Chapter 071: Hagioka Kasayuki, He’s Basically a Supersized Point Guard!

Shigure Akihito at the line for the bonus.

Swish. It's good.

Teiko vs. Okayama.

6:4.

For the next half-quarter of play:

On offense, Teiko relied on Nijimura Shuzo to initiate and organize, while on defense, it was a seamless collaboration, Shigure's extraordinary individual ability combined with Nijimura's court vision, and the remaining four executed a tight zone. Shigure alone covered nearly the entire inside of the arc with his rotational help defense.

Okayama, meanwhile, countered with unrelenting and well-coordinated team play, constantly tugging at Teiko's rhythm. But Nijimura could see through the facade, this "team play" derived at least 60% of its effectiveness from a single player's orchestration:

Hagioka Kasayuki.

Strip away just that one element, and even with Shigure's "Miniature Wide-Area Defense," Teiko and Okayama would be neck-and-neck this quarter.

But that one element changed everything.

Okayama was clearly holding their own, but the score?

Was slowly widening.

The reason was clear,

Shigure Akihito's sudden bursts.

His trump cards,

"Time Freeze."

"Frozen Moment."

"Shadow of Sendō."

With most of his energy focused on defense, Shigure didn't have much left to spare. Yet even so, he squeezed out three ultimate skills in the span of five and a half minutes, helping Teiko build a five-point lead in just half a quarter.

Teiko vs. Okayama.

19:14.

Teiko possession.

Iizawa Shō received a drive-and-kick from Nijimura. Okayama's defense still had terrifying speed, Hino Shinya had already abandoned Utsumi Masahiko to help on Nijimura's drive, making an eerily precise read.

Seeing this, Nijimura glanced toward Hagioka Kasayuki.

His defense…

Perfectly positioned to help wherever needed.

And still had the presence of mind to direct his teammates.

So sharp, he might be the most intelligent player Nijimura had ever seen.

On the other side,

As soon as Iizawa caught the ball, Hino was already in his face, having anticipated the pass. The instant the ball bounced,

He pounced.

Hino Shinya: "..."

With Hagioka there, it was almost too easy to read Teiko's plan. Even if Nijimura Shuzo was a similar type of player,

He still wasn't on Hagioka's level.

Iizawa's move came to a screeching halt.

"Ugh…"

Damn it!

That help defense was way too fast!

No, maybe not just fast. Maybe he'd read Nijimura like a book…

No, Nijimura's execution was flawless. It had to be,

Me.

I must've given it away when I moved.

"Okayama's pressure is insane!"

"It's as suffocating as Shigure Akihito's help defense for Teiko!"

"Feels like they're going all out in the first quarter already!"

"This game is wild!"

"Both teams look nothing like they did in their previous matches!"

Hino's interception from Iizawa's desperate pass sparked a fast break,

Shit!

A black shadow shot down the court toward Teiko's basket!

Shigure Akihito: "!?"

Nijimura Shuzo: "!"

Behind that blur, Shigure activated Godai Tomokazu: Full-Throttle, Nijimura entered Beast Mode, both in hot pursuit!

Number 4!

The center…

Hagioka Kasayuki!?

Hagioka erupted with shocking speed!

It was his first fast break of the game. At 193 cm, his long legs didn't move as quickly as Shigure's or Nijimura's, but his stride,

Was in a league of its own!

So fast!

No one saw it coming!

Who would've thought Hagioka could move this fast!?

He blitzed past half court, then the paint, and suddenly, his eyes flicked to the right!

There, running the lane with him, albeit lagging,

Raimiya Tōsei.

Nijimura Shuzo: "!?"

Nijimura hesitated for a split second, tricked by Hagioka's eyes.

But instinct kicked in immediately, and he accelerated again!

As expected…

Hagioka went up himself!

Whoosh, !

Just as Hagioka was about to slam it home, Shigure Akihito launched up beside him,

Kiyota Nobunaga: Flying Block!

Like a giant bird spreading its wings, he soared.

Against the backdrop of their height difference, Shigure's block looked almost absurd,

Smack, !

Shigure swatted it down with one hand, but Hagioka had anticipated this.

Air switch!

Mid-air adjustment!

Nijimura was already closing in!

Moments ago, Hagioka had frozen him with a fake, but now that Shigure had drawn the switch, Nijimura arrived just in time.

And then,

Everyone was stunned.

