Slam Dunk: Sakuragi learned from Kawamura Eiki's experience

Chapter 101 Sakuragi's Hardline Approach Breaks Through the Tightening Barrier

The game has 46 seconds left.

Sendoh Akira received the serve at the baseline, and the moment he turned around, Rukawa Kaede was already right there with him.

In the final moments, Shohoku also used a full-court press to disrupt and delay the game.

Faced with Rukawa's persistent attacks, Sendoh didn't try to force his way through. He passed the ball to Koshino Hiroaki, who was there to receive it, and then ran up the court himself.

After dribbling past half-court, Akagi passed the ball to Jun Uozumi in the high post. Takenori Akagi lowered his center of gravity and leaned close to him, placing his two thick arms around Uozumi's waist.

Uozumi didn't force a shot; he passed the ball back to the outside with both hands.

Sendoh receives the ball outside the three-point line. Sakuragi Hanamichi has already pounced on him, his eyes fixed on Sendoh's shoulder.

Sendoh took a step to the right, and Ryoji Ikegami ran over from the flank and positioned himself next to Sakuragi. A screen.

Sakuragi was caught by Ikegami's body, and Sendoh used the screen to create space and took a pull-up jump from beyond the three-point line.

Rukawa rushed over from the other side of the screen, getting to Sendoh a step faster than Sakuragi.

He pushed off the ground and took off, his right hand heading towards the racket in Sendoh's hand, his body fully extended in the air.

Just as his palm was less than two inches away from the ball, Rukawa suddenly realized something and pulled his hand back.

Sendoh released the ball, which arced through the air and swished through the net as a three-pointer.

The two landed at the same time, standing face to face, their chests heaving violently. Rukawa's black hair clung to his forehead, and sweat trickled down his brow bone.

Sendoh's breathing was heavier than his, there was no smile on his lips, and his eyes were deep.

The two looked at each other, but neither of them spoke.

In the stands, Kiyota Nobunaga frowned, turning to Maki Shinichi: "Rukawa was about to block the ball, why did he suddenly stop?"

Maki Shinichi crossed his arms and stared at Sendoh and Rukawa Kaede on the field.

Without turning his head, he explained, "Sendoh is gambling. He deliberately waited for Rukawa to pounce, hoping to create a 3+1 situation when he made his move."

If Rukawa had touched his hand on that shot, and he had made the shot, and the referee had called a foul, resulting in a three-pointer and a free throw, Ryonan would have had a chance to steal the ball with a full-court press, or force a 5-second violation on the inbound pass, or an 8-second violation to cross the half-court line to make a game-winning shot.

Rukawa must have realized it at the last second, which is why he withdrew his hand.

He paused, his lips tightening. "These two guys, one a sophomore and the other a freshman, are frighteningly calm."

There are only 23 seconds left.

Kiminobu Kogure stood outside the baseline, preparing to serve. Hiroaki Koshino jumped around in front of him, his hands constantly interfering with the serve's trajectory.

The referee began counting down: one second, two seconds, three seconds.

Then he saw Sakuragi Hanamichi run over, arms outstretched, asking for the ball, and Kogure served it.

As soon as Sakuragi received the ball, Sendoh and Ikegami pounced on him. One blocked him from the front, while the other reached out to steal the ball from the side, their four hands simultaneously blocking Sakuragi's dribbling path.

Sakuragi protected the ball, lowered his center of gravity, and once again used brute force to break through the double-team.

After breaking through the double team, he looked up and passed the ball with both hands to Rukawa Kaede, who had already rushed to the frontcourt.

On the sidelines. When Taoka Shigeichi saw Sakuragi break through the double team again, his eyes almost gleamed with greed.

If it were anyone else, being cornered by Sendoh and Ikegami would only result in two outcomes: being blocked or failing to pass the ball due to an 8-second violation.

But it was Sakuragi who received the ball, and it was this guy who could use brute force to smash through the entire court's tight press and double-team.

Rukawa dribbled the ball towards the frontcourt, but Koshino and Fukuda simultaneously closed in from both sides. Four hands, two blue and white walls of players, completely blocked Rukawa's path to the basket.

