Outside the court, Coach Kasahara of Luoan was visibly surprised to see Ryonan score so quickly."So they do have some strength after all," he muttered."No wonder Senior Taoka dared to schedule this practice match with us."He smiled faintly."Good. This will be perfect exercise for the players."
He wasn't too worried about the early setback.The game had just started, and it was only a one-point difference.Kasahara believed his team's skill would soon turn things around.
On the court, Luoan gradually shook off their initial shock.
Captain Takai Akihiro rallied his teammates with a confident grin:"Don't sweat it! One basket is all it takes to even the score!""Yeah! Time to show them what our offense is made of!""Ryonan thinks they can show off in front of us? Let's teach them a lesson!"
Under Takai's leadership, Luoan's morale quickly rebounded.
Except for the center, Bai Shui Lunsheng, who remained quietly uneasy.
From the jump ball earlier, Bai Shui knew Yuzumi wasn't just tall—he was strong.Stronger than anything he'd imagined.Could he really handle that kind of power?
Meanwhile, Fukaohara was brimming with confidence.
He hadn't accepted losing to Kenichi Uesugi earlier—not really.He was convinced Kenichi's last shot was a cheap sneak attack, catching him off guard.Now, it was his turn to strike back, to show what real national-level strength looked like.
Luoan began their first offensive play.
Point guard Aida Shusuke crossed half court, the ball in hand.He glanced at Fukaohara, eager to make an impression.Feigning a drive past Uekusa, Aida slipped a subtle pass behind him to Fukaohara.
Fukaohara's eyes lit up—finally, his moment to shine!
But as he reached for the ball, Kenichi Uesugi, standing right behind him, casually waved his hand and slapped the pass away without even looking back.
"What?!""He intercepted that without even turning around?!""No way!"
The Luoan players were stunned.They couldn't believe Uesugi had stolen the ball blindly.
Fukaohara himself was the most shocked.He'd been ready to make his move, but Kenichi's effortless steal left him speechless.
Even more baffling—Kenichi never once looked behind him.Could he really see through the back of his head?
Fukaohara tried turning his neck to see if he could spot Kenichi, but his head almost snapped—and still, he couldn't.
He was utterly stunned.
Is this guy even human?
On the sidelines, Coach Kasahara was equally astonished.
He'd heard legends of players with extraordinary perception, but he'd never witnessed it firsthand until today.
But even as Luoan's players reacted with surprise, they refused to slow down.
Their long-standing strength as a team was built on resilience.
Right after Uesugi's steal, Captain Akihiro Takai immediately grabbed the ball.
Without missing a beat, he jumped and fired a lightning-fast shot—trying to score before Ryonan could set up their defense.
But as Takai released the ball, Sendoh rushed in.
Though he didn't block the shot, Sendoh got a hand on the ball, disrupting its path.
"Rebound!" both Takai and Sendoh shouted simultaneously.
Luoan's Shiramizu Rinsheng tried to push ahead and secure position, but he was no match for Yuzumi blocking him.
Bang!The ball hit the rim and bounced out.
Yuzumi outmuscled Shiramizu to snatch the rebound.
Ryonan had a new chance to attack.
Uekusa quickly controlled the ball and pushed it past half court.
On the left, Sendoh broke free from Takai's defense and cut inside.
Uekusa saw this and passed directly to Sendoh.
Fukaohara sprinted over to cover the open man, but Sendoh didn't attempt a risky shot.
Instead, he passed to Kenichi Uesugi.
Kenichi charged inside with the ball.
Facing the towering Shiramizu, he lofted the ball high into the air.
Shiramizu jumped to intercept—but he couldn't reach it.
Only Yuzumi remained under the basket.
With a fierce roar, Yuzumi soared and slammed the ball down with a two-handed dunk!
Score: Ryonan 5, Luoan 0.
Ryonan's teamwork was seamless.
Watching Yuzumi, Sendoh, and Kenichi celebrate and clap, Coach Kasahara's calm expression finally wavered.
These three players gave him a bad feeling.
Though Kasahara was confident in his team's national-level experience, he suspected Ryonan hadn't shown their full strength yet.
If these three were holding back before...
What would happen if they unleashed everything?
Before the game, Kasahara would have said his team could handle it.
Now, doubt crept in.
A worry stirred deep inside.
Could this match slip away from them?