Slam Dunk: Sakuragi learned from Kawamura Eiki's experience

Fujima's pupils contracted sharply. He placed his hands on Sakuragi's lower back, bent his knees, lowered his center of gravity, and used all his strength to push against him.

His defensive stance was fine, and he tightened his core, but he couldn't withstand the pressure.

Sakuragi's back was fixed on Fujima, like a bulldozer, slowly and steadily pushing Fujima from the three-point line towards the basket.

Fujima gritted his teeth, a vein throbbing on his forehead. In all his years of playing basketball, this was the first time he'd been backed down and driven all the way to the basket from beyond the three-point line.

His shoes made a squeaking sound as they scraped against the floor.

Seeing Sakuragi backing down Fujima as he drove towards the basket, Hanagata Toru rushed out from under the basket to help defend.

Akagi was left open, but he couldn't care less. Sakuragi had already pushed up to the basket, and if he didn't shoot soon, the red-haired guy would either lay up or dunk over Fujima.

Seeing Hanagata rush over to help defend him, Sakuragi flicked his wrist and made a bounce pass. The ball passed through the gap between Hanagata and Fujima and bounced precisely into Akagi's hands.

Akagi received the ball, took a big step forward, and jumped, unleashing his signature "Gorilla Dunk".

"Bang...!"

The scene where Sakuragi Hanamichi leaned against Fujima with his back to him and drove all the way from the three-point line to the basket caused an uproar among the audience in the stands.

"That redhead is playing point guard? An inside player playing point guard?"

"Shohoku's Fujima got pushed from the three-point line to the basket by him... Fujima, a top guard in Kanagawa, got backed down to the basket by an inside player..."

"What kind of tactic is Shohoku using? Three shooters spread out, while the big man inside dribbles and attacks one-on-one?"

In the stands, Ryonan's reaction was similar to that of the audience: bewildered.

Jun Uozumi's mouth was slightly open, his chin dropped half an inch, and his lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he couldn't make a sound.

The scene from just now was replaying in his mind: Sakuragi backing down Fujima, step by step, from the three-point line to the basket. Could basketball really be played like that?

Hikoichi Aida's camera was still pointed at the stadium, but his eyes had already lifted off the viewfinder, his mouth was open, and his mind was buzzing.

Point guards can play like this? A big man playing point guard? Backing down a player from the three-point line all the way to the basket?

Coach Taoka slapped his thigh with a loud "smack," startling the surrounding Ryonan players.

"That's it! Coach Anzai's strategy has hit Shohoku's weak spot perfectly!"

Taoka spoke much faster than usual, but he enunciated each word clearly, as if he were giving the team members next to him a tactical lesson.

"Three shooters are pulled out, should the Shohoku players follow? If they do, the zone defense will be broken, leaving Sakuragi to face Fujima one-on-one. You saw it, Fujima can't stop Sakuragi."

If they don't follow him out, there are three wide-open shots on the perimeter: Mitsui, Rukawa, and Kogure. Any one of them could shoot a three-pointer. Even if they miss, Sakuragi and Akagi are there inside to grab the rebounds, so the margin for error is high.

He paused, then the corners of his mouth widened further: "Coach Anzai's arrangement was ingenious, completely dismantling Shohoku's zone defense and turning it into a weakness to be targeted."

Yan Yi's eyes went from wide open to shining, and his expression changed from shock to sudden realization. Coach Taoka cleared up the mess in his mind in just a few words.

Turns out, point guards can play like this. They don't necessarily have to be small or fast; big men can also play point guard by relying on their physicality.

On the other side of the stands, Shinichi Maki's eyelid twitched. "They can still fight like that."

He'd seen countless offensive tactics, but having a big man back down the opposing point guard from beyond the three-point line and push all the way to the basket was something he'd never seen before in his three years playing in Kanagawa.

"Shohoku is doomed to lose!"

Looking at Sakuragi Hanamichi on the court, Gao Tou tapped his paper fan twice, the fan making a crisp snapping sound as it hit his palm.

"This year, Shohoku has acquired an incredible newcomer." Takato's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in Hainan could hear it.

Jin Soichiro asked with a surprised look, "Coach, even if we break the zone defense, at most we can only trade baskets. Shohoku can score, and Shoyo can score too, and Shoyo still has a lead. How do we defend against Fujima and Hanagata's pick-and-roll?"

Gao Tou offered no explanation, tapping his fan again in his hand, his gaze fixed on the round, white figure on the field. Coach Anzai sat in his chair, arms crossed over his stomach, his expression calm as if nothing had happened.

Gao Tou continued, "You'll find out as you keep watching."

On the court, Shohoku is on offense.

As soon as Kenji Fujima dribbled the ball past half-court and reached the top of the arc, Sakuragi immediately came up to defend him.

Seeing Sakuragi defending him, Fujima tried a change of direction, switching the ball from his right hand to his left hand and pulling his body to the left. Sakuragi moved sideways and blocked his path with his chest, moving faster than an inside player.

Fujima frowned slightly. This person's movement speed was comparable to Miyagi's, but his arm span and body width were significantly greater. His escape routes were completely blocked.

Fujima didn't force a drive; instead, he shielded the ball with his body and beckoned towards the inside. Hanagata emerged from inside, his tall frame moving towards Fujima and Sakuragi. A pick-and-roll was initiated.

Akagi followed, his massive body closely tracking Fujima's movements.

Hanagata blocked Sakuragi, and Fujima took the opportunity to cut towards the bottom corner. Akagi immediately switched defenses and chased after him.

Hanagata received Fujima's pass near the free-throw line and took his usual pull-up jump shot. However, this time a red figure quickly leaped into the air and slapped the ball in his hand.

Flower-shaped pupils contracted sharply; his wrist had already jerked, and the ball had slipped from his fingertips. He couldn't take it back.

"Snapped!"

Sakuragi Hanamichi's palm slammed solidly into the ball, sending it flying away and changing direction as it hurtled towards the three-point line.

A brilliant block sent the arena into a frenzy.

In the stands, Coach Taoka slammed his fist into his palm. "That's it!"

His voice was so loud that the surrounding Ryonan teammates instinctively leaned back. "Sakuragi playing point guard not only crushes Fujima one-on-one, but he can also switch onto Hanagata during pick-and-roll screens, completely disrupting their pick-and-roll offense!"

He began to review the play with the team members around him. "Why was Fujima and Hanagata's pick-and-roll unstoppable? Because after Akagi came out, Hanagata was matched up against the smaller guard Miyagi. The height difference was obvious, so he could just raise his hand and shoot."

But now that Sakuragi is playing point guard and switching to defend Hanagata, the height difference is basically eliminated, and Hanagata's shooting advantage is gone. Shohoku's offensive pick-and-roll system has been fundamentally cut off.

The ball, which Sakuragi had swatted away, bounced towards the sideline, and Rukawa was the first to rush over and retrieve it.

"Back up!"

Fujima quickly returned to defense, immediately harassing Rukawa's fast break. Seeing that the fast break was hopeless, Rukawa passed the ball to Sakuragi and began to set up a positional game.

As Fujima retreated on defense, he made a gesture, and Shohoku's defensive formation quickly adjusted. Takano Shoichi moved from the wing to the top of the arc, standing in front of Sakuragi. Fujima then retreated to the wing and switched to defend Kogure.

Fujima knew that his small frame couldn't withstand Sakuragi's back-to-the-basket moves, so the best solution was to switch defenses and let a bigger player take over.

Takano Shoichi stood in front of Sakuragi, lowered his center of gravity, and assumed a defensive stance.

Sakuragi stood at the top of the arc, his right shoulder suddenly dropped down, the ball was passed from his right hand to his left hand, and his body twisted to the left, choosing to drive straight through.

Learn breakthrough techniques from dreams; breakthroughs don't necessarily have to be fast, but the stride must be large.

Takano's body shifted half an inch to the left, and his center of gravity swayed.

Sakuragi switched the ball from his left hand to his right and took a second step with his right foot. This step was much faster than the first, and his shoes screeched against the floor.

Takano completely lost his balance, stumbled, and swayed to the left.

Sakuragi seized the opportunity to cut in from the right, and Hanagata Toru once again pounced on him from under the basket, taking a single step to reach Sakuragi.

Sakuragi didn't dodge; instead, he jumped forward to meet the attack. The two bodies collided in mid-air, producing a muffled thud.

Sakuragi leaned back slightly in the air, flicked his wrist, and the ball slipped from his fingertips, tracing a high arc as it flew over Sakuragi's fingertips toward the basket.

At that moment, the flower-shaped hand slapped Sakuragi's wrist.

"Snapped!"

The ball arced through the air, bounced off the rim, and went in.

The referee suddenly blew his whistle: "Goal! Penalty kick-off!"

2 + 1

"Yay! Sakuragi!" On the Shohoku bench, several first-year students shouted and swung their towels.

"Well done!"

Akagi stepped forward and ruffled Sakuragi's hair, and Akagi and the others also stepped forward to give each other a high five in celebration.

Sakuragi walked smugly to the free-throw line, took the ball from the referee, dribbled it twice, and shot it.

The ball traced a soft arc and swished through the net. *Swish*