Chapter 169: The Kaijō Match
As both teams stepped out of the player tunnel, the entire arena erupted like a volcano.
This was the final match of the Round of 16, and it was today's main event.
A showdown between members of the Generation of Miracles—it deserved every bit of the spotlight.
In the stands, every key figure was present.
Akashi, Midorima, Murasakibara, the entire Seirin squad—all gathered in various corners of the spectator area.
One special mention:
Alex Garcia, Kagami Taiga's mentor, had arrived early.
Worried about her two disciples, she had flown all the way from the United States to Japan.
"Ohhh... not bad, not bad!"
"Honestly, I didn't think much of Japanese basketball before this…"
"But I have to admit, I was wrong. The speed and tactical execution here are actually impressive."
Alex Garcia nodded in approval.
Coming from the basketball mecca of the U.S. and having played professionally herself, she had the credentials to speak authoritatively.
Unlike in America, where physicality, athleticism, and individual prowess were the main focus, Japanese basketball—by necessity—emphasized teamwork and tactical precision.
"Also, the players are so well-rounded—especially that number 4 right now."
"That's Kaijō's captain, Kasamatsu Yukio. One of the best point guards in the country," explained Izuki Shun.
"I see… he has presence."
Whether it was experience or a sharp eye, Alex Garcia could sense a player's level just from across the court.
She could judge their aura and command without even needing stats.
Then came Kise Ryōta.
The moment he stepped out of the tunnel, Alex's relaxed expression instantly changed.
"That guy…"
"Generation of Miracles—Kise Ryōta."
The members of Seirin gave her a quick introduction, and she was stunned.
She never imagined that Asia could produce someone with such learning ability. Even in the U.S., a talent like his was exceptionally rare.
No wonder her pupil Kagami Taiga, after all that training, came back home only to get overwhelmed.
"But…" Kagami added, face turning serious, "His opponent today is Tendou."
Step.
Tendou entered the gym with his team.
At that very moment, Alex Garcia's hairs stood on end.
Surpassing everyone on the court, that suffocating presence could be felt even from afar.
She finally understood what Kagami had meant by "Generation of Miracles"—and how terrifying Tendou truly was.
That kind of aura...
Couldn't be faked.
A stray cat could never pretend to be a tiger.
"If this is his level… then no wonder you lost, Taiga."
"They're in the same tier as Tatsuya now."
She was referring to Himuro Tatsuya, her other disciple—now playing for Yōsen High.
To think Tendou was on the same level…
Seirin's jaws dropped.
This mentor… was seriously impressive.
...
"We meet again, Kasamatsu Yukio."
"This time, I won't be the one who loses."
The first time Kasamatsu had faced Tendou on the court was back in middle school.
Coincidentally, that match had also been a Round of 16.
He and the number 16 really did have some twisted fate.
"Let's have a good match."
"Yeah. Looking forward to it."
Their handshake was brief but intense—the kind of handshake where the desire to win was visible to the naked eye.
Kise stood nearby, his eyes burning.
After hearing his captain's story, his own hunger to win had only intensified.
"This time… I won't lose to you, Little Tendou."
"I'll be waiting."
Tendou's tone and attitude were calm, as if he were speaking to a junior—confident in his victory.
Kise could feel it.
He didn't respond with words.
Respect wasn't earned through talk—it was earned through action.
That's something he'd learned from Tendou himself.
...
Both teams completed their warmups.
The referee walked to the center with the ball.
The match began under the roaring cheers of nearly 20,000 spectators.
...
Starting Lineups:
Kaijō High: Kasamatsu Yukio, Moriyama Yoshitaka, Kise Ryōta, Hayakawa Mitsuhiro, Kohori Kiyoshi
Kirisaki Daiichi: Hanamiya Makoto, Yamazaki Hiroshi, Tendou Kageyoshi, Hara Kazuya, Seto Kentarō
Kirisaki Daiichi had made some lineup adjustments for this game.
Furuhashi Kōjirō and Matsumoto Itsuki were on the bench, ready to be rotated in.
...
Jump Ball.
Kaijō sent out Hayakawa Mitsuhiro.
Though only 185 cm tall, he had jet-like vertical and speed.
As the referee tossed the ball skyward, Hayakawa stomped the ground and exploded upward.
"Mine!"
Seto Kentarō wasn't slow, but he still lost the tipoff to the shorter Hayakawa.
"The file didn't do this guy justice..."
Hayakawa Mitsuhiro:
A superb athlete with insane bursts of speed, elite rebounding instincts, and endless energy.
He couldn't articulate himself clearly, often shouting unintelligible things—but when it came to effort, he was 110%.
Weak scorer, mostly finishes at the rim, lacks range or refined offense.
Strengths: elite rim protection and rebounding, capable of battling much taller players despite his height.
That was straight from Momoi's scouting report—and it resurfaced in their minds almost instinctively.
Kirisaki Daiichi reacted immediately.
They sprinted back into position and set up according to Tendou's plan—
A 3–2 zone defense.
Three up top. Two inside.
Kaijō was known for its strong outside shooting, and this was one of the strategies they'd refined during their training camp with Shūtoku.
Forced into a half-court set, Kaijō had no choice but to abort the fast break.
Kise, who'd sprinted ahead, skidded to a stop.
Not what Kaijō had hoped for in their opening play.
...
The ball found its way to Kise.
He squared up into a textbook triple threat position.
For most players, it's a feint.
But for Kise, it was a real three-way threat—pass, shoot, drive.
You couldn't tell what he was going to do.
His arsenal was vast, and everything about his movement screamed danger.