Hagioka twisted mid-air, palmed the ball with one hand, and,

No-look, behind-the-back pass!

Bang, !

Okayama's point guard, Dendo Kaoru, finished it with a dunk!

Teiko vs. Okayama.

19:16.

"Hagioka didn't even look back!"

"That speed!"

"And he's a center?! How's he faster than Shigure and Nijimura?!"

"Even the two of them couldn't stop him…"

"He's basically a supersized point guard!"

"No way…"

"Hagioka Kasayuki has this kind of individual ability?!"

Landing, Hagioka turned and looked straight at Shigure Akihito.

It was the first time all game that Shigure saw an expression, any emotion, on his face.

"Hmph… Shigure Akihito,"

"You'll have to run faster than that."

Looking at Hagioka, Shigure realized something he'd never expected to feel on the national stage,

He wasn't the protagonist.

He was part of someone else's story.

Shigure raised an eyebrow.

"You'll see soon enough…"

"But I hope you can keep up."

Hagioka blinked, then let out a small, amused laugh.

"Come on then."

"Little first-year."

…

Teiko's next possession.

Nijimura brought the ball up. Shigure asked for it at the top of the arc.

Unexpectedly,

Hagioka, who should've been guarding Dazō Masaaki in the post, stepped out to meet him.

Shigure's eyebrow twitched.

Fine by him.

Saved him the trouble of seeking Hagioka out.

Ultimate Skill, Green Light!

[Green Light: A burst of momentum turns the user into a streak of green on the court, granting Lightspeed Dribble and Shadow Shift Breakthrough for 30 seconds.]

As the skill activated, a massive surge of energy radiated from Shigure.

Hagioka could feel it, see it, even.

That green light… was shimmering right in front of him.

In a blink, Shigure attacked Hagioka's right side.

But,

Even as a center, Hagioka's reflexes were ridiculous.

With one wide step, he cut Shigure off, his arms dancing like smoke.

Shigure felt like he'd crashed into cotton. His speed,

Suddenly dropped!

Shigure: "...!"

He furrowed his brow and tightened his dribble, moving even faster.

But Hagioka's hands were like magnets, staying with the ball no matter how quickly it moved!

Then,

Crossover!

Followed by,

Mochizuki Stepback!

[Mochizuki Stepback: Feint a drive, then instantly cross into a sudden backward step.]

With Green Light boosting him, the move came out like a gale,

Whoosh, !

Sendō Akira: Pull-Up Fadeaway!

Hagioka's pupils contracted. He sprang upward!

Both leapt. Wind curled their hair upwards in their flight.

But the ball, already arcing past Hagioka's reach.

Swish, !

Three points!

Teiko vs. Okayama.

22:16.

Cheers erupted.

The stadium exploded with energy.

"So fast!"

"With that height difference, and Hagioka defending like a guard?!"

"And it was a fadeaway three!"

"His release point is unreal!"

As the ball swished through, Shigure looked up at Hagioka and shook his head.

"You serious? You already can't keep up when I speed up just a little?"

"That all you got?"

Hagioka didn't respond. He simply turned and prepared for the next play.

But the aura around him, like black flames, erupted in silent fury.

And yet…

His voice, when he turned to his teammates,

Was calm.

"Guys…"

"There's been a shift."

"Shigure's coverage is stifling our offense. We can't let him keep conserving energy like this."

"From here on…"

"I'll take him one-on-one. Support me."

…

Okayama's turn.

As they set up, everyone on Teiko's side suddenly turned solemn, and surprised.

Because,

The one bringing up the ball…

Was Hagioka Kasayuki.

From the top of the arc!

Facing Nijimura's defense, Hagioka backed him down with a spin, carved out space, then lifted the ball,

And shot.

Using Nijimura's head almost as a scope.

Nijimura: "!?"

A three-pointer?

And it was… beautiful.

The arc.

The release.

Perfect.

Swish, !

Nothing but net.

22:19.

"Hm… Nijimura-kun, could you swap out for Shigure?"

"Your strength is decent, but when it comes to elevation, "

"You're not quite there."

Hagioka looked down at Nijimura.

Sorry, Nijimura Shuzo.

If he was going to go full force,

Only Shigure Akihito could defend him.

The rest of the chapter continues with Hagioka's strategic targeting of Shigure, the shift in defensive matchups, and a dramatic back-and-forth as both sides push the limits of their abilities.

End of chapter...

To be continued...

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