Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 318 Matsumoto's Transfer Record

Akita Prefecture, Sanno Industrial Park!

A week has passed since the end of the Autumn National Sports Tournament.

On this day, Minoru Matsumoto was organizing his belongings in his dormitory.

After tidying up all his belongings, Matsumoto Minoru finally stopped and looked up at his bed.

To be precise, it's on the wall next to the bed.

There's a poster of a basketball star there—the real GOAT!

That was a poster of his most admired basketball superstar, Michael Jordan, when he won his first three-peat.

The poster shows Jordan wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey with the number 23, holding the championship trophy high with both hands, his face beaming with the joy and confidence of victory.

A few months ago, Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their third consecutive championship, completing their first three-peat.

In terms of both difficulty and prestige, a three-peat is far superior to four wins by a wanderer, not to mention that Jordan will likely achieve another three-peat.

He never claimed to be the greatest of all time, making him far more deserving of the title than the self-aggrandizing "Kneeling Ape".

No matter how much fans exaggerate Pippen's achievements, they cannot stop Jordan's greatness.

Of course, Pippen was also great, but he didn't perform well during his last three-peat.

In addition, Pi Erye holds six championships.

As we all know, six is ​​greater than four; even elementary school students can solve this problem.

It must be said that Pi Erye is also a unit of measurement, and his wife is really radiant.

Upon seeing this poster, Minoru Matsumoto couldn't help but sigh, a wave of thoughts washing over him.

Back then, he dreamed of one day creating his own legend, just like Jordan.

He longed to win the national championship, but he always lacked a bit of luck and almost always came in second place.

If possible, he really wanted to combine the two national competition runner-up titles into one championship, just like the bizarre view among fans that six runner-up titles are equivalent to three championship titles.

In this way, gOat would have seven championships, one more than Jordan.

The problem is that the quality of those six runner-up finishes is questionable, especially the runner-up finish during the peak of the Heat's Big Three era.

They broke new ground by forming a top-tier Big Three. Before forming the Big Three, these three were ranked first, fifth, and thirteenth on the MVP list, respectively!

You could say that the Big Three at their peak could create a dynasty, but they were defeated one after another by the aging Mavericks and Spurs.

Thanks to gOat's eight-point release of military power, Nowitzki's historical status has been significantly elevated!

Then, gOat ran away with the bucket, and before leaving, he tricked Wade and Bosh.

It turns out that selfishness and self-interest are the true essence of brotherhood basketball!
After regaining his composure, Matsumoto Minoru gently stroked the poster but did not pack it up and take it with him.

Soon, he had no more lingering feelings and pushed his suitcase, ready to leave this place that was both full of memories and sadness.

Shortly after Matsumoto Minoru left, the dormitory door was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

Okawata, Fukatsu, and Nobe rushed into the dormitory, their eyes filled with anxiety.

The three of them were in the same grade as Matsumoto Minoru and were also his roommates, forging a deep friendship among them.

At first glance, they looked around but couldn't find Matsumoto Minoru, especially since the blanket on his bed had disappeared.

They looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion and anxiety.

They came to find Matsumoto Minoru because they had just learned that he had withdrawn from school.

The news came like a bolt from the blue, catching the three of them completely off guard.

"What should we do now?"

Fukatsu broke the silence first, so excited that he forgot to say his catchphrase.

"What else can we do but chase after them!"

Kawada was clearly unwilling to give up so easily and rushed out of the dormitory first.

The reason he often bullied Sawakita was not only because he disliked him, but also because of Matsumoto Minoru.

Fukatsu and Nobe Masahiro wasted no time and left their dormitory, rushing towards the school gate.

Their footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor, sounding unusually hurried.

In their hearts, Minoru Matsumoto was not only a teammate, but also a partner with whom they spent their youth.

They didn't want to lose him like this, and they didn't want this beautiful time to come to an end.

They didn't know why Matsumoto Minoru dropped out of school. But they were unwilling to give up.

Not long after, the three appeared at the school gate.

Unfortunately, they were too late.

"You are here!"

Unexpectedly, Coach Domoto was also standing at the school gate.

Kawada couldn't help but ask, "Coach, Matsumoto..."

Coach Domoto sighed softly and said, "He's gone!"

bang~
Upon learning that Matsumoto Minoru had left without saying goodbye, Nobe Hirokazu, who had been silent all along, slammed his fist against the wall, making a dull thud.

"Coach, why did Matsumoto drop out of school?"

Compared to his two companions, Fukatsu remained rational.

Coach Domoto was lost in thought. Yesterday, when Minoru Matsumoto retired from the basketball team, Coach Domoto had asked him this question in person.

He believed that Sannoh Industrial was limiting his development!

Upon hearing Coach Domoto's words, Fukatsu and the others exchanged glances and fell silent.

Coach Domoto paused slightly and asked, "Do you all think so too?" Kawada, indignant, couldn't help but retort, "Coach, do you think Matsumoto has improved this year compared to last year?"

"Kawada..."

