Chapter VI

“Shinjo Tech? We might come close, but I can’t see us winning against them!”

"Come on, have some faith! It’s only the first game. Anything can happen, right?"

"I don't know, guys. Our team’s roster is pretty much brand new,”

"I’m just here to see if that new kid on our team lives up to the hype.

Everyone’s been talking about him."

“Nakamura? Surely he’ll be our best player!”

✾❀✾

POV: Kojima

- 2 years in the past -

Not long ago, my hopes and dreams were almost burned to a crisp.

It was my last game in my second year of junior high, where I first encountered him.

My team had just entered the tournament for the first time after a pretty successful regular season.

Playing basketball for almost my whole life, I felt like I was on top of the world, and that I could prove to everyone just how great I was.

It was the only thing driving me at the time.

Prove my worth

That’s what I set out to do in my first game in the tournament.

To prove that I was the best point guard in junior high.

That was my dream.

Until he trampled all over it.

Irie Kazuya, he was the best basketball player I had ever played against.

“Hey Irie, watch for the cut!” someone yelled.

“Don’t tell me what to do Okabe, I already know,”

At that point, the game was already over.

It was the fourth quarter and there was no hope for us to win the game.

Still, I remained on the court because I wanted to score.

I only had 6 points that game, all free throws.

I cut quickly towards the basket and received a pass on the baseline.

I leaped up to score my first field goal.

“Just one, I just need this one!” I thought to myself.

Just then I heard him speak to me.

It was just a brief second, but I remember what Irie said to me that day.

“A liability like you will never score a point on me,”

A swift and explosive sound echoed in the gym.

Irie rose up high and blocked my layup, slamming the ball against the backboard, and creating a loud banging noise.

BANGGGG

I fell to the floor, with no foul called.

Turning my head, I read the name on the back of his Jersey, “Irie,” number 0.

- Present Day -

“Thanks, Aisawa,” I told Aisawa Mei, the senior of the sewing club after she handed me my jersey.

“You’re very welcome,” she responded with a smile.

“Yeah, these are great! The stitching feels perfect!” Asari remarked.

I held my new basketball uniform, admiring the fact that I was standing here today, with a new dream.

To be a great point guard in high school.

I gave up on trying to be the best because I realized that day that there are too many skilled people in this world to be the best.

I shifted my focus to just being great.

That was enough for me.

“Still… I just had to pick it,” I thought to myself looking at my new jersey.

My favorite number, one.

✾❀✾

I glanced at my phone one last time to read the time.

It was 3:55, 5 minutes until the game started.

I sat on the bench with all the guys, along with Kinoshita and Haruno.

“Do we have to attend every stinkin’ game?” Haruno asked the coach.

“Well duh, it’s a part of the club’s activities is it not?” the coach told Haruno.

Haruno grumbled at the thought of going to every game for the rest of the season.

I looked up to see Shinjo Tech Academy’s boys basketball team, all in uniform, walking into the gymnasium one by one.

“This is going to be tough,” one of the boys said.

“Psh, we’re tougher!” Asari said in confidence.

We don’t really have a team captain yet, however, Asari is very bold and full of positive team energy.

I’m sure he would make a great captain.

Shinjo’s team looked very athletic and long, but they had some shorter guys in the mix as well.

The entire team had appeared before us, ready to battle it out in our home court.

“He didn’t show,” I heard Yamato whisper.

That’s right, Shinjo was missing one crucial player, their starting point guard, Yamato Cain.

He has the same last name as Yamato, I wonder if they're related.

“Well, Miyamura, looks like you got yourself some new first years.” the other team's coach said.

“Your roster hasn’t changed much from last year,” Miyamura mentioned.

“Hmph, what needs to be changed exactly?” the other coach said.

“I don’t know, maybe for starters, your starting guard should come to games,” Miyamura said in a taunting manner.

“That won’t be necessary against Sakura,” the other coach responded back.

“Is it just me is there just a just littlee bit of tension between those two?” Asari asked,

“A little is an understatement.

Before Coach Miyamura came here to coach Sakura, he was actually going to become the assistant coach at Shinjo and work along with Coach Jin over there.

Obviously, that didn’t pan out, so Miyamura took his talents over here to become the head coach instead.” Arisu informed all of us.

“Jin and Miyamura seem to have a pretty rocky relationship,” Okamoto said.

“Yeah, in fact, they were rivals when they were both pros,” Arisu added.

“Woah, really? Looks like their rivalry is still going strong then,” Asari joked.

Miyamura came back and gave us the drop.

“Yamato, Asari, Okamoto, Arisu, Suzuki, get ready to get on the floor!” Miyamura announced.

“Wait a minute, what?” Yamato questioned.

Yamato, along with everyone showed signs of confusion.

It was odd to not start Nakamura and Sugahara.

Especially having Suzuki and Okamoto over them.

No disrespect to them, but it’s clear their both bench caliber players.

“Just roll with it, I want to test something,” Miyamura mentioned.

Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

Sitting there on the bench was me, Sugahara, and Nakamura.

