Slam Dunk: Sakuragi learned from Kawamura Eiki's experience

Chapter 108 Taoka: Another Day of Hating the Ryonan School Board

The whistle pierced the air above the stadium, and the players from both sides took their positions on either side of the center circle.

Jun Uozumi and Takenori Akagi stood in the center of the jump ball circle, the two top centers in the prefecture facing each other, their thick eyebrows and large black pillars pressing down on the air under the basket.

Uozumi glanced down at Akagi, who stared back expressionlessly. The referee, played by Koshino, tossed the ball vertically into the air.

During the jump ball, Uozumi's fingertips were half a hand's width higher than Akagi's, and he flicked the ball towards the backcourt at the highest point.

Ryota Miyagi receives the ball, and the Red Team launches their first attack. Tomoyuki Uekusa lowers his center of gravity and comes forward to meet him, but Miyagi makes a crossover step to change direction, tearing through Uekusa's defense from his left side.

The white team's defensive formation quickly collapsed, and Akagi rushed up from under the basket to help defend, raising his arms high. Before Akagi could block him, Miyagi flicked the ball towards the free-throw line with his right hand.

As Sendoh received the ball, Sakuragi Hanamichi pounced on him, his defense so quick and precise that it startled Sendoh slightly. But Sendoh only flicked his wrist, and the ball slipped under Sakuragi's arm, passing straight to the basket.

Jun Uozumi catches the ball with both hands, jumps off the ground, and slams it down.

The basket rack shook violently, and the Red Team scored first, making it 2-0.

"Well said." Sendoh nodded at Miyagi as he ran back, a lazy smile on his lips carrying approval.

Miyagi grinned smugly and rubbed the tip of his nose with his thumb.

White team gets the ball from the baseline. Uekusa dribbles past half-court, his eyes scanning the court, and then he sees Sakuragi Hanamichi raising his right hand high, calling for the ball. Seizo passes the ball to him.

Sakuragi received the ball at the top of the key, facing Sendoh's defense. He lowered his center of gravity, dribbled with his left hand, and leaned his back slightly against Sendoh's chest—not a back-to-the-basket move, but a probe. Just as Sendoh adjusted his weight to prepare for the impact, Sakuragi suddenly turned and slammed the ball hard onto the floor with his right hand.

A bounce pass sent the ball flying between Sendoh's legs, tracing a fast, low trajectory across the wooden floor before landing precisely in the hands of Fukuda Kichijou, who was cutting in from the baseline.

Fukuda received the ball and took off. Uozumi rushed over from the side to help defend, but Fukuda lobbed the ball into the basket first in mid-air.

2:2.

As Fukuda landed and ran past Sakuragi, he extended his right hand, and the two gave each other a high five in mid-air, the crisp sound echoing throughout the stadium.

"You've gotten even more tricky with your passes than before." Fukuda's familiarity was unmistakable.

Sakuragi grinned: "Of course, I didn't train for nothing during my time at Shohoku."

As Fukuda ran back, a scene flashed through his mind: last summer, in the same stadium, Sakuragi participated in Ryonan's first joint training session. Because his pass was too fast and too tricky, it hit Uozumi on the head, and Uozumi chased after him and beat him.

Now this guy can shove the ball between Sendoh's legs and into his hands.

In the following rounds, Sakuragi Hanamichi completely transformed into a point forward, while Uekusa became a dribbling tool.

He held the ball at the top of the key, dribbling with his left hand and directing his teammates' movements with his right, all the while shouting, "Over here! Over there!"

cut!".

Akagi Takenori stepped up to set a screen for him, passing the ball hand-off. Sakuragi caught the ball and, without even looking, tossed it towards the basket. Fukuda took off from the weak side for an alley-oop, but was fouled and his attempt was thwarted by Uozumi.

In the next possession, Sakuragi caught the ball with one hand at the top of the arc and raised it above his head. He glanced to the left, causing Sendoh's center of gravity to shift by half an inch. Then, Sakuragi used both hands to transfer the ball to the weak side, where Ikegami Ryoji caught it and made a clean mid-range shot. The white team's offense was organized perfectly by this red-haired guy.

Sendoh stood at the top of the arc, staring at Sakuragi, not daring to stray too far. Sakuragi's dribbling rhythm was steady, and his passing routes were both tricky and accurate. Sendoh dared not easily go up to help defend Fukuda. Once he left, Sakuragi would either pull up for a jump shot or pass the ball to an open teammate at an even more tricky angle.

Fukuda Kichijou made his third consecutive cut to the basket and scored after receiving a pass from Sakuragi.

On the defensive end, Fukuda was matched up against Rukawa, but Rukawa easily beat him in one step, cleanly and decisively.

In the next possession, Fukuda cut in from the baseline again, and Sakuragi's pass flew to him as if it had eyes. He put the ball in despite Uozumi's block attempt and drew a foul in the process.

On the sidelines, Taoka Shigeichi crossed his arms, his brows furrowing and then relaxing. Fukuda's defense still has loopholes and needs improvement; it's not enough to deal with a player like Rukawa. However, in today's lineup, Sakuragi has fed him the ability to finish off cuts like a star player.