Fukatsu instinctively wanted to dissuade him; he hadn't expected Kawada to be so brave, and he didn't know whose subordinate this was.

Coach Domoto stared intently at Kawada, remaining silent for a long time before finally letting out a sigh.

"no!"

Given that his roles overlapped with those of Sawakita, and his abilities were somewhat inferior, it's easy to imagine Matsumoto Minoru's status within the team.

Among the starting five, he is also the most easily replaced.

Kawada continued, "Coach, if you were him, would you make the same choice?"

"meeting!"

Coach Domoto thought about it and ultimately decided to tell the truth.

For a moment, silence fell over the school gate once again.

"Coach, did Matsumoto leave any message?"

After a long silence, Fukatsu broke it.

Coach Domoto took a deep breath, gathered his thoughts, and then slowly began to speak: "Before he left, he instructed me to tell you that although he could no longer train and compete with you, he hoped that you could understand each other and sincerely hoped that you could carry his beliefs and expectations and strive for the national championship!"

Fukatsu and the others listened quietly, their hearts filled with complex emotions.

Nobe Masahiro asked impatiently, "Then where did he go?"

"Kanagawa!"

"Xianbei?"

"No, Ryonan!"

Coach Domoto spoke with certainty because Coach Taoka was by Matsumoto's side when he left.

To avoid any accidents, Coach Taoka did not leave after the Autumn National Sports Tournament ended.

Coach Taoka left a very deep impression on Coach Domoto. The other party was truly eager to recruit talent, even poaching players from Sannoh Industrial, and more importantly, they succeeded.

During his time coaching Sannoh Industrial, this was the first time he had been successfully poached by another team, especially since the player who was poached was a key player!
This was tantamount to being slapped in the face in public; Coach Domoto felt like his face was about to swell up from being hit.

Bang bang bang~
To be honest, he almost couldn't help but want to teach Coach Taoka a lesson just now.

Upon hearing that it wasn't Shohoku, Fukatsu and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

Shohoku is already this strong; if Minoru Matsumoto joins them, it's unimaginable how they'll become.

Center: Akagi

Ohmae: Naito

Komae: Minoru Matsumoto
Shooting Guard: Mitsui

Point Guard: Mu Mu

Just thinking about this lineup is enough to make one feel hopeless!
What they don't know is that when they see Shohoku's roster next year, they will probably feel even more hopeless.

Fukatsu thought for a moment and said, "With Matsumoto joining, Ryonan's strength will undoubtedly be raised to a new level. Ryonan will be our formidable rival in the future!"

Ryonan's strength was already considerable. If they hadn't encountered Sannoh Industrial in the National Tournament, they might have had a chance to compete with Aiwa Academy for a spot in the top four.

With the addition of Minoru Matsumoto, Ryonan is now even stronger and has the potential to threaten Sannoh Industrial.

"Ryonan is no match for us right now!"

Coach Domoto didn't know whether he was comforting the players or himself.

Of course, he wasn't wrong.

Minoru Matsumoto has joined Ryonan and needs time to integrate. He probably won't be able to threaten Sannoh Kogyo this year, but that might not be the case next year.

By next year, Matsumoto Minoru will have fully integrated into Ryonan, and with the progress of Ajin and Fukuda, Ryonan's future will be promising, in Kogure's words!
Furthermore, no one knows whether Coach Taoka, who likes to venture out to various places, will be able to find another excellent player.

It's worth noting that Ryonan has made it into the top eight of the national tournament this year, far surpassing their previous achievements and making them much more attractive to players.

"Coach, we'll head back now!"

Seeing that the coach was not in a good mood, Fukatsu and the others did not stay long and returned to the campus.

Minoru Matsumoto is gone, and as his friends, all they can do is wish him a happier life in Ryonan.

They believed that with Matsumoto Minoru's abilities, he was definitely capable of doing it.

As he was leaving, Kawada couldn't help but clench his fist; he felt his fist itching again.

He decided that when he got back, he would go to Zebei, help him loosen up his muscles and bones, and leave him with a good memory.

Coach Domoto watched the players leave, then asked himself, "Was I wrong?"

Recalling Matsumoto Minoru's outstanding performance last year, Coach Domoto's feelings were undoubtedly complicated.

If it weren't for Sawakita's sudden emergence and public defeat of Matsumoto Minoru, he might very well have helped Matsumoto Minoru rise to power.

Unfortunately, there is no if!
"No, I'm not wrong! Survival of the fittest is the cruel reality of competitive sports!"

Coach Domoto quickly rejected the question.

"The most pressing issue is who should replace Matsumoto?"

Coach Domoto had two candidates in mind: Masahiro Nobe and Satoshi Ichinokura.

"In addition, we need to strengthen the training of Kawada; he will definitely be of great use next year!"

The thought of Kawada's exaggerated physique filled Coach Domoto with excitement.

The moment he saw Xiaohetian, he saw him as the future!
This era is ultimately the era of the inside game reigning supreme!
(End of this chapter)