Daiki Aomine reacted half a beat too late, and Kotaro Hayama had already blown past him on the right.
Aomine burst forward in an instant, his whole body turning into a streak of blue lightning as he chased Hayama down.
Hayama's pupils shrank, his face full of disbelief.
He caught up?!
Fukuda's point guard stared with his mouth hanging open, muttering under his breath,
"Y-you've got to be kidding… He… he actually caught up?"
Daiki Aomine quickly cut off Kotaro Hayama's driving lane. Hayama hardened his resolve, clenched his teeth, and used Lightning Dribbling once again.
"Three fingers!!!"
Kotaro Hayama accelerated for the second time, shaking off Aomine's defense once more and sending the ball straight through the hoop.
Daiki Aomine turned his head in shock.
He can still accelerate?!
Miyamoto Tokima narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself.
For Kotaro Hayama in his current condition, using Lightning Dribbling consecutively during a single drive had to be an enormous burden.
Sure enough, Miyamoto Tokima's guess was quickly confirmed. After landing, Hayama's legs trembled uncontrollably, his expression turning pale and strained.
Coach Fukuda jumped to his feet, shock written all over his face.
Kotaro…
Coach Fukuda immediately called another timeout. As soon as Kotaro Hayama came off the court, the coach snapped angrily,
"Kotaro! Who told you to use Lightning Dribbling back-to-back?! Your body can't handle two in a row!"
Kotaro Hayama knew he was in the wrong. He stammered for a long while, unable to say anything.
The coach let out a deep sigh. He understood Hayama's personality all too well.
After being completely shut down by Miyamoto Tokima, Hayama had already been holding onto a sense of frustration. He never expected that even after switching defenders, someone could still keep up with his speed. That stubborn refusal to accept it was what drove him to force two Lightning Dribbles in a single possession.
Kotaro Hayama's body was still developing. For him right now, using Lightning Dribbling twice in a row placed far too much strain on his body.
"Kotaro, you're resting for now."
Kotaro Hayama looked up in disbelief and shouted,
"Coach!!! Without me—"
The coach didn't budge. "That's an order. You'll go back in once you've recovered!"
"I… yes…"
Kotaro Hayama lowered his head helplessly, pulled a towel over his face so no one could see his expression, and sat quietly on the bench.
The coach sighed deeply. Of course he knew what taking Hayama out meant, but there was no other choice. Compared to winning, he cared far more about his players' health.
Fukuda's point guard clenched his teeth and said to Hayama,
"Kotaro, don't worry. We'll keep the score close!"
The rest of the Fukuda players were also holding in a breath of pent-up determination and chimed in one after another,
"That's right, Kotaro! Leave it to us!"
Kotaro Hayama lifted his head, eyes reddened as he looked at his teammates, and murmured softly,
"Everyone… thank you…"
Beep!!!
The game resumed.
The Fukuda players gathered together, pumping each other up.
"Let's go!!!"
All five shouted in unison as they headed back onto the court.
A fierce fighting spirit burst from their eyes, like warriors prepared to march toward death.
Daiki Aomine scratched his head and muttered,
"Their momentum's actually stronger than before. Did Kotaro Hayama piss them off or something? How come the moment he went out, their spirit shot up?"
Miyamoto Tokima's mouth twitched as he complained inwardly.
Only you, Aomine Daiki, could come up with something like that.
Shuzo Nijimura watched the change in Fukuda's presence, his expression turning serious as he warned,
"Be careful. Our offense probably won't be that smooth anymore."
Aomine nodded heavily. Atsushi Murasakibara walked onto the court with a blank expression.
Shintaro Midorima adjusted his glasses, giving no hint of what he was thinking.
Teikō Middle School ball.
Miyamoto Tokima dribbled past half court, and Fukuda's point guard immediately closed in, teeth clenched.
It was hard to believe this was the same guard who had been completely suppressed by Miyamoto Tokima's presence just moments ago. Now, he was glued to him, constantly harassing his dribble.
Sensing the difference, Miyamoto Tokima finally took the Fukuda point guard seriously.
Looking at the guard's eyes blazing with fighting spirit, Miyamoto Tokima decided to respect that resolve and respond with a decisive attack.
He quickly went into a behind-the-back dribble, disrupting the guard's defensive rhythm, continuously shifting his center of gravity. Then, in an instant, he switched the ball from his right hand to his left, his right foot slamming into the floor.
A huge change of direction—clean, decisive, and effortless—blew past the Fukuda point guard, as casual as crossing the street early in the morning.
The Fukuda guard didn't give up. After being beaten, he spun around and tried to swipe the ball, but Miyamoto Tokima was simply too fast. By the time he turned back, Miyamoto Tokima had already stormed into the paint.
Fukuda's center rushed over to help, eyes burning, body tensed, ready for a head-on collision.
Miyamoto Tokima smiled faintly. His speed dropped from max to zero as he pulled up for a sudden stop jump shot.
Swish!!!
The release was lightning-fast. Before Fukuda's center could even react, the ball was already through the net.
Possession changed, but Fukuda didn't lose heart.
They ran a coordinated play, and in the end, the ball was delivered to their center cutting into the paint. The center finished with a smooth hook shot.
Teikō ball again.
Miyamoto Tokima crossed half court this time without attacking, instead passing the ball to Shuzo Nijimura.
Nijimura caught it, facing Fukuda's power forward.
Against the current No. 1 power forward in middle school basketball, Fukuda's power forward showed no fear at all, pressing tightly against Nijimura.
Shuzo Nijimura remained completely calm. Seizing his opening, he instantly tore through the defender's coverage.
Thud… thud…
He dribbled hard into the paint, Fukuda's power forward chasing close behind.
Suddenly, Nijimura stopped and raised the ball, making a shooting motion.
Both Fukuda's power forward and the rotating center were fooled, leaping high to contest.
Thud… thud…
But Nijimura never picked up the ball to shoot. With just a single fake, he sent both defenders flying, leaving the basket wide open.
Shuzo Nijimura rose up and slammed the ball home.
"Wow, Nijimura really lives up to his title as the No. 1 power forward in middle school. His strength is still incredible."
"Yeah, faking out two defenders like that—way too easy."
"As expected, Nijimura is still the top power forward in middle school."
The stands erupted into chatter. Compared to Teikō's newly introduced first-years, the crowd clearly favored Shuzo Nijimura—after all, he was already recognized as the nation's No. 1 power forward.