Chapter 158 - Challenge (1/2)
It was a few days into the new trimester, Shun looked at the clock installed in the gym, and saw that it was time to leave for the gym.
Shun walked to the basketball cage and dumped the balls he was using into it.
He waved to Yuki and called out.
Shun: ”Yuki, I am leaving. I have put the key in your bag, lock the gym before you leave.”
Yuki paused his practice and replied.
Yuki: ”Yeah, sure. Take care.”
Shun nodded and was about to leave, but someone stood in front of him.
Shun saw a first-year member standing in front of him.
He was looking at Shun, so Shun addressed him.
Shun: ”Hmm? Ah, Narumiya Mei-kun. Is there something I can help you with?”
Shun knew all the members of the first-string, so he recognized the latest addition to the first-string.
Narumiya looked at Shun and spoke.
Narumiya: ”Kageyama-san, I want to have a contest against you. I want to see if you are as good as they say you are.”
Yuki, on the other side of the court, shook his head, and continued his practice.
Shun: ”Why so suddenly?”
Narumiya crossed his arms and answered.
Narumiya: ”I have been watching you for the past days, and I think that you aren't as great as others say you to be.
Be it the mini-games or in skill drills or here, after practice, you make mistakes and errors that you wouldn't make if you were as exceptional as people make you out to be.”
Shun sighed as he scratched the back of his head.
Shun: 'Well, he isn't wrong. I have been playing worse since I returned from the summer camp.'
Shun had just started integrating the moves into his style.
And, to integrate, Shun had to deconstruct the moves he wanted to copy.
The next step was to practice the moves but with forms and stances that Shun was comfortable, and that was essentially learning from the start.
-*-*-*-
Shun stared at Narumiya and sighed.
Shun: ”Okay, I have five minutes. Let's play.”
Narumiya clenched his fists and nodded.
Shun dropped his bag to the side and asked.
Shun: ”So, what do you wanna play?
A one-on-one, or HORSE?
You are a shooting guard, after all.”
Narumiya immediately answered.
Narumiya: ”A one-on-one would be fine.”
Shun nodded and pointed at the ball cage.
Shun: ”Fetch a ball, would you.”
As Narumiya turned to fetch a ball and all expressions fell from Shun's face.
Shun: 'Should I revert to my stable side? Hmm, no, if I switch back to my stable style every time I have to play against someone, then I wouldn't be able to learn.'
He looked at Narumiya and thought.
Shun: 'Well, even with my current performance, I would still win against him with a huge margin.
He might not even be able to score once.'
Shun sighed and decided that he would play with his current unstable style.
-*-*-*-
They went to the gym that Shun and Yuki usually practiced.
When they entered the gym, they saw Narumiya and Shun at the top of the key, while Yuki was looking at them from one side.
The three walked to Yuki, and Sora asked.
Sora: ”Yuki-senpai, why is Narumiya-kun playing with Kageyama-senpai?”
Yuki looked at the three and answered.
Yuki: ”He wanted to see if Kageyama is as good as his reputation.”
Kaitani crossed his arms and guessed.
Kaitani: ”And, let me guess. He saw Kageyama making mistakes and thought he was not that much.”
Hyakuzawa finished Kaitani's point.
Hyakuzawa: ”And, came here to challenge Kageyama.”
Yuki nodded and said.
Yuki: ”Yeah, that sums it up.”
Sora looked at his year mate and captain and asked.
Sora: ”Will Narumiya-kun be fine?”
Kaitani shrugged and replied.
Kaitani: ”Kageyama won't go overboard, but even then, I don't think Narumiya would be able to contend.”
The four watched with attention as the contest between Shun and Narumiya started.
-*-*-*-
Narumiya passed the ball to Shun and said.
Narumiya: ”You go first.”
Shun caught the ball and nodded.
Shun: ”Sure.”
Shun faced the basket with Narumiya in front of him.
Shun slowly dribbled the ball between his hands, and when he thought the moment was right, he suddenly moved in the right direction and dribbled forward.
He wasn't moving fast enough for Narumiya to have difficulty keeping up. Shun was emulating Carlos's slow pace play.
When they reached the post, Shun suddenly faced his back towards the basket.
Narumiya seeing that, concluded.
Narumiya: 'Post play?'
So, he moved closer to Shun, but the moment he did that, Shun spun to face the basket and ran towards the basket faster than before and laid the ball into the basket.
Narumiya was shocked by the sudden score.
-*-*-*-
Kaitani laughed when he saw that.
Kaitani: ”Look at him standing there with his mouth open.”
Yuki nodded and commented.
Yuki: ”Shun's change of pace is difficult to defend. You never know when he would change his play speed.”
-*-*-*-