I looked over at Sugahara.

He looked as though he really didn’t care if whether he got to play or not.

He looked so relaxed, resting his head with his arm and hand over his cheek.

Meanwhile, after looking at Shinjo’s team, it left me anxious.

I knew it was going to be a long match.

Nakamura at first was angry that he wasn’t starting, but Miyamura said something to him, and ever since, he seemed pretty calm.

✾❀✾

POV: Yamato Reo

Both team’s starting five took to the court as tip off began.

We all stood in tip off formation, getting ready as the referee was about to throw the ball up in the air.

The referee threw the ball in the air, pitting Asari against Shinjo’s tallest player.

Shinjo took possession of the ball after their center was able to tip the ball.

Their center was maybe 7 centimeters taller than Asari, so they had the advantage from

The start.

The game had officially begun.

Their center, whose name is Iwasaki Shoji, is no novice.

I recall battling against him last year, and he’s easily their second best player.

- Flashback -

“I’ll need your help Asari,” I said.

“Their center is going to cause some havoc this game, and my defense alone won’t be able to fully contain him,” I added.

“But your our best defender right? I don’t see why you need me to help,” Asari questioned.

“That’s right, I’ll be his primary defender, but there will be many instances

where I can’t do anything, and that’s where you’ll come in.

You’ll need to watch his every move, and when the time is right,

provide me with your help defense.

Your size will prove quite valuable to us,” I finished off.

- Flashback over -

As it stands right now, I’m quite a deal shorter than Iwasaki.

However, I’m still the best defender this teams got.

Since, Cain isn’t here, I’ll give it my all to shut down Iwasaki!

Shinjo’s point guard ran the ball down the court.

Their point guard is merely a back up for Cain.

He rides the bench, he should not be much of a threat.

“Hghhhh!” The point guard grunted as he drove past Suzuki.

“He’s quick!” Okamoto pointed out.

I see it! He’s going to pass it over to Iwasaki!

However I’ll cut him off from the pass.

Just then, Shinjo’s back up point guard stopped on a dime, and shot a pull up midrange jump shot.

Okamoto came to contest but it was too late.

Swishhh

0-2

“Hmph, you shouldn’t be only worried about me Yamato, our whole team will cause you guys all sorts of problems.

You see, our point guard over there Ota, he’s out there fighting for a permanent starting spot.

He’s determined to torch the life out of you guys to get it,” Iwasaki told me.

I see, so even though he’s a bench player, we should be wary of him.

We got the next possession of the ball, and Suzuki handled the point guard position.

“Here Arisu!” Suzuki shouted as he passed it over to him on the three point line.

Our team has been training together for a week now,

and we’ve learned each others strengths and weaknesses.

Arisu’s strength was his incredible three point shooting.

It looks like Asari knew what to do.

Asari set a pick for Arisu.

With Arisu’s defender taken abrupt, Arisu make his move.

Shifting to the left side, unguarded, as his defender was caught in Asari’s screen, Arisu shot a three pointer at the right wing.

Splash

3-2

“Alright!” Suzuki shouted.

“Okay guys, let’s give it 110% on defense!” Asari exclaimed, hyping up the team.

“110 won’t be enough!” Iwasaki said, blowing past me and driving in quickly, giving an athletic finish at the rim, skillfully avoiding Asari’s interior presence.

3-4

Damn, he got me!

I wasn’t able to stay in front of him this time!

Shinjo Tech’s play style is a heavy offense.

An offense so brutal, even the best defense can only wish to just slow them down.

“Let’s return the favor!” Arisu exclaimed.

Suzuki handling the ball drove past Ota, and dished the ball over to me.

In the post, I spun around and maneuvered myself past my defender and shot a little hook shot into the basket.

5-4

Shinjo isn’t a defensive minded team, so scoring won’t be an issue.

The real question was if we could outscore them or not.

Ota passed the ball to another guard who then passed it to Iwasaki.

This time i’ll stop him!

Iwasaki, pivoted and rotated his back over to me, attempting to back me down.

I wouldn’t have it, I displayed my strength by not letting him post me down.

Just then, a strong push, left me stunned.

It only slowed me down for half a second, but it was enough for Iwasaki to do a turn around, fading jumpshot in the post.

However, Asari jumped high in the air and was able to tip the ball, causing Iwasaki’s shot to miss.

“It’s just like you said Yamato, i’ll help when needed,” Asari remarked.

I let out a little smile.

We returned back to the other half of the court where Suzuki was running our offense, and creating plays.

We used a double screen this time for Arisu, and he converted a jumpshot from three, similar to his last play.

8-4

On the other end, Ota drove past Suzuki again, and passed it to a teammate in the corner.

Arisu tried his best to contest the shot, but the corner shooter was able to make it in, despite the good defense being played.

8-7

We still had the lead, however it wouldn’t last long.

In the next few possessions, we went scoreless, and Shinjo’s next few possessions were all successful. Ota hit a three pointer, Iwasaki hit a mid range jumper, and a forward on their team dropped in a floater shot.

