chapter91/92

"Wow! Kenichi Uesugi and Eiji Sawakita are facing off!"

"The two teams' ace players are clashing head-on! This is bound to be exciting!"

"Although Kenichi Uesugi is a strong player, can he really challenge Sawakita?"

"Unlikely! He's just a freshman!"

"But wasn't Sawakita also a freshman when he rose to fame last year?"

The crowd began to murmur excitedly after seeing the official matchup between Kenichi Uesugi and Eiji Sawakita.

While most spectators expected Sawakita to win easily, given his reputation as the number one high school player in the country, there were some who believed Kenichi Uesugi might pull off a surprise. His performance in the previous games had been impressive.

In the back row, Jun Tsuchiya and Chiyoichi, the ace players of their respective teams, instantly became energized by the sight. "Here it comes!" "These two are going to collide head-on! It's going to be thrilling!"

Neither Jun nor Chiyoichi cared much about who would win the championship, as they knew it wouldn't be their teams, and with Sannoh's strong lineup, the outcome seemed almost decided. However, the showdown between Uesugi and Sawakita, both extraordinary talents, was a contest they couldn't miss.

Back in the Kainan team's area, Amu was concerned for Kenichi Uesugi. If he failed to score, it could severely damage Ryonan's morale. Uesugi had always been the team's most reliable player, stepping up when Ryonan faced the most difficult challenges. But this time, his opponent was Sawakita, the strongest player in the country. Amu wasn't sure if Uesugi could overcome him.

On the court, Kenichi and Sawakita locked eyes, both silent, aware of each other's incredible abilities and unwilling to underestimate the other.

Suddenly, Uesugi launched his attack, mimicking Kotaro Hayama's thunder dribbling technique. His dribbling started slow with three fingers, then moved to four, and eventually five, his speed increasing with each second. The audience could hear the distinct "thunder" sound as his ball movement became nearly impossible to follow.

"Wow! What's happening? It's so loud!"

"Kenichi Uesugi is dribbling so fast! I can't even keep track of where the ball is!"

"It's really fast, but it's so noisy!"

Even Sawakita, who had seen many impressive plays, found himself surprised by the speed of Uesugi's dribbling. It was so fast, even he couldn't pinpoint the ball's exact location. He could only read Uesugi's hand movements.

Suddenly, Uesugi accelerated and broke through to the right. Within seconds, he managed to pass Sawakita, who kept up with him step-for-step.

"Wow! Uesugi broke through Sawakita's defense!" Kiyota Nobunaga from the Kainan crowd shouted with excitement.

Yesterday, during their own direct matchup, Kiyota had failed to break through Sawakita's defense even once. To see Uesugi succeed on his first try made him thrilled—almost as if it were his own victory.

However, Amu, who had been watching closely, quickly disagreed. "Not yet!" he retorted.

"Sawakita intentionally let him pass."

Kiyota was puzzled. "Why?"

"Uesugi's dribbling is too fast for Sawakita to steal the ball. But if Uesugi attempts a shot, then Sawakita will have a chance."

"So this is Sawakita's trap?" Kiyota asked.

"Exactly," Riki Takato explained.

The two returned their attention to the game, where Uesugi continued to speed toward the basket, with Sawakita trailing him closely. Sawakita was waiting for the perfect moment to block Uesugi's shot. Uesugi, knowing this, suddenly halted, spun, and launched a jump shot.

This move was a signature skill from Yukio Kasamatsu—an abrupt turnaround jump shot. Sawakita smiled as he saw Uesugi begin his turn. "Now's my chance!" he thought, leaping to block the shot.

But just as Sawakita reached out, Uesugi leaned back mid-air, making the block miss completely.

"Huh? He can control his center of gravity and move backwards in the air?" Sawakita thought, stunned.

Uesugi's backward shot went through the net with a swish. "DRU!"

"2:4! Uesugi scored! He actually managed to score against Sawakita's defense!"

The crowd erupted. "This guy is incredible! Sawakita couldn't stop him!"

"I thought Uesugi would be easily blocked, but he actually scored!"

Jun Tsuchiya smiled from the back row. "Looks like we were outclassed. Even Sawakita couldn't stop that shot—what chance did we have?"

"But, given Sawakita's competitive nature, I doubt he'll give up so easily," Chiyoichi added. They knew Sawakita would respond to this challenge.

On Ryonan's bench, Hikoichi and Makoto Masaru cheered for Uesugi, while Taoka Moichi sighed with relief. Moments ago, he had feared Uesugi would struggle against Sawakita, but now he felt assured after that incredible shot.

On the court, Sawakita wasn't frustrated by being scored on. Instead, he felt exhilarated. It had been a while since he faced an opponent this strong. His father had been right—Uesugi was worthy of being his "opportunity."

The game continued with Sannoh now on offense. Fukatsu Kazunari controlled the ball, but after a quick glance at Sawakita, he passed the ball to him. Although Fukatsu was the captain, he often deferred to Sawakita's brilliance, trusting his teammate to shine.

Sawakita immediately attacked Uesugi, but Uesugi wasn't going to be careless. His recent display had already shown Sawakita his incredible skills. As Sawakita made a quick move, Uesugi activated his "Eagle Eye," analyzing every potential move. Sawakita faked a move, but Uesugi mirrored him, preventing Sawakita from getting a clean shot off.

Sawakita was surprised. "He saw through my move?" he thought. But he quickly adapted, spinning to reassert control, trying to pass the ball through Uesugi's legs.

But Uesugi anticipated it. With precise timing, he reached out and intercepted the ball from behind, shocking Sawakita.

"How did he do that? He intercepted it without even looking?" Sawakita couldn't believe it.

But he wasn't ready to admit defeat. He quickly chased after the ball, regaining possession and driving for the basket. Facing Yuzumi's defense, Sawakita used a lob shot, tossing the ball over his opponent's head and scoring with ease.

The crowd cheered as the score went to 2:6. But Sawakita wasn't celebrating too much. Uesugi's defense had left him rattled. Even when he tried to stop Uesugi, the freshman had read his every move. His reaction to the interception had nearly cost him the game. For the first time, Sawakita felt true respect for his opponent.

Meanwhile, the audience buzzed with praise. "Sawakita is amazing! He scored right away!"

"This Kenichi Uesugi is no slouch either! Not only did he score under Sawakita's defense, but he also intercepted a pass!"

"Both players are giving their all. The newcomers this year are unbelievable!"

As the game continued, the tension between the two aces only intensified. The players exchanged fierce attacks, each unable to stop the other. The score remained close, with each team vying for control. In the back row, Jun Tsuchiya and Chiyoichi reflected on the game.

"This rivalry between Uesugi and Sawakita is something else!" Jun said.

"Compared to our battles, this feels like child's play!" Chiyoichi laughed.

On the Sannoh bench, Sawakita's friend observed the matchup with surprise. "This kid is really strong. I'm sure Eiji won't have trouble with him, right?"

Sawakita Tetsuji smiled confidently. "The stronger he is, the better. If he isn't strong enough, Eiji might never reach his full potential."

Meanwhile, on Ryonan's bench, Amu comforted Kiyota. "You just have to keep pushing. You won't find another player like him in Kanagawa."

The game went on, and Ryonan's offensive drive continued. Kenichi Uesugi attacked Sawakita once more. The crowd fell silent, awaiting the next clash.

Uesugi weighed his options, deciding to take the inside route. Sawakita's defense was sharp, but Uesugi had already shown he could adapt.

The battle between them was far from over, but it was clear that this was a game no one would forget.