The instant Mitsui's shot went in, Coach Domoto rushed to the scorer's table and called his final full timeout.
He crouched low on the floor, no tactical board in hand, staring straight into the eyes of his players.
Those eyes were filled with unwillingness, frustration, anxiety—even fear. The situation before them was nothing short of desperate.
"You must be patient!" Domoto roared. "Calm down! No mistakes—absolutely no mistakes!"
Shohoku had no answer for Sawakita's individual offense.
But Sannoh had no answer for Nango either.
At this point, Domoto could only hope his players stayed composed and avoided self-inflicted errors—maybe then, just maybe, a miracle could still happen.
The timeout ended. Both teams returned to the court.
"Go, Fukatsu!"
"Go, Kawata!"
"Go, Sawakita!"
"Go, Sannoh!"
Sannoh's supporters threw away all restraint, their shouts surging like waves and crashing through the arena.
Shohoku's side refused to be drowned out.
"Rukawa Kaede! I love you—!"
Rukawa's fan club stood first.
"Hmph! No way we let a bunch of girls fight alone!"
Tokuo grabbed a flag and waved it wildly. "Go, Mitsui!"
Mitsui rubbed his forehead with a sigh. "What sin did I commit in my past life…?"
"Sakuragi!"
"Go!"
"Shohoku, It's all on you!"
For once, the Sakuragi Gang's cheers were completely sincere.
"Sakuragi!"
Haruko stood among them, waving both arms with all her strength.
Sakuragi Hanamichi grinned confidently. He raised his fist high, then tapped his chest gently.
Leave it to me.
"Nango!"
Kano waved her slender arms enthusiastically.
Nango smiled and flashed her a V-sign.
He had already decided—this game would be won.
The noise in the arena climbed higher and higher until it became pure chaos.
Yet despite the roaring support, Sannoh's players looked weighed down.
Shohoku, in contrast, radiated momentum.
Sawakita took the ball and immediately exploded forward, charging into the paint.
He wanted a 2+1.
A simple two points wouldn't be enough anymore.
But Shohoku had already seen through him.
Coach Anzai had given clear instructions during the timeout:
Two points are acceptable.
Three points are not.
Driving is acceptable.
Drawing fouls is not.
Sannoh had to fight desperately.
Shohoku only needed to avoid mistakes.
So Akagi—who never retreated in the paint—did something uncharacteristic.
He yielded ground.
Sawakita scored easily.
"Damn it!"
The ball went in, but this wasn't the result Sawakita wanted.
Sannoh immediately initiated a full-court press.
Little Kawata waved his arms wildly along the baseline, denying Akagi an easy inbound.
Sawakita locked onto Nango, blocking his path.
Fukatsu and Matsumoto hovered nearby, ready to trap.
Big Kawata guarded the half-court line like a wall.
"Yes! That's it! Hold on!"
Coach Domoto clapped furiously on the sideline, shouting himself hoarse.
Nango suddenly shoved Sawakita away and retreated sharply. The instant space appeared, he burst toward the baseline.
Akagi reacted instantly and lofted the pass.
Fukatsu, Sawakita, and Matsumoto converged—but none dared overcommit.
With Nango's height and wingspan, one reckless move could turn into an instant kick-out and an easy score.
"Rukawa."
Nango called out calmly, signaling Rukawa to stay parallel with him.
Only then did he advance slowly.
Matsumoto and Fukatsu had no choice but to retreat.
Sawakita was left alone.
Nango leaned into him, dribbling deliberately beyond the arc. He wasn't rushing.
Every second burned now was torture for Sannoh.
With 13 seconds left on the shot clock, Nango finally attacked—straight into the paint.
Then—
A sharp kick to the corner.
Mitsui caught it and raised the ball.
Matsumoto panicked and leaped.
Mitsui pulled it back and swung it to the wing.
Rukawa Kaede caught and rose immediately.
Fukatsu hesitated—he couldn't risk giving up the drive.
That moment was enough.
Rukawa put the ball down, blew past him, and pulled up cleanly from mid-range.
"Swish!"
The ball fell as the clock ticked to 4 seconds.
Sawakita attacked again.
This time, Nango didn't press full-court. He waited beyond the arc, wary of Sawakita's speed creating a defensive breakdown.
Then—
Sawakita pulled up.
Two steps outside the three-point line.
A forced shot.
Nango froze.
Everyone froze.
It was far earlier—and far deeper—than expected.
Even Fukatsu and the Sannoh players were stunned.
But the ball was already in the air.
Go in…!
Sawakita prayed fiercely.
He had practiced NBA-range shots in secret—dreaming of the league beyond Japan.
Low percentage.
High risk.
But now—
It was worth everything.
"Swish!"
The arena exploded.
"Yes!"
Sawakita roared, adrenaline surging as he sprinted into another full-court press.
Momentum shifted again.
Nango inbounded the same way as before. This time, Sannoh's perimeter trio guarded high, near half-court.
They wanted to force a backcourt violation.
Nango instantly read it.
He waved Rukawa forward instead of parallel.
Fukatsu cursed inwardly.
Damn it—he's just a freshman! Why is he this composed?!
Crossing half-court, Matsumoto lunged.
Nango didn't pass to the accelerating Rukawa.
He passed to Mitsui.
Wide open.
Mitsui stepped into the three and released.
If this went in—
It was over.
"Slap!"
Big Kawata exploded upward, barely grazing the ball.
He landed, jumped again, and ripped the rebound away.
"Attack!"
He hurled the ball forward.
Sawakita chased it down, already preparing another three.
Nango caught up but didn't jump—he waited.
No fouls.
The shot went up.
"Clang!"
This time—
A miss.
But Kawata followed and hammered it in.
Five-point gap.
1:40 left.
"Beep!"
Coach Anzai called his final timeout.
No speeches.
Only calm.
Akagi inbounded.
Little Kawata blocked his vision.
Nango and Rukawa split wide.
Sawakita and Fukatsu went for Nango.
So Akagi passed to Rukawa.
Rukawa saw only one thing—
Kawata alone in the paint.
He drove.
Matsumoto considered fouling.
"Let him in!" Kawata roared.
Matsumoto hesitated.
Rukawa rose—
"Slap!"
Kawata swatted it away.
But Sakuragi grabbed the loose ball and jumped.
Kawata leaped again.
Sakuragi laughed mid-air and dropped it back to Rukawa.
With no strength left, Kawata could only watch.
Boom!
After landing, Sakuragi grinned.
"I gave it back! We're even now!"
"Huh?"
Rukawa didn't remember. He'd forgotten long ago.
Nango waited beyond the arc.
Shoot if you dare, he roared internally.
Sawakita drove, stopped, and pulled up.
Miss.
Sakuragi rebounded and launched the ball forward like a discus.
"Idiot! Too high!"
Nango chased it down, dragging time off the clock.
When Sawakita pressed—
Nango drove.
Both Kawatas converged.
He floated—
Foul.
"Beep!"
The shot dropped.
And the free throw followed.
Ten points.
The end.
Sawakita fired again.
Miss.
Fukatsu tried.
Air ball.
With 47 seconds left—
It was settled.
"Sannoh Industrial's dynasty… is over."
Aida Yayoi closed her notebook and stood.
"Congratulations, Nango."
The dust had finally settled.