"Alright!! We can't let those two hog the spotlight! Let's go out there and show what we've got too!!"
"Yeah!!"
Kogure clapped his hands, firing up the senior team. The gym echoed with their shouts of determination, and the energy in the air surged.
Off the Court
"Amazing… he's really amazing…"
Haruko stood frozen on the sidelines, her eyes wide and lips parted in awe. This was her first time watching Oliver in a full 5-on-5 game. She had always known he was good, but she never imagined just how good.
"Now you get what I meant, right?"
Ayako walked up beside her, arms crossed, a confident smile on her face.
"He might not have scored that point, but the entire rhythm of the game—every pass, every setup—was orchestrated by him."
She raised one finger, speaking with conviction.
"If someone's just good at scoring, they're a strong player. But if they can not only score, but also control the entire tempo, read the flow, and organize the team's offense—"
She paused, voice dropping slightly for emphasis.
"—then they're playing on an entirely different level."
"Playing on a different level…"
Haruko echoed the words, still in a daze.
"Oh, Ayako-san is totally right," Takamiya chimed in with a grin, nudging Mito beside him. "When we first met Oliver, it was during a 3-on-3 with the basketball team. He even made this idiot here score."
"What do you mean, idiot? That was all my skill…!"
Mito protested weakly.
"Huh? Really?? Tell me the whole story!"
Haruko's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she leaned closer.
"Well… it went like this…"
While Mito and the others were animatedly retelling the tale, Coach Anzai quietly approached from the side and motioned to Ayako.
"Ayako-san, come here for a moment."
Ayako hurried over.
"Yes, Coach?"
"Do you have the files for player number 16?"
"Number 16? Oh, Oliver? Yes, of course!"
Oliver's incredible performance had clearly caught the attention of the coach. Ayako quickly handed over his player data.
"Thank you. Also, if you have the info for numbers 10 and 11, I'd like those too."
"No problem, Coach!"
Coach Anzai examined the documents carefully, adjusting his glasses as he flipped through the profiles of Oliver, Sakuragi, and Kaede Rukawa.
"Oliver… Strengths: forward and guard…"
The coach murmured under his breath, eyes narrowing slightly.
---
Back on the Court
The whistle blew—the game resumed. The first-year team had possession.
The ball was passed from out of bounds directly into Kaede Rukawa's hands. Without hesitation, he burst toward the senior team's side with incredible speed.
"Defense!!"
Akagi shouted, positioning himself in the paint with arms spread wide.
"Come on! You're not getting past me!"
Kogure and Yasuda charged in from the wings, trying to intercept.
"Don't underestimate us, rookie!"
"You're going down!"
But Rukawa wasn't fazed. Dribbling with grace and explosive power, he swerved past them in a blur.
"What the!?"
"He's so fast!!"
Both seniors were left in the dust.
"Leave him to me!!" Akagi bellowed, still guarding the rim.
"Bring it on!"
Rukawa approached the basket, lowering his body to dribble and searching for an opening.
Then—suddenly—he slammed the ball into the floor. It bounced up sharply as his eyes flicked left.
"Now!!"
Akagi read his movement and lunged to intercept.
But it was a fake.
Rukawa's high dribble had thrown off Akagi's timing, causing the captain to move prematurely. In that split-second, Rukawa pivoted right and slipped past him effortlessly.
It was the exact same technique Oliver had used to beat Rukawa during their junior high game.
"Hah…"
Oliver watched from the other end and smiled.
"You're using my move to challenge me, huh? Interesting."
With a smirk, Oliver charged back toward the basket.
Kaede Rukawa now had an open lane. He leapt toward the rim, preparing for a clean dunk.
"Not so fast!!"
A streak of motion burst toward him—Oliver had caught up in a blink.
The two met midair, their eyes locked. Rukawa's hands clutched the ball tightly.
Oliver's hand was already there.
"Good thing I didn't switch my skill set..."
He whispered to himself, eyes gleaming.
"Bull Charge—activate!"
A jolt of power surged through Oliver's limbs. With explosive force, he swung his arm—and smacked the ball from Rukawa's hands.
"Rebound!!"
He yelled.
Akagi, already under the basket, jumped up and seized the ball like a hawk.
"Kogure!!"
Akagi hurled the ball forward in a long pass.
"OW!! That hurts! Akagi, couldn't you pass more gently!?"
Kogure winced, catching the ball near midcourt. But he recovered quickly and began sprinting toward the basket.
"Damn it!! Four-eyes!! Hand that ball to your genius here!!"
Sakuragi barreled toward Kogure like a freight train.
"Ugh! Not happening!"
Kogure made a snap decision. He jumped from the three-point line and fired the ball toward the hoop!
"Aaaah!!"
Sakuragi watched in shock, immediately backpedaling.
He remembered Oliver's advice—three-pointers were risky. If you couldn't stop the shot, then be ready to grab the rebound!
"Great judgment, Hanamichi!! That's the way!!"
Oliver's voice echoed across the court in praise.
Sakuragi might have lacked technical experience, but his instincts were impressive. He was learning fast.
Still, Kogure wasn't the vice-captain for nothing. While others were born with raw talent, he had built his game from the ground up—day by day, hour by hour. And three-pointers were his specialty.
He'd practiced them more than anyone.
Swish!
The ball bounced around the rim before sinking cleanly through the net.
Another point for the senior team!
"Nice shot!!"
"That was great, Vice-Captain!!"
"Yeahhh!!"
The team rushed to congratulate Kogure. He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin.
He turned toward Akagi. Their eyes met. A quiet, knowing smile passed between them.
"Akagi... this might finally be our year..."
---
On the Sidelines
Ayako and Haruko were both on their feet now.
"Incredible… he wasn't even the one scoring, but Oliver completely set up the play…"
Haruko murmured.
Ayako chuckled.
"That's exactly what I meant. The way he reads the game and positions his teammates… He's like a conductor."
"A conductor…"
Haruko repeated again, the word lingering in her mind.
"And Sakuragi-kun too… he blocked Captain Akagi earlier, and now he's rebounding, helping in defense…"
Haruko watched the red-haired freshman run across the court, eyes full of purpose.
Ayako nodded.
"Hanamichi's rough around the edges, but he has potential. You can see he's improving every second."
Then her gaze shifted to Rukawa.
"As for Kaede… he's fierce, fast, and smart. But sometimes he plays too solo. Oliver's got the edge in terms of awareness and teamwork."
Back on the court, the whistle blew again.
The game wasn't over.
Not by a long shot.
---
To be continued…
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