With 6 minutes played, the white team was leading 14-10.

Mitsui Hisashi, hands on his knees, took a couple of breaths, then straightened up and walked to Sendoh's side. He lowered his voice but his tone was firm: "I'll guard Fukuda. Rukawa, you guard Ikegami. Sendoh, you move in front of Sakuragi. We can't let that red-haired monkey pass the ball so comfortably anymore."

Sendoh glanced at Mitsui and nodded. Rukawa Kaede expressionlessly shifted his gaze from Ikegami, then back, saying nothing, but his feet had already moved.

The switch had an immediate effect. Mitsui Hisashi used his defensive experience to cut off Fukuda's receiving routes, not through speed, but through positioning.

Every time Fukuda tried to cut from the baseline, Mitsui would block his starting angle in advance.

For two consecutive rounds, Fukuda couldn't find an open space, and Sakuragi's passing lanes were blocked.

On offense, Rukawa Kaede started one-on-one against Ikegami. The first time, he lowered his center of gravity, pushed off with his right foot, cut past Ikegami on the right side in one step, and made a jump shot after a sudden stop.

The second time, he faked out Ikegami's center of gravity, broke through and cut into the basket, and lobbed the ball into the hoop before Akagi could get in to help defend.

Sendoh Akira then began to draw Sakuragi's attention, preventing him from comfortably providing help defense. He received the ball at the top of the arc, and facing Sakuragi's close defense, he didn't rush to break through, but instead used passing to distribute the ball to his teammates.

Miyagi intercepted Uekusa's long pass, and the 168cm tall player darted out from the side, snatched the ball, and launched a fast break, sending a long pass to Mitsui.

Mitsui received the ball, pulled up for a three-pointer, the ball arcing high through the air, the net swishing cleanly. The Red Team took an 18-16 lead.

Sakuragi Hanamichi received the ball at the top of the arc. Sendoh lowered his center of gravity and moved closer, the smile on his lips still there, but his eyes were serious.

Sakuragi didn't call a screen, nor did he pass the ball. He dribbled with his right hand and took a step to the right, with Sendoh following suit. Then Sakuragi stepped back to the three-point line and pulled up for a jump shot. Sendoh rushed in, his fingers blocking the release point, but Sakuragi's hang time was a little longer.

The ball flew over Sendoh's fingertips, its arc high and steady, and the three-pointer went in.

Seeing Sakuragi's three-pointer, the Red Team immediately responded in kind. Mitsui Hisashi used Uozumi's screen to circle out from the corner, received a pass from Sendoh, and floated the ball in the air before releasing a drifting three-pointer that went in.

White team is on offense. Sakuragi lobs the ball into the paint. Akagi Takenori receives the ball with his back to Uozumi Jun, then drives in once, then twice.

Uozumi remained motionless, his thick arm resting on Akagi's waist. Akagi turned and jumped towards the baseline, the ball hitting the backboard and going into the basket.

Uozumi landed and gasped for breath. Akagi's attack was more composed than during the prefectural tournament.

The score went back and forth. In the stands, Aida Hikoichi's hands were shaking as he kept counting the points, muttering, "Amazing, amazing! Even with a mixed team, they played so smoothly, it was so exciting."

Taoka Shigeichi stood on the sidelines with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two halves of the court. His expression was a mixture of relief and complexity. The red team was the lineup he had always dreamed of, while the white team had Sakuragi, the genius who had slipped through his fingers.

In the final attack of the first half, which lasted 10 minutes, the timer showed 15 seconds remaining.

Sakuragi Hanamichi held the ball at the high post, dribbling with his right hand at a very slow pace. He looked up and winked at Akagi Takenori, who immediately moved up from the inside and positioned himself next to Sendoh to set a screen.

Sakuragi used a screen to lower his center of gravity and broke into the paint. Sendoh was caught by Akagi's body and was a beat too slow. Uozumi rushed out from under the basket to help defend.

Both players simultaneously closed in on Sakuragi. Before the double team could close in, Sakuragi turned around and tossed the ball to Uekusa Tomoyuki, who was completely open in the corner.

He catches the ball, bends his knees, jumps, and shoots a three-pointer. The ball bounces off the rim and rolls into the net.

The whistle blew simultaneously to end the first half, which lasted 10 minutes.

The white team leads by 2 points, 27-25.

彦一在场边把半场数据统计写完：樱木花道，6分、5助攻、4篮板、1抢断，三分球2

1 for 1. Rukawa Kaede, 12 points. Mitsui Hisashi, 11 points, 3 for 3 from three-point range —

Everyone put up impressive numbers, even Uekusa scored 5 points and had 4 assists.

Taoka Shigeichi took the data sheet from Hikoichi, glanced at it, and remained silent for a moment.

The Red Team's lineup was his primary target, but the White Team had Sakuragi, who dished out 5 assists in 10 minutes, turning Fukuda into a scoring machine and allowing Ikegami and Uekusa to find their shooting rhythm. His ability to organize the offense is no worse than Sendoh's.

Taoka looked up at the red-haired man with a buzz cut who was taking a water bottle from Yanai and drinking it down, and his lips moved slightly.

Ugh, today is another day of hating the school board.