Chapter 89 - Fushimi vs. Tokiwadai (1/2)

The second-quarter started with the ball in Fushimi's possession, their shooting guard took a risk and scored a three-pointer.

The ball was once again in possession of Tokiwadai. Shun inbounded the ball to Mibuchi, and he passed in it back to Shun.

They both ran towards Fushimi's basket, at the half-court line Mibuchi changed his direction and headed to the corner of half-court line and Shun continued forward.

Fushimi's power forward came ahead to guard Shun.

Shun, while in transition, switched the ball from his left hand to right in a crossover.

Fushimi's power forward fell for the crossover as he moved to the right, but Shun pulled back and stopped.

He passed the ball from his right hand to left behind his back. In a single motion, threw a pass to Aone in the low post.

Fushimi's power forward, who was accepting a drive, said in shock.

Fushimi's PF: ”A pass?!”

Shun smiled at the power forward's reaction.

Shun: 'Good, they are expecting me to score on my own. I can pass all I want with an element of surprise.'

Aone caught the pass and jumped for a layup, Fushimi's center also jumped and got real close to Aone, but Aone was ready.

Fushimi's C: ”A hook! Dammit, it will go over me!”

He tried to extend his arms more, but the ball went over the center's hands into the basket.

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

On Tokiwadai's next possession, Shun charged into the paint.

Fushimi's small forward yelled at the power forward.

Fushimi's SF: ”He is going to score, jump!”

Fushimi's power forward did as he was advised and jumped.

Shun jumped, and the ball was in his right hand straight above his head.

Shun saw Fushimi's power forward in front of him. Then came the jolt of God-Speed Impluse that traveled through his body.

[A/N: Dear Readers, I might not be able to use the phrase 'God-Speed Impulse' as I did above, so when I write 'jolt' assume that I am talking about God-Speed Impulse.]

Shun: 'I can force the ball in with a dunk, but let's change it.'

Shun looked at the court with his Hawk-Eye and found that Yuki was right behind him for a rebound if Shun missed.

Shun: 'Yuki, it is.'

Shun turned his wrist so that the inside of his hand was now facing away from the basket. With his elbow and wrist, he passed the ball behind to Yuki.

Yuki was surprised when the ball came to him, but he raised his hands and nevertheless caught the ball.

Kaitani, who was away from the paint, could see the positioning of the players well, yelled.

Kaitani: ”Yuki! You are free from your left.”

Yuki followed Kaitani's words without checking. He moved to his left near the basket.

Kaitani was correct as Fushimi's point guard was coming from Yuki's right.

Fushimi's PG: ”Dammit.”

Shun and Fushimi's power forward was below the basket. Shun raised his arm to bar the power forward from intervening.

Yuki moved just below the basket near its left and jumped. Shun stopped the power forward. Fushimi's point guard had to move around Shun and his team's power forward to get to Yuki, but he was late as Yuki had already scored in the basket.

Shun and Yuki high fived as they returned to their side of the court.

As they were moving back, they heard the coach yell.

Coach: ”Yuki! There is no need to close on the basket every single time. You can score from the perimeter if it is better! Don't move below the basket every time.”

Coach, who had stood up from his seat to yell, sat back down and picked up his cup of lemonade that he was drinking from before.

Yuki stopped, nodded, and continued forward.

Kaitani slapped Yuki's back as he moved back to defense.

Kaitani: ”Come on. We are on defense.”

The ball was now in Fushimi's possession. They had taken a time-out to get some time to think about it, and their coach had given them a good suggestion.

The point guard took the ball, and the Fushimi's team got into positions.

Yuki was the one who came out of the pack-line to defend him.

The point guard dribbled the ball and didn't move. He did a fake or two but didn't move a single step.

He remembered what his coach had said.

Fushimi's Coach: ”The weakness of pack-line defense is three-point shooters, absence of a shot clock, and patience. We don't have the advantage of the first two options, so we have to be patient.”

The point guard internally smiled as he saw Kaitani break formation and move towards him, and the coach's words echoed in his mind.

Fushimi's Coach: ”We have to be patient and wait till one of them breaks the formation.”

Kaitani saw that Fushimi's point guard was not doing anything, so he decided to gamble and moved to double-team him with Yuki.

But that was his mistake as the moment he was a distance away from his mark, the ball directly went to Fushimi's small forward, who Kaitani was guarding.

Kaitani: ”Oh, crap!”

The moment the ball landed in the small forward's hand, every single member of Fushimi's team charged inside, and their defenders concentrated on them.

Among the chaos, the small forward took a two-point jumper right from his position, and the ball went into the basket with ease.

Fushimi's team celebrated as they moved back to their side of the court to defend.

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

Mibuchi walked to Kaitani and said.

Mibuchi: ”Kaitani-chan, don't go out on your own. Didn't the coach warn you us to stay within the perimeter.”

Kaitani bowed and apologized.

Kaitani: ”Sorry, captain. It won't happen again.”

Mibuchi: ”Okay, it was only one time, but make sure it doesn't happen again.”

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

While Mibuchi was talking to Kaitani, Shun went near Aone and said.

Shun: ”Aone-san, let's take the momentum back, all right?”

Aone nodded, so Shun continued.

Shun: ”Jump and, I will get the ball to you, so make sure to stuff the ball powerfully.”

Aone once again nodded and hummed in agreement.

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

Shun jogged as he cleared the half-court line, and as he approached the three-point arc, Fushimi's power forward came in his way to stop him.

Shun stopped and started to dribble the ball between his legs. He kept looking into the power forward's eyes.

The power forward felt Shun's eyes and turned to look at him.

Shun smiled and moved right at that moment.

His right hand was ahead of his body, the ball went to his right hand, and exploded to the left.

Fushimi's panicked as he had looked away from the ball into Shun's eyes, he moved to the left to defend Shun, but it was a fake as Shun pulled back and ran to the right.

Fushimi's power forward felt his feet slip, and he fell to the floor.

Shun stopped just beside the power forward and said.

Shun: ”Don't worry, I will give you company.”

The power forward was confused by what Shun meant.

Fushimi's PF: ”Huh?”

As he said, he saw Shun shooting the ball. He spoke.

Fushimi's PF: ”It's not going in.”

Shun smiled and replied.