Everyone on Toshigawa's team collapsed onto the bench, breathing heavily, overwhelmed by the relentless full-court pressure that Yokonan had applied. The gym echoed with the sharp squeak of sneakers and the sharp slap of the ball against the polished wood floor. The smell of sweat mixed with the faint odor of rubber from the court mats lingered in the air.
"Goddammit!!" Noboru shouted in frustration, slamming his water bottle onto the ground, the plastic rattling as water spilled onto the floor.
"These guys are the real deal… I didn't imagine they'd be this tough," Takahiro muttered, his chest heaving as he wiped sweat dripping into his eyes with the back of his hand.
Hayato wiped the sweat from his face, the salty taste lingering on his lips. "Even without Kayano and Kogure, these guys are a challenge for us. And if Keichiro were here, they'd be absolutely trouncing us," he thought, his fists clenching tightly as the strain in his legs pulsed.
Shino sat at the end of the bench, his shoulders slumped and head hanging low. He tugged nervously at the hem of his jersey, the fabric damp and clinging to his skin. His throat tightened as he whispered, "I'm so useless. I can't even help the team when they need me. We're going to lose, and it's all my fault." He blinked back tears, swallowing hard as he watched the others with quiet, guilty eyes.
Yukio stood up, determination burning in his gaze as he clapped his hands together sharply, the sound echoing. "The game is not over. It's just the first quarter, and as long as there's time left, we still have a chance. So wipe those sad looks off your faces and concentrate! We can do this!" he said with commanding presence, his voice cutting through the heavy atmosphere.
"Who said anything about giving up?" Hayato smirked, pushing himself up with a grunt, the scrape of his shoes against the bench floor sharp. "I'm just getting started."
Noboru scoffed, rubbing the back of his neck, muscles tense from exhaustion. "It's so frustrating, using so much energy just to turn the ball over. You guys are holding me back! You better have some grand plan, Fukazawa."
"Well, I wouldn't call it grand," Nanaho admitted, glancing at Tetsuo seated quietly beside her, "but it's our best option, and it will definitely work."
Kogure, watching from the sidelines, shook his head with a dismissive snort. "I guess Yukio was just bluffing. Besides him and number four, the rest of the team is either too basic or has zero experience. This team stands no chance of making it to the Inter-High."
Nanaho clapped her hands sharply. "Does everyone get what they need to do?"
Noboru frowned. "Uh… I don't really get it."
"Just run to their basket," Yukio said, eyes narrowing.
"Oh. Okay, I'll just do that," Noboru replied with a weary shrug.
"We've got six minutes left in the first quarter. Let's make them count!" Yukio rallied, and the team shouted in response.
"Tetsuo, you're in. Shino, sit down for now," Nanaho anounced.
Shino lowered his head further as he took a seat. His fingers nervously traced circles on his thigh. Nanaho patted his shoulder gently. "It's okay, Shino. Don't be discouraged. You just started learning the game, and you did well. Watch and learn from the match."
Haruko clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her palms. "They're down by fourteen, but with Tetsuo on the court, they might be able to close the gap."
"Toshigawa subbed a player? Let's see how this turns out," Kogure muttered to himself.
Coach Arimoto smirked from the sidelines. "Good work, everyone. Keep up that same formation and score more points."
"Yes, Coach!" the Yokonan players responded, adjusting their jerseys and settling into their defensive stances.
Hayato glanced at Yukio. "You should inbound the ball."
Yokonan immediately set up their full-court press again, suffocating Toshigawa's players with sharp calls and aggressive traps.
"All of this is unnecessary," Kogure mused silently. "It won't make a difference—they can't win."
"Alright… break!" Yukio shouted, and Noboru and Takahiro sprinted down the court, their shoes pounding the hardwood in rapid succession.
"Go cover them! Deny them the ball!" Eiji commanded, eyes locked on Hayato.
As Noboru and Takahiro sped toward the other side, Tetsuo set a solid screen for Hayato near the right wing, catching Eiji off guard.
"Damn! I let my guard down!" Eiji growled, scrambling sideways to recover.
