Seiji dribbled the ball past half-court when he saw Nadaka Hikaru signaling for it.
Still stung by how easily Nango had scored in the previous possession, Nadaka was eager to return the favor.
Seeing that Nadaka had a decent position and a slight physical advantage, Seiji passed him the ball and moved away with Yasuda, clearing the space for his teammate to go one-on-one.
The moment Nadaka received the ball, he lowered his shoulder and pushed hard against Nango.
Wasn't this guy just bullying me because I'm slow to turn? Fine then—I'll bully him for being "frail."
"Bang!"
The collision echoed, but Nadaka's eyes widened in surprise.
Nango, that "pretty boy," wasn't frail at all. His frame wasn't as imposing as Akagi's, but his strength was plenty for an inside player.
Damn it! This kid's no pushover!
Nadaka tried to push for position, but Nango's stance didn't budge. Frustrated, he shifted tactics, trying to fake a drive toward the middle—but Nango slid smoothly into position, cutting him off.
Nadaka pivoted, spun, and tried to back him down again, but Nango's defense was steady and unshakable. One arm high, one arm low—he stood tall, unmoving, like a mountain.
Running out of options, Nadaka was forced to attempt a turnaround jumper, relying on his height advantage.
"Clang!"
The ball clanked off the rim—Nango's long arms had clearly disrupted the shot.
Nango turned immediately, boxed out, and secured the rebound.
"Fast break!" he shouted, dribbling up the court himself.
With just two strides, he left Nadaka behind. Sakuragi and Rukawa sprinted down the wings, forming a sharp V-formation.
Watching the scene unfold, Nadaka could only mutter in awe, "This guy's a monster… and he's supposed to be a point guard?"
Shohoku's offensive rhythm was lightning-quick. Their current lineup lacked height, but made up for it with agility and fluid transitions. From defense to offense, their speed was devastating.
Although Ryokufu's players rushed back immediately to stop the fast break, it wasn't enough.
Four defenders collapsed toward the paint to protect the rim. Seeing that, Nango suddenly stopped at the three-point line, raised the ball, and readied to shoot.
Katsumi Ichiro, stationed near the free-throw line, dashed forward to contest. The other defenders' eyes locked onto Nango.
Just as they focused on him, he swung the ball to the side.
Kogure caught the pass wide open—but hesitated.
Nango's eyes widened. "Senior! That's a great look! Shoot!"
"Ah—okay!" Kogure jolted, focused on the rim, and pulled up for the shot.
"You won't!" Katsumi had already closed the distance. Stretching out his arm, he managed to interfere.
"Clang!"
The ball bounced off the rim. Katsumi smirked—his effort paid off.
Kogure sighed in frustration. If I'd shot sooner, I wouldn't have been blocked… what a waste of a perfect chance.
As the ball descended, Mike jumped to grab it—but before he could, another hand tipped it away.
He turned, scowling. "Damn red-haired kid!"
"Heh! The rebound is mine, foreigner!" Sakuragi crowed, his eyes glued to the ball.
"You wish!"
Both leapt—but Sakuragi's position was better. He snagged the offensive board and immediately drove toward the rim.
Mike, though beaten on the rebound, wasn't about to let Sakuragi score. He landed, then sprang back up.
"Slap!"
Sakuragi attempted a one-handed dunk, but Mike met him midair, blocking the shot cleanly.
The rebound bounced to Keiji, who secured it and spotted Seiji open near the top of the key.
Seiji's position was ideal for a fast break, so Keiji fired a pass—but Nango intercepted it mid-flight.
The Tsurumi Brothers converged instantly, trying to trap him, but Nango calmly lifted the ball and flicked his right arm, sending a bullet pass to Yasuda.
Yasuda didn't hesitate. He caught and shot in one motion.
"Clang!"
The ball hit the rim again.
Under the basket, Sakuragi and Mike wrestled for position. But rebounding was Sakuragi's pride. He shoved Mike just enough to claim the inside spot, grabbed the board, and went right back up.
"Slap!"
Mike jumped again, swatting at the ball—but this time, he only caught Sakuragi's hand. The shot missed, but a foul was called.
Sakuragi glared. "Damn foreigner, twice in a row?!"
Nango exhaled quietly. The opportunities are there… but Yasuda and Kogure just can't convert. These substitutes are tough to work with.
Shohoku only had two usable bench players at the moment—Yasuda and Kogure. If they couldn't perform, Shohoku would be forced into a six-man rotation.
That would be disastrous in the National Tournament, where the games were intense and Mitsui's and Rukawa's stamina were already concerns.
They had to find a way to integrate the substitutes effectively.
As Sakuragi stepped up to the free-throw line, he looked unusually calm. Gone were the days of his ridiculous "granny shot." With his improved form, he sank both free throws easily.
It had to be said—Sakuragi's growth was frightening. Once he got serious, his progress rate was almost unnatural.
Seiji dribbled up again, with Keiji setting a screen at the top of the arc. After shaking off Yasuda, Seiji pulled Kogure toward the right wing, planning to cut toward the middle.
After a quick fake, Seiji drove inside, aiming for a mid-range jumper near the free-throw line.
Sakuragi, who had been watching carefully, immediately moved to help defend. He knew Kogure's weakness—he couldn't stop anyone one-on-one.
Seiji spotted the help and hesitated, intending to dish to Mike—but Nango's presence near the rim made him reconsider. That half-second of hesitation gave Sakuragi the chance to close the gap.
Forced to adjust, Seiji passed back to Keiji to reset the play.
Under the basket, Nango stood firmly between Mike and Nadaka Hikaru, his arms ready.
Since the high school league at that time followed FIBA rules, there was no three-second violation—meaning a strong center could truly dominate inside.
Even though Nango wasn't a natural center, his awareness and court vision made up for it. He rotated perfectly, helping on defense and cutting off passing lanes.
With Sakuragi stepping out to help and Nango anchoring the paint, Shohoku's defense had solidified beautifully.
Coach Anzai watched from the sidelines, deep in thought.
Offensively, they're generating chances. Defensively, the coverage is wide… this lineup might really be worth developing.
---------------
Support me at patréon com/DaoOfPeeking