"Yokonan is huge!" shouted Noboru.
"Whoa, look at the size of their track and soccer field. It's massive!" said Haruko excitedly.
"Yes, Yokonan is well known as a sports school, so this was expected," said Takahiro.
"They even have a pool. It's huge!" said Shino.
"Yokonan has a girls' swimming team. In fact, they haven't lost a single championship for eight years straight now," said Yukio.
"These girls are amazing. I wonder if I can get a couple of numbers," Noboru muttered.
A girl in her school swimsuit dove perfectly into the pool. In no time, she touched the other end, then swam back just as quickly.
"That's a new record!" said a girl on the swim team.
"She's the fastest swimmer I know. You're so cool!" said another girl.
"Um, Toshigawa Academy, right?" asked a boy.
"Yes," replied Nanaho.
"My name is Manabu. I was sent here to escort you guys. Please, come this way," said Manabu as Toshigawa's basketball team followed him.
Aoi, a girl on Yokonan's swimming team, checked out Toshigawa's lineup and found herself staring at Tetsuo.
"Where have I seen that face before?" Aoi asked herself.
"You guys can change in here. Oh, and the court is to the left down this hallway."
"Thank you for the help," said Yukio.
"Alright, let's see… it's time for the best part. What numbers do you want?" asked Nanaho as she took out a large bag Takahiro was carrying.
"Dibs on number ten!" said Noboru, immediately snatching up the jersey.
"Why do you always have to act like a hooligan? I was going to pass it to you. Jeez," said Nanaho, sighing.
"A seven for me," said Yukio.
"Really? I thought you were going for the traditional captain's number. I'll take the four, then," said Hayato.
"An eight for me," said Takahiro.
"I don't know much about what numbers mean in this sport, so I'll take this six," said Shino.
"An eleven would be just fine," said Tetsuo.
"Alright, everyone, go get ready and put on those jerseys," said Nanaho.
"Yes!" everyone responded.
"Haruko, you can come with me until then."
"Not gonna lie, I'm kind of digging the black and green combination. Very fitting," said Noboru, admiring the jersey.
"You can say that again," said Takahiro as everyone walked onto the court. They were met with a large crowd of Yokonan spectators.
"Here they come—Toshigawa Academy," said a boy in the crowd.
"They'll definitely not win this game," said a girl.
"They're just warm-ups for us, so this will be a pretty one-sided game," said a teacher on the sidelines.
"Wh… why are there so many people?" Shino asked nervously, looking around in disbelief.
"Isn't it obvious, you amateur? They came here to watch me," said Noboru.
"More like they came for a laugh, but I'll silence this crowd for sure," said Hayato, tying his headband.
"Just stay calm. In a situation like this, we are at a great disadvantage. I know it may be overwhelming, but we came here to win, so bear with it," said Yukio to boost his team's morale.
"Wow, number seven looks so mature and handsome," said a girl, blushing excitedly.
"Aw, number six is such a cutie! Too bad he's going to lose," said another girl.
"I don't know why, but I feel more gravitated towards number eleven. He's just absolutely gorgeous," said another girl.
"Coach Arimoto, they're here," said Manabu.
"Which school?" asked Coach