Chapter Seventy: Defensive Rhythm
Yagami Sorato held the ball at the arc, not rushing like his first offensive possession. Instead, he calmly observed Chinatsu Kazushi.
Facing this former national player, his advantages came down to just a few points: explosiveness, speed, vertical leap, stamina.
No—from Chinatsu Kazushi's offense just now, his first-step explosiveness nearly matched any high schooler. And stamina? Even if Yagami held a slight edge there, this brief one-on-one wouldn't require it.
So only speed and vertical leap remained.
As for weaknesses? Their physical contact operated on completely different levels. Muscle mass, core strength—not even close. Technical details, game experience... vast distances separated them.
This was really troublesome.
"Planning to just stare all day?" Chinatsu Kazushi deliberately needled Yagami Sorato with words, though his opponent showed zero reaction.
"Is he seriously trying to beat me?" Chinatsu Kazushi's expression turned peculiar.
He struggled to connect this focused young man—breathing steady, constantly analyzing for openings—with the kid from middle school who'd needed constant supervision just to train.
"High school really is a magical time period. Never expected such dramatic change."
The instant Chinatsu Kazushi's thoughts wandered, Yagami Sorato moved.
He suddenly dropped low, accelerating a step past Chinatsu Kazushi's left side!
No fancy crossovers. He understood clearly that his current level of fakes couldn't deceive this opponent. Only the most direct speed offered any chance.
"Good!"
Chinatsu Kazushi silently praised—Yagami Sorato's timing exploiting that opening was sharp!
"But don't underestimate an adult's experience!"
Chinatsu Kazushi's explosive step matched perfectly, precisely cutting off Yagami Sorato's driving lane.
Once they made contact, Yagami Sorato's speed would plummet. His advantage would vanish completely.
"THUD!"
Their bodies collided. Chinatsu Kazushi felt confident—this was still too young.
However, Yagami Sorato didn't force through contact. Instead, he used the collision's rebounding force to step back smoothly, instantly creating separation from Chinatsu Kazushi before unhesitatingly pulling up for the jumper!
"What?!"
This choice caught Chinatsu Kazushi off-guard. Yagami Sorato had definitely pre-planned this strategy—his form mid-air was exceptionally stable.
Chinatsu Kazushi's contest came a beat late. The basketball traced an arc through the air.
"Swish!"
The crisp net sound rang out.
Yagami Sorato 1 - Chinatsu Kazushi 4
Yagami Sorato clawed one back!
"Yeah!" Chinatsu Yui jumped excitedly on the sideline, her allegiance abundantly clear.
Chinatsu Kazushi froze momentarily before breaking into a genuinely appreciative smile. "Smart adjustment. You understand how to leverage your opponent's rhythm for changes."
"Again!" Yagami Sorato felt like he'd just found his groove, battle intent burning hot.
"Okay, testing ends here." Chinatsu Kazushi bent to retrieve the ball, walking toward the sideline.
"Wait! We're not finished yet!" Yagami Sorato followed, his tone carrying obvious frustration.
"I'm hungry." Chinatsu Kazushi didn't look back. "If we don't return now, Miyuki-obasan will get angry."
Yagami Sorato immediately fell silent. Though he knew this was clearly Chinatsu Kazushi's excuse, he had to accept it—after all, if he kept insisting, the blame for "making Miyuki-obasan angry" would genuinely land on his head.
Miyuki-obasan was indeed always gentle and kind in daily life, speaking in soft tones. But once truly angered? She became absolutely the most formidable presence in this household. This understanding had long been deeply imprinted in the hearts of Yagami Sorato and everyone in the Chinatsu family.
Seeing Yagami Sorato's disappointed expression, Chinatsu Kazushi felt somewhat surprised, though his tone softened. "Don't rush. I'm back for a week this time. We can take it slow—"
"Yes!" Before he could finish, Yagami Sorato responded loudly.
"You kid." Chinatsu Kazushi scratched his head, though inwardly quite satisfied.
Since Yagami Sorato now possessed this passion for basketball, he'd at least cultivate him into Japan's strongest high school player before graduation!
"Sorato, in just a few months, your growth truly exceeded my expectations."
After dinner, Chinatsu Kazushi and Yagami Sorato sat facing each other on the living room sofa, beginning formal analysis and review.
"First, your core strength isn't sufficient. Under high-speed, high-intensity contact, your technique breaks down, affecting shooting and finishing stability."
"I heard from Yui that you've recently started strength training. I'm sure you've recognized this yourself."
Yagami Sorato nodded. Strength training wasn't accomplished overnight.
While building muscle strength, he had to maintain agility simultaneously. Even his shooting touch required constant adjustment and adaptation throughout the process. All of this demanded time.
"Second, your defensive performance is commendable—smart defense—but it lacks sufficient pressure."
"You mean aggressive steals?" Yagami Sorato pressed. "But against opponents of comparable ability, recklessly reaching for steals easily exposes weaknesses. You get blown by in one step, sometimes unable even to recover."
"Exactly. That very concern makes your defense overly rational, to the point where it appears..." Chinatsu Kazushi deliberately paused, "...ordinary. Even somewhat boring."
"..." Yagami Sorato found himself momentarily speechless. Each evaluation cut deeper than the last.
"Your defensive rhythm is too straightforward and predictable. This makes it easy for opponents to read you." Chinatsu Kazushi spoke meaningfully. "Defense requires more variation—rhythm sometimes tight, sometimes loose."
"Tight doesn't necessarily mean actually stealing—it's creating that illusion, forcing opponents into mistakes. Loose doesn't mean slack—it's deliberately exposing openings to bait drives, then forming traps with interior help, or suddenly disrupting their rhythm as they initiate, creating turnovers."
"!!!" Yagami Sorato had an epiphany.
His mind immediately recalled his first offensive possession in their one-on-one. Precisely because he'd struggled to score, when he'd spotted that sliver of "opening" Chinatsu Kazushi exposed, he'd rushed the shot—only to have it completely disrupted.
"Looks like you understand what I'm saying." Chinatsu Kazushi smiled with satisfaction.
"Of course, your current defensive foundation is quite solid—that's the prerequisite for mastering rhythm variation. If someone taught you these techniques from the start, it would've made your defense awkward and full of holes instead."
Yagami Sorato couldn't help glancing up at him, his gaze carrying a hint of helplessness. The one who'd originally taught "him" basketball as his first instructor—wasn't that the man sitting right here?
Now here he was, patting himself on the back...
Chinatsu Kazushi pretended not to notice his look, clearing his throat. "Finally, there's one more critical point."
"Your offensive arsenal is diverse, but you lack one move—a 'killer technique' that can reliably score in crucial moments."
"?" Yagami Sorato looked at him questioningly. That phrasing sounded a bit chuunibyou, didn't it?
"Hmph, I knew you'd dismiss it." Chinatsu Kazushi said. "But this is extremely important. Develop your 'weapon.' Make opponents fear it. Make teammates trust it. On the court, that single attack can shift the game's momentum."
"And when that happens, your other offensive options become more threatening because of it."
"Mm, I understand." Yagami Sorato nodded.
Actually, he'd vaguely held this notion himself—planning to test its effectiveness in the prefecture finals.
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