Rukawa didn't force a shot; instead, he passed the ball back. Sakuragi caught up from behind, received the ball, and cut straight to the basket.

Jun Uozumi lunged out from under the basket, his massive 202cm frame blocking Sakuragi's path like a wall. Sendoh and Ikegami chased after him from behind, forming a three-man double-team.

Sakuragi remained calm amidst the three-sided encirclement, protecting the ball with both hands and slightly turning his body to the side, passing the ball to the corner before the double team completely closed in.

Kiminobu Kogure receives the ball at the baseline.

"Shoot!" Mitsui Hisashi and Miyagi Ryota shouted at the same time from the bench. Mitsui jumped up from his chair, and Miyagi threw his towel away.

Kogure receives the ball. His foot is on the three-point line, wide open.

Kneel down, raise the ball, flick the wrist—the pitching motion isn't particularly elegant, but it's very standard.

The ball traced a clean, crisp arc through the air. Swish. Swish through the net.

76:72. Shohoku leads by 4 points.

There are only 2 seconds left on the timer.

"Yeah—!" The Shohoku bench erupted in cheers as everyone jumped up. Miyagi leaped onto a chair, Mitsui waved a towel wildly, and Yasuda and the others bounced around.

"Great throw!" Akagi walked up to Kogure and patted him on the shoulder.

Sakuragi rushed over from the other side and hugged Kogure Kiminobu tightly: "Glasses-kun, that was a great shot! We won!"

Kogure steadied himself, adjusted his glasses which were askew on his nose, and looked up at the scoreboard. 76 to 72. His eyes reddened.

From junior high school onwards, working hard with Akagi for their basketball dream, to today, sinking the game-winning shot in the final moments of the championship game.

He took off his glasses and bent down to wipe the lenses with the hem of his jersey.

Tears have already fallen, and no matter how much I wipe them away, they won't stop.

With two seconds left in the game, Sendoh received the serve at the baseline and flicked the ball forward with both hands. As the ball flew across half-court, the final whistle pierced the air above the stadium.

competition is over.

The Shohoku bench surged onto the court like a burst dam. Miyagi was the first to rush over and jump onto Sakuragi's back, while Mitsui was carried onto the court by Yasuda and Shiozaki, his legs still shaking but his face beaming like a madman.

Ayako rushed to the sidelines, and Yuri Yanai ran over from the other side at almost the same time. The two bumped into each other, grabbed each other's hands, and jumped and bounced.

Ayako wiped away her tears, but the more she wiped, the more tears she shed. Yanai's eyes also reddened, but the smile on his lips was wider than anyone else's.

In the stands, Tokuo Horita held the "Flame Man" flag high above his head and waved it wildly, his voice hoarse from shouting but still shouting, his face covered in tears and sweat.

The four members of Sakuragi's group huddled together, Takamiya Nozomi scattered the last handful of potato chip crumbs into the air, Oonan and Noma howled at the court, and Yohei also roared excitedly.

In another corner of the Shohoku camp in the stands, Haruko Akagi covered her mouth with both hands, her shoulders trembling slightly, and tears rolled down her cheeks.

Her brother's long-held dream of winning a basketball championship, and all his hard work during training, were transformed into the unstoppable tears in her palms at this moment.

My brother's dream of becoming a champion has now come true.

On the other side of the court, the Ryonan players stood still. Jun Uozumi supported himself on his knees with both hands, his massive 202-centimeter frame bent into a bow, sweat rolling down his thick eyebrows and dripping onto the floor.

He looked up at the scoreboard; 76 to 72, only 4 points behind.

It was just a tiny bit off.

He straightened up, his chest heaving violently, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He didn't cry, but his eyes were red.

Akira Sendoh stood next to him, hands on his hips, the hem of his jersey pulled out from his waistband to let it breathe, sweat dripping down his spiky hair.

The lazy smile was still there, but now it looked more like a bitter smile. It wasn't that he didn't care, but that he didn't want his teammates to see his unwillingness.

Kichijo Fukuda stood under the basket, pursing his lips, and remained silent.

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