Chapter 3: The Genius
The jump ball started and the players selected were Takeda and Tabata.
When tip off starts, Takeda easily tips the ball towards his team.
Which forced Sendou's team to go on defensive mode.
Namba who's Team A's point guard, carries the ball all the way to the halfcourt.
He was then stopped by Jin who's Team B's point guard.
" Keep the pressure up, don't let a pass to get through. " Jin commands his team.
Namba, who's troubled on where to pass decides to pass the ball to their Maizumi(SF) but it was intercepted by Sendou who sprinted on the court after getting the steal.
No one could've chase him at that speed.
Because of that, he easily scored through a dunk.
Hiroshi picks the ball up and gives it to Namba who's shivering.
" That's okay, no one could've predicted that. " Hiroshi tried to easen Namba's nervousness.
Second possession and it's a chance for Takeda's team to tie the game.
Namba carries the ball again as they cross the halfcourt.
" We'll score on this one. " Takeda encouraged his team as he post up.
Namba continues to hold the ball looking for an opportunity as Jin continues to make his team well connected.
Because of Jin's coordinated defense and knowledge in basketball, Namba was becoming more and more useless as the game progress.
As the time ticks to 7 seconds, Namba finds Maizumi who manages to lose his defender and gets a chance to be open.
Even if it's momentarily, Namba quickly pass the ball to Maizumi through bounce pass.
It manages to get through and Maizumi drives through Team B's defense.
No one manages to stop him because then they would leave their man, because of this it costed them 2 points.
Now the game is tied, the game is still far from being over.
The players still have a lot of time to showcase their skills.
On the other side, Jin who carries the ball looks for his teammates and tries to find someone who can score.
Out of everyone in his team, only Sendou was oozing in limitless possibilities.
Jin was only waiting for his opponents mistake, because with a bit of mistake.
An opening won't be overlooked.
When Maizumi was distracted by Jin's dribbling, Sendou quickly passed him which is followed by Jin's quick pass to Sendou.
It's enough to break Team A's defense.
Sendou sneaks inside the enemy perimeter and chooses to lay it up.
However, Takeda was the one manning the post which created problems for Sendou's shot.
" Not so tough now, genius? " Sendou grinned at Takeda's provocation.
" However– " Sendou spins midair and made contact with Takeda's body, he rotates in the other side to avoid the block as he puts the scoops the ball up and scores.
" A double clutch! " Hiroshi couldn't believe what he just witnessed.
The game has only started but it looks like Sendou's already dominating the game.
To make matters worse, Sendou was fouled in that play which makes the decision a shooting foul on Takeda.
" and one baby! " Sendou poses up showing his supremacy.
Sendou goes into the free throw line and easily knocks the free throw.
The game is now 2-5 with Team B leading the game with 3 points.
" Incredible, he managed to score despite of tight defense. " Takeda couldn't help but to amazed.
A substitution was called and Namba was switched by a new player named Sugai.
A new point guard entered the game!
" Let's return the favor team! " Takeda encourages his team once again.
Sugai, the new point guard now holds the ball.
He was the new guy in Jin's watch.
Sugai passed the ball to Hiroshi.
" Finally. " Hiroshi holds the ball for awhile and decides not to dribble, he tries to find an opportunity.
His opponent, Ikehara(SG) was focusing in Hiroshi's eyes.
" You're not crossing me! " Ikehara tried to steal the ball in Hiroshi's hand.
Hiroshi who's focused on the rim, looks on his opponent and decides to go for a hesitation on the right and a crossover to the left.
It worked as Hiroshi manages to pass through Ikehara who's still shocked by what happened.
Hiroshi suddenly stops from pushing as Sendou blocks in his path.
" I've been thinking for awhile, but you're that annoying guy from earlier. " Sendou spreads his arm to lessen Hiroshi's opportunity to score.
" Come then, I won't let you score, Bug. " He threatened Hiroshi.
Hiroshi who's been looking down ever since he passed Ikehara finally looked up.
He looks at Sendou and smiles.
" What are you talking about, dumbass? It's already there. " Sendou eyes widen as he quickly looked back to see Maizumi in the air, who's about to dunk the ball.
" Bang! " Maizumi slams the ball into ring.