The score was now 8-14.

“Damn, it’s like they can’t miss right now,” Okamoto said.

Again, Shinjo was able to score, with Ota shooting another three on Suzuki.

Suzuki passed me the ball.

I drove towards the basket with my defender on me.

I surprised the defense by making an unexpected play.

While the defense pressured me, I threw the ball up, lobbing it towards Asari.

Asari got the memo and headed up to dunk it down.

SLAMM

“Looks like we got the first dunk of the game!” Arisu commented.

That’s right, we need to start relying more on Asari.

Since they’re too focused on me, I can slip him the ball with ease.

We went on another run, including Asari’s dunk, we also got in a three from Suzuki, and a 2 pointer from myself.

It was now 15-14, with us taking the lead.

✾❀✾

POV: Sugahara

Wow, it looks like we’re really keeping up with them, even without me and Nakamura.

I might be able to relax for the whole game.

The quarter was about to end, however Shinjo made another run, taking back the lead and extending it to 7.

The quarter ended 15-22.

I guess I jinxed myself huh.

The guys came back to the bench and we discussed what we’re going to do going forward.

“Okay, i’ve seen enough. You boys did well, in fact, exceeded my expectations.

Now let’s flip the script on em here and now!” Miyamura said.

“I’ll have Sugahara come in for Suzuki and Nakamura sub in for Okamoto, got it?” Miyamura explained.

Damn, I guess I really do have to play.

“Good luck Sugahara!” Kinoshita said to me.

I raised my hand at her, letting her know I heard her.

I looked over at Kojima, expecting him to look bummed that he’s not going in.

However, he looked as focused as ever, waiting patiently for his turn.

I let out a little smile.

Kojima Kouki, for some reason, you inspire me.

The second quarter started and we had possession of the ball.

I was now the point guard in place of Suzuki.

However, I was going to play it my way.

“So, your the little back up point guard huh?” I said to Ota.

“Aren’t you a bench player too? Talk about hypocritical,” he replied back.

“Whatever, we’ll see, just pray that you’ll be able to contain me,” I stated.

Ota looked at me with supreme focus in his eyes, determined to make me eat my words.

With quick speed, I drove past Ota in an instant.

Or at last that’s what he thought happened.

It was a fake drive.

It was fake, but produced real results, with Ota now in an awkward positon, thinking that I really drove past him.

“A little fake like that has you leaning so hard?” I taunted him.

“You better guard up,” I said echoing towards Ota.

I shot the three and it sank in with ease.

18-22.

And just like that, I made my presence known to the whole Shinjo Tech team.

Ota came back with sheer fire in his eyes.

He started to dribble rapidly, thinking to cross me up.

He crossed over causing me to slip.

Or so he thought, once again, another fake.

When he saw me slip, he went the opposite direction, thinking to drive past me.

However, it was all a part of my calculation.

I purposely opened up that driving lane for him, so that…

I can recover and steal the ball from him!

Just as Ota passed me, I reached my arm out and stole the ball from Ota.

It was now a fast break opportunity and I was the head of the pack.

It was a easy layup, but I stopped at the three point line and shot it.

Swishhh

21-22

We were about to take the lead again.

Again Ota drove the ball up, but this time he passed the ball to their center.

Iwasaki was not near the paint, but rather on the three point line.

It would seem Iwasaki has taken a new position on offense.

Iwasaki attempted a pull up 2, but Yamato rose up high, anticipating it, and blocked the shot.

The ball fell towards me and I threw it down towards Asari, who was ready for the fast break.

Asari jammed in another dunk.

23 - 22

We had taken the lead again.

Iwasaki bounce passed the ball to a open forward who laid the ball in.

Asari tried to block it, but his timing was just a bit off.

The score was now 23-24

The ball was in my hands again.

I drove past Ota, this time for real, and leaped towards the basket.

Iwasaki put his hands up, but I performed a ridiculous circus shot, avoiding Iwasaki entirely and flipping the ball up towards the rim.

The ball spun and hit the top right corner of the backboard, and fell nicely into the basket.

Ota came to grab the ball after I scored.

When he passed me, I said to him…

“Where’s Yamato Cain at, I’d much rather play with him than a third string point guard like you,”

That’s right, basketball was more than just a sport of physicality.

There was a huge mental game involved.

I wanted to get into Ota’s head, and it looks like I was already able to.

I have the mental edge over him, and it will affect how Ota plays the rest of this game.

We went back and fourth with Shinjo, in an intense scoring flurry.

For the quarter I would be the main scorer, sinking shot after shot.

Though I wasn’t playing good defense, Ota struggled against me, due to being mentally crushed.

He kept on making the wrong play and just forcing everything.

Eventually the quarter ended and we entered half time.

As good as I was playing, Iwasaki started to completely dominate the game.

Yamato being our best defender, couldn’t stop him.

It was now a offensive duel between me and Iwasaki, and Iwasaki was winning.

The score at the half was 38 - 46, where we were now down 8.