At that moment, Yukio spotted his opening. He swiftly inbounded the ball to Hayato, who caught it cleanly just past midcourt, breaking through Yokonan's press.
Tetsuo immediately bolted down the court, making himself an option near the left elbow. Without hesitation, Hayato launched a long, arcing pass his way.
"He caught it! What will he do now?" Haruko whispered, gripping the rail of the bleachers.
Tetsuo landed solidly, took one dribble, and without breaking stride, smoothly elevated into a jump shot from the top of the arc.
Ryuu scoffed. "I'll Rebound that no problem," he said confidently, pushing Takahiro aside with his size.
"Damn it! He's too big!" Takahiro gritted his teeth, battling against Ryuu's frame.
"There's no way you can out-rebound me, so just—" Ryuu's thoughts were cut short as the ball arced perfectly, swishing cleanly through the net.
Tetsuo barely spared a glance at the scoreboard as the ball dropped through the net—just a quiet awareness, no reaction. The score now read 18–7, the gap closing.
"He did it!" Takahiro sighed, the tension in his shoulders relieved.
"Great work, Tetsuo! Five more of those, and we're back in it!" Hayato called out with a smirk.
" heck yeah, we're back in business " Noboru said his confidence returning.
"Get back in formation, let's stop this possession!" Yukio shouted.
The crowd shifted suddenly; murmurs rose through the stands as spectators leaned forward, surprised by Toshigawa's sudden spark. Some exchanged glances, whispering that maybe this game wasn't going to be the blowout they expected.
"Hey, great shot, number eleven!" a spectator cheered, clapping loudly.
Nanaho exhaled deeply. "Finally, they scored a point. I was really starting to worry back there."
"Tetsuo's presence makes it so much easier for us to bring the ball up the court," she noted. "He can handle the pressure surprisingly well, especially for his first game."
Haruko's eyes sparkled. "They finally scored more points… That was so cool, Tetsuo."
"Don't mind that shot! It was just a fluke!" Eiji barked as he inbounded the ball to Manabu.
Manabu, guarded tightly by Noboru near the free-throw line, executed a quick pump fake. Noboru bit, leaping into the air.
Manabu smirked. "Got him."
But as he went up for his shot, a hand came out of nowhere—Tetsuo's hand.
With impeccable timing, Tetsuo swatted the ball mid-air.
"What the hell?! He was so far away, and how does he jump that high?" Manabu gasped, stunned.
"Manabu, quit spacing out! Get back on defense!" Eiji shouted.
Tetsuo quickly recovered the loose ball. He faked a drive to the rim, drawing Ryuu in close, but it was a setup. He stepped back just behind the three-point line, creating space, and fired another three-pointer.
"Please go in," Haruko whispered, closing her eyes tightly.
The ball arced gracefully through the air and sank into the net with a flawless swish.
"He made another one!" Kayano murmured, intrigued.
"Nice one, Tetsuo! That's what I like to see! We're finally at double digits!" Nanaho grinned.
"Nice shot, Tetsuo-se—" Haruko caught herself, blushing. "Wait, did I just call him by his first name out loud? Oops…"
Manabu snapped out of his daze, only to see Eiji signaling urgently for the ball.
"Manabu, the ball!!"
"Huh? Crap!" Manabu fumbled, and Tetsuo immediately capitalized, stealing it cleanly.
"I messed up!" Manabu cursed as he chased after Tetsuo.
Tetsuo drove toward the basket, forcing two defenders to collapse on him. In an instant, he kicked the ball out to Hayato, who caught it in rhythm just inside the three-point line and pulled up for a smooth mid-range jumper.
The shot swished through the net.
"It went in! Six more points to go!" Hayato cheered.
"Get back on defense!" Yukio commanded, his team already sprinting back.
Shino's eyes flickered upward, barely catching the calm determination in Tetsuo's gaze. For the first time in the game, a small spark of resolve lit behind his exhaustion.
The crowd murmured and leaned forward, voices rising in anticipation. "Is this the start of something new?"
Nanaho's sharp voice cut through the noise. "Keep the pressure and momentum. Let's take the lead!"
The scoreboard blinked—a close gap now. The gym felt electric, breath held for the next play.