A no look alley-oop!
Hiroshi and Maizumi connection.
Sendou looked back at Hiroshi.
" I take it back, You're not a bug at all. " Sendou smiles with anger and excitement.
Another possession comes into Team B and Jin dribbles the ball slower this time.
" To think that there's someone who could play at Sendou's level. " Jin looked at Maizumi.
He couldn't help but to get infected by the hype the players have been emitting ever since.
Jin decides to dribbles the ball faster, he then tried passed his opponent.
But Sugai manages to catch up to him.
" Tch. How stubborn. " Jin was agitated by Sugai's glued defense.
He then passed the ball to Ikehara who didn't hesitate to shoot for a three despite being guarded by Hiroshi.
To his surprise, it missed.
The ball bounces back and Usui grabs the rebound.
He then passed the ball to Sendou.
Sendou, who's eyeing his opponent for awhile now decides to speed up his dribbling.
The sudden increase in pace made Maizumi flinched.
Once Sendou noticed another hole in the enemy's defense.
He sticks his tongue out, he throws the ball between his opponents leg and recollects the ball when he passed Maizumi.
" Ah, he got through! " Maizumi tried to steal the ball from behind but Sendou was too quick.
Juro (PF) quickly went in defensive stance and blocks Sendou's path.
It looks like Sendou was about to layup.
Juro quickly bites onto it, only to get faked by Sendou's shift and finishes up with a behind the back dribble.
Only one last defender remain from stopping Sendou from scoring and it was Takeda.
But ever since Sendou humiliated Takeda by his double clutch, it puts wonders in Team A's defense.
He was their last hope on stopping this genius and he'll do everything to do so.
As everyone was focused on the match up between the two, one player slipped through everyone's eyes.
" Hold it, genius. " Sendou hears a voice from behind his back and that person tipped the ball from Sendou's hands.
" You– " Sendou finally saw the snake the slithered in the grassy battlefield.
It was no other than Hiroshi who stole the ball from him.
" Fastbreak! " Sugai and Maizumi quickly ran towards the halfcourt as Hiroshi throws a long pass.
Jin was there too, he wouldn't let them score easily.
The three was about to contest the possession for the ball.
It was a risky play no doubt, if the ball ever reaches Jin's hand or if it rolls out of bounds.
Sugai turned around to face the ball and jumped, he catches the ball and quickly ran alongside Maizumi who splits up to confuse Jin.
" Show me newbies, your talents! " Jin fully accepted their ply and locked on Sugai who immediately passed the ball to Maizumi.
Maizumi was more than ready to score, as he recieved the ball he went on a drive immediately.
Maizumi goes to finger roll finish but the ball was swatted midair.
A long wingspan throws the ball from the side, it was Sendou who quickly recovered their turnover and turned it into a defense.
Such athleticism, only few can accomplish what he can do.
The ball continues to bounce into the floor as someone picked the ball up.
Everyone's attention focused on that one particular person.
" Hiroshi! " Sendou gritted his teeth as he ran towards Hiroshi, but it was too late.
Hiroshi shoots the ball from the three point line and nails it.
Hiroshi gripped his hand tight and celebrates as the score turns 7-5 which now Team A leads.
The three quickly returns into their position as Jin grabs the ball.
" What a play. " Jin looked at the clock as he dribbles the ball.
" Only five more minutes. " He turned his attention to Sendou who's standing still in their halfcourt.
He gave Sendou a tap in the back.
" Let's show them who's the best, Sendou. " Jin started increasing the pace as Sendou ran past him.
Sugai gets his full attention on Jin's dribbling.
Jin sprints on the left wing and Sugai follows up.
Suddenly, he was blocked by Usui (PF)
Usui's screen was too strong for Sugai to get through, as for Jin.
He didn't waste any moment and pulled up from the three point line.
The ball spins in the air and soon it reaches the ring, it bounces off and the rebound takes place.
Or so they thought, before even everyone leaps to grab the ball.
Someone was already conquering the air.
Sendou puts the ball back in with a slam!
Everyone was stunned by that play, once Sendou jumps down, he looked at Hiroshi.
The game continues as Sugai passed the ball to Takeda this time.
Tabata who's guarding the post against Takeda was being pushed back.
