Slam Dunk: Sakuragi learned from Kawamura Eiki's experience

The whistle blew to start the game.

The ball was tossed high into the air, the orange basketball tracing a bright arc under the arena lights, reaching its highest point before beginning to fall.

Akagi and Hanagata took off.

Akagi's foot had just left the floor when Hanagata's toes touched the ball.

Akagi jumped a beat too late, and Hanagata flicked the ball with his finger, changing its direction and sending it flying toward Shohoku's half of the court.

Takano Shoichi stretched out his long arm and caught the ball steadily, then turned and immediately passed it to Fujima Kenji.

Fujima received the ball and steadily controlled it past the halfway line.

In the stands, within Ryonan's camp, Aida Hikoichi was holding a camera, the lens pointed at the stadium. A voice came from behind the camera, carrying a clear sense of surprise:

"Akagi failed the jump ball?"

Coach Taoka sat next to Hikoichi, arms crossed, his gaze fixed on Akagi.

Akagi was running back from where the jump ball had landed, taking long strides, but his running posture was a little stiffer than usual, with his shoulders slightly hunched, unlike his usual relaxed posture.

"It's not that we can't jump over the flower shape," Taoka said, as if he were talking to Hikoichi, or as if he were talking to himself.

"It's because Akagi hasn't completely gotten over the tension. After all, this is his first time playing in the semifinals, and his opponent is last year's runner-up, Shohoku. Not everyone can handle this kind of situation and pressure."

Fujima controlled the ball past half-court, and the ball seemed glued to his hands. He passed it from left to right and from right to left, with a rhythm that was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, making it impossible for the defenders to predict what he would do next.

Ryota Miyagi moved closer, knees bent, center of gravity low, staring cautiously at Fujima, his body leaning slightly forward.

After all, the person in front of him is currently recognized as one of the top point guards in Kanagawa high schools.

Miyagi is now determined to defeat Fujima and prove himself.

Fujima controlled the ball steadily, choosing not to drive hard, and scanned the inside. Hanagata Toru had positioned himself in the low post, his back against Akagi, one hand against Akagi's waist, the other hand outstretched to call for the ball.

Fujima flicked his wrist, and a high lob shot flew over Miyagi's head. The ball arced high and landed precisely in Hanagata's direction.

Hanagata caught the ball and leaned back, causing Akagi to stumble back a small step.

Instead of arching further in, Hua Xing turned around, leaned back, touched the ground with his toes, and looked like a bamboo stalk bent by the wind. He raised his hands above his head and flicked his wrists.

A fadeaway jump shot.

Akagi jumped to block, his arm outstretched, his fingertips pointing towards the ball.

However, his center of gravity was shifted by half an inch by Hanagata's lean, and since Hanagata was shooting a fadeaway jump shot, his fingertips were still a long distance from the ball.

At the highest point of the jump, the flower-shaped fingers gently flicked the ball, and the ball slid away from the fingertips...

Suddenly, a red figure took off from the side.

Sakuragi Hanamichi, seemingly out of nowhere, came over from the weak side to cover, suddenly rising into the air. He raised his right hand overhead, palm open, and slapped it down towards the ball.

"Snap!" A crisp sound.

The ball that Hanagata had just released was slapped away by Sakuragi, changing its direction and flying towards the three-point line.

As the flower-shaped body continued to fall, his head suddenly turned to the side, and his pupils reflected the red figure still in the air.

His mouth was slightly open, his eyes behind his glasses widened, and his expression changed from smug to shock.

Such speed and bounce!

"Wow..." The entire stadium erupted in cheers, all stunned by the incredible block.

"That redhead jumped so high!"

"He was so fast, I didn't even see how he got there."

In the stands, Aida Hikoichi, who was holding the camera, stared wide-eyed, startled by Sakuragi's rapid defensive coordination.

"This is it!"

Suddenly, Taoka's voice rose, pointing at Sakuragi on the court, and he turned to Hikoichi.

"Last summer, when Sakuragi trained with us, he showed this: an incredibly sharp sense of defense!"

That awareness and speed in covering for teammates can't be taught; it's innate!

Yan Yi almost lost his grip on the camera; the lens wobbled. He quickly steadied the machine, refocused, and spun his finger around the focus ring several times before finally finding a clear image.

Maki Shinichi sat on the other side of the stands, leaning forward slightly. His arms were still crossed over his chest, and his eyes were fixed on Sakuragi on the court, his pupils contracting slightly.

The ball flew out of the three-point line, and Kenji Fujima and Ryota Miyagi rushed towards the ball's landing point at the same time.

Fujima was closest to where the ball was about to land. He stepped out and gained half a body length advantage over Miyagi. With a long arm, he reached out and caught the ball in his arms.

Miyagi didn't give up. He shifted his weight and moved closer from the side, extending his hand in front of Fujima's line of sight, trying to interfere with his next move.

Fujima didn't give him a chance. He switched the ball from his right hand to his left hand, turned his body to the left, and used a change of direction to make Miyagi take a half step away.

Fujima dribbled the ball and drove to the three-point line. Facing an open shot, he jumped and pulled up for a jump shot.

His body leaned back slightly in the air, and with a flick of his wrist, the ball drew a high arc and fell accurately into the basket.

"Whoosh."

The net flipped up, the ball bounced twice on the floor, and rolled out of bounds.

2:0.

The Xiangyang students in the stands erupted in deafening cheers, their flags waving in the air and their slogans even louder than before.

"Shoyo! Go! Shoyo! You will win!" The shouts were so clear and uniform, like military chants, that they echoed throughout the stadium.

As the game transitioned from offense to defense, Ryota Miyagi dribbled the ball past half-court. This time, he didn't rush to break through, but slowed down the pace, his eyes constantly scanning Shohoku's defensive formation.

Akagi and Hanagata were boxing out in the paint, elbow to elbow, muscle to muscle. Akagi stretched out his hand and waved it at Miyagi, asking for the ball.

Without hesitation, Miyagi flicked his wrist, sending a ball flying towards Akagi. Just as the ball left Miyagi's hand, a long arm reached out from the side.

Takano Shoichi, a tall man of 1.9 meters, jumped up and steadily intercepted the ball with his palm.

The ball was intercepted.

Coach Taoka shook his head from the stands. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sense of helplessness, as if to say, "I knew this would happen."

"Shohoku deployed a 1-3-1 zone defense, and they were all tall guys. It was difficult to lob the ball into the paint. All the passing lanes from the outside to the inside were blocked. The tall guys just stood there, stretched out their arms, and the ball couldn't get through."

Hasegawa caught the intercepted ball and immediately passed it to Fujima, who had already started his run.

Fujima received the ball after crossing half-court and quickly dribbled towards the basket.

Miyagi caught up from behind immediately and quickly blocked their path.

Faced with Miyagi's blockade, Fujima did not continue to drive inside. He gathered the ball a step outside the three-point line and jumped.

Miyagi jumped up and blocked Fujima's shot with his right hand, his fingertips almost touching the ball, but Fujima's shot was higher.

His body leaned back slightly in the air, and with a flick of his wrist, the ball flew past Miyagi's fingertips.

"Swish." The needle went into the net.

5:0.

Miyagi watched Fujima run away, gritted his teeth, turned around and walked to the baseline to serve.