminished.

At this point, any detail could determine the outcome of the match.

At this crucial moment, Dai Moroboshi 'descended from heaven', scoring two key goals in a row, helping the team establish a double-digit lead.

Ultimately, thanks to Dai Moroboshi's outstanding performance, the Aichi team emerged victorious.

In the stands, Mitsui watched Moroboshi Dai celebrating on the field and couldn't help but mutter, "How about we make a bet: will Moroboshi Dai be carried on a stretcher this year at the Autumn National Sports Championship?"

As is well known, Dai Moroboshi is always carried off the field on a stretcher during national-level competitions.

This is why he is jokingly called the "God of Stretchers".

Kogure glanced at Mitsui but didn't join the conversation.

Akagi remained silent, quietly awaiting the final match.

The fourth match was between Akita and Tokyo.

Although Tokyo is quite strong, almost on par with Aichi Prefecture, it pales in comparison to Akita.

Indeed, Akita team maintained a firm advantage throughout the match, rapidly extending their lead.

At the start of the second half, the Akita team employed a pressing tactic.

Five minutes later, the Akita team had built a 50-point lead.

Coach Domoto immediately substituted the starting lineup and began preparing for the next match.

The match ended shortly afterward, with the Akita team ultimately winning by a landslide.

With the conclusion of this match, the four semi-finalists have been determined: Kanagawa, Fukuoka, Akita, and Aichi.

(End of this chapter)