Even if he tried to fight back, he continues to get overpowered by Takeda's raw force.
One more push causes Tabata to break and Takeda easily punished their defense with a slam dunk.
The game continues and Sendou's team pushed through and scores.
The same goes for Takeda's team as they grabbed more boards and puts it back.
The final stretch arrives with the scores of 37-39. With only one minute left, everyone was more focused than they could ever be.
Game ball and it's Team A's possession.
" Let's sink this through team! " Takeda's last encouragement blast through everyone's heart.
Sugai dribbles the ball and tried to find an opening.
" There's now a lot of scoring possibilities. " Sugai talked to himself as he assessed the situation.
" There's a chance where Maizumi could pass Sendou at any moment. There's also Takeda who can overpower his opponent in the post. Not to mention, there's Juro can grab the rebound if they miss. " those were his best bet.
The only reason it's hard to perform these are because of the catalysts, that's the only thing that's stopping them from scoring.
" Jin and Sendou, this two are unstoppable. If I ever make a sloppy pass, this two will gun it down and it will be over. " Sugai was running out of options.
This part is the most crucial part of the game, the crunch time where anything could happen especially if it's a close match.
" Don't let anyone get through, go for the kill! " Jin encourages his team back.
Jin spreads his arm halting Sugai's further plan.
" Come, Sugai. I'm ready. " Jin's provocation was enough to pressure Sugai.
" Shit, I can't find a opening at all. " Sugai quickly scans the area but it's futile.
It's like trying to find the needle in the haystack.
With only 30 seconds to go, Sugai risked it all and tried to cross Jin.
" Not so fast. " Jin stabs the ball in Sugai's dribbling which created a hole in their offense.
A loose ball occurs and everyone started running after the ball.
Before everyone arrives to pick it up, someone grabbed the ball.
The fact that this person manages to outsmart everyone in the court, he was the true catalyst in the game.
The factor Sugai overlooked.
" Hiroshi! " Sugai finds hope as Hiroshi recovered their turnover.
As the time ticks, Hiroshi's hearing became dull.
He couldn't hear anyone's voice inside the court, all he could see was a path towards scoring.
Hiroshi blasted through but he was suddenly halted by Ikehara who tries to get the ball.
" Not this time! " Ikehara, who's only an inch away from taking the ball from Hiroshi fails as Hiroshi spins over his defender.
He passed through Ikehara but Jin quickly backs up and locked at Hiroshi's movements.
Hiroshi bounced the ball from between the legs of Jin and recollects the ball as he crossed another defender.
" He passed through? " Jin quickly looked back and tries to steal the ball from behind.
Hiroshi boost himself and left Jin in the perimeter.
No one is stopping him as he enters the post.
The door opens up and a couple of girls peeked through the gym.
" Hana, you're late. " says the girl manager.
" Sorry, school activities held me! " she laughed it off.
Hana and the girls attention were stolen by the spectacular scene in the court.
" Stop him, Sendou! " Jin shouted.
Sendou, coming from the side sprinted out in attempt to stop Hiroshi who's about to layup.
" Huh, isn't that the guy from earlier? " says Hana.
" You know him? " the manager asked.
" Not quite, but I've been with earlier at the entrance. " Hana was a bit meek while talking about Hiroshi.
" I didn't expect him to join basketball at all, he looked like someone who'd play chess. " Hana's eyes were captivated by the crunch play between the players.
" Well you see, that guy over there is causing some stir inside the court. " Hana looks confused by the manager's words.
" What do you mean? Look, he's getting stopped by that guy– "
" You're not gonna score this time, Hiroshi! " Hana's words were overlapped by Sendou's scream.
As Sendou extends his arm to block the ball, Hiroshi quickly pulled by ball back to him.
Hiroshi takes a spin midair to avoid Sendou's block while keeping in contact and scoops the ball to the ring.
Hiroshi manages to score despite of Sendou's stubbornness.
As Hiroshi jumps down, Sendou drops from the floor.
He looked up only to see Hiroshi looking down on him.
A loud whistle spears throughout the gym.
" Sendou, shooting foul. " the scoring outplay of Hiroshi manages to blast through which puts them back into the game.
" and one, you bug. " says Hiroshi.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone