Chapter 70 - Meeting, Part 3 (2/2)

Shun ran along the baseline and jumped to the rim. Aomine, who was suspecting a finger-roll layup, also jumped to block it, but Shun didn't throw a finger-roll layup.

Shun waited till he was on the other side of the rim and then threw a reverse layup from the other side. The rim protected Shun from Aomine's block, which would've blocked the layup if Shun went with a simple finger-roll. The ball spun once along the rim and then dropped into the basket.

Shun got to the ground and cheered with both of his arms up in the air.

Shun: ”Yeah~,!”

Aomine grabbed his head and grumbled.

Aomine: ”Damn it, why did you have to change it to a reverse layup.”

At the sideline, Kise exhaled a breath that he didn't know he was holding in. The exchange between Aomine and Shun was intense for Kise to watch, and he got completely immersed in the play of two players who were much better than him.

Kise: ”They are amazing.”

Kuroko looked at his clubmate and felt the same thing that Kise was feeling.

Kuroko: 'The free and wild Aomine-kun and the skillful and overwhelming Kageyama-kun, they both are completely different yet love basketball more than anyone.'

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

At the top of the key, Shun got the ball from Aomine.

Shun once again didn't try a crossover to break free away from Aomine. He dribbled along the sideline with Aomine sticking close to him.

Shun and Aomine were running face to face. The ball was in Shun's left hand, which was in front of his body, Shun passed the ball between his legs to his right hand.

As the ball got into his right hand, Shun spun so that his back was facing Aomine.

After Shun spun forward, Aomine followed Shun's right hand, but as Shun's right hand came out of his body's cover, Aomine saw that the hand was empty.

Aomine: 'He switched hands! He is going to spin back to pass me from the back.'

Aomine's reflexes and speed were the greatest among Generation of Miracles, so he was able to react to the empty hand and moved in the opposite direction they were moving.

Shun had indeed switched hands; he had left the ball suspended in air, but he let his right-hand show on purpose.

Shun: 'I know Aomine is fast, that is also why he will move faster than anybody if I show him an empty hand.'

Shun put his left hand on the ball, and while Aomine was moving back, Shun exploded forward, leaving behind a stunned Aomine.

Aomine: ”Damn it, he faked me again!”

Shun got to the rim and brought down the ball into the basket with a dunk. He held on to the rim and let the momentum swing him like a pendulum.

Shun: ”Aww! Yeah!”

Aomine kicked the ground as he moved back to the top of the key for his offense.

Aomine: ”Next time, I will score! Just you wait.”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Shun looked at Aomine as he moved to the top of the key.

Shun: 'He has gotten better from last year, but he still hasn't had the qualitative change. He is still the pre-awakening Aomine. Testing him would be useless. I should take this opportunity to test myself against him.'

Shun made his mind and decided to put himself in positions that would be at Aomine's advantage.

In the next exchange, Shun moved his defense in the post.

Shun: 'The current Aomine likes to finish at the rim, instead of just throwing the ball with his formless shooting.'

Shun followed Aomine closely as he closed in on the rim. Aomine stopped right in front of the restricted area under the basket and jumped for the finish.

Shun jumped as well and kept his eye on the ball.

Aomine was going for a simple layup, but he saw Shun's hand in his sight. He twisted his body to move the ball arm away from the basket, blocked Shun from his other arm, and threw a hook shot.

When Shun saw the hook shot, he tried to lean his body and hands forward, but Aomine's arm got into the way, as a barrier and Shun saw the ball drop into the basket.

Shun: ”Ah.”

Shun and Aomine got to the ground. Shun scratched the back of his head and said.

Shun: ”I wanted to win in a wipe-out, well there goes that.”

He looked at Aomine and declared.

Shun: ”You won't be scoring any more points.”

Aomine smiled and replied.

Aomine: ”Oh no, I will be on a roll from now on.”