Sendoh understood clearly that the coach had a purpose for arranging the teams this way—to test the limits of this remarkable newcomer.
And what better way to do it than facing him personally?
Sendoh himself had grown increasingly curious about this guy.
"Alright then... let's see how strong you really are."
After halftime, both teams returned to the court. Yuzumi and Sugahira once again took center for the tip-off, and just like in the first half, Yuzumi easily beat Sugahira to the ball.
This time, Kazuki Kishino didn't hesitate. He immediately passed the ball to Kenichi Uesugi.
After witnessing Kenichi's first-half performance, Kishino had fully realized that although Kenichi was also a rookie, his skill level was on a completely different tier—even above most of the regular starters.
"No shame in being dominated by him," Kishino thought.
"Even the main players got crushed!"
He glanced at Ikegami with a mix of pity and sympathy.
"Poor guy… but wait—why isn't he marking Uesugi now?"
Kenichi took Kishino's pass and began dribbling, eyes locked on Sendoh, who had come to defend him.
"So you've finally shown up.""You're strong.""But I want to see just how strong you really are!"
Sendoh tightened his stance, calmly preparing for defense.
As the rest of the players noticed Sendoh marking Kenichi directly, they instantly perked up with excitement.
"Sendoh's defending Uesugi himself?!""Looks like this rookie really got his attention.""I wonder who'll win this face-off.""What do you mean? Obviously Sendoh, no contest."
It was clear—most of the players weren't betting on Kenichi. And understandably so. Over the past year, Sendoh had shocked them time and again with his exceptional play.
On the bench, Coach Taoka Moichi fixed his eyes on the two players at the center of the court. His expression burned with anticipation.
"Show me your true power!"
Ever since the end of the rookie tournament, Coach Taoka had been eager to discover Kenichi's true ceiling. This scrimmage wasn't just a training match—it was a stage designed specifically for Kenichi Uesugi.
Sure, on paper it was about assessing the team lineup. But in reality, Taoka already knew who his starters were. Yuzumi and Sendoh were untouchable. Uekusa was a locked-in point guard. Ikegami and Koshino were clearly above the rest. And Fukuda would rotate in once he returned.
Only Kenichi Uesugi was a question mark—His role, his potential, his position—all unknowns.
And today, this match would answer them.
On the court, Kenichi dribbled at a steady pace. When his rhythm started to quicken, Sendoh suddenly stepped up and pressed in close—almost chest-to-chest.
"He's going for tight man-to-man defense!""He's trying to shut down the quick shot!" Yuzumi explained.
Hearing that, Ikegami felt like slapping himself.
"Why didn't I think of that? Closer defense means less space to shoot!"
But Yuzumi continued:
"Of course, that comes with its own risk—being too close makes it easier to get beat on a drive."
Everyone nodded. The offensive player held the initiative—he decided whether to shoot or break through.
"Well then, Uesugi has no choice," Ikegami chimed in."He's not crazy enough to take a shot over Sendoh…"
And in that exact moment, Kenichi made his move—and proved him completely wrong.
Right in front of Sendoh, despite the close coverage, Kenichi jumped.
"What the hell?! This guy's got a death wish!""He's actually ignoring Sendoh's defense?!""Arrogant punk!""No way that shot's going in!"
Even Ikegami was speechless. The entire court collectively doubted Kenichi could score in this situation.
"There's no way he's just relying on one shot style, right?""Maybe… but what if he really is?"
But while the players doubted him, Coach Taoka noticed something.
"This isn't his quick shot form…"
Kenichi's motion was different—it was his normal shooting form.
"But at that distance… with that defense… why would he still shoot?"
Even Sendoh didn't understand. Still, he reacted instantly, leaping to block the shot.
Just as Sendoh's hand was about to reach the ball, Kenichi did something incredible—he shifted his center of gravity mid-air, tilting his body backward. The move created just enough distance to avoid Sendoh's block.
Still airborne, body half-tilted, Kenichi released the ball—
Swish.
The clean sound of the ball slicing through the net echoed through the silent gym.
Everyone froze.
Kenichi landed, breathing heavily. The move had cost him. That shot, which he had imitated from Junpei Hyuuga's "Inviolable Shot" in Kuroko no Basuke, required intense control and drained a lot of stamina. Shifting his center of gravity in mid-air wasn't something anyone could pull off easily.
Across from him, Sendoh stood stunned—eyes wide, completely in disbelief.
Kenichi Uesugi had done the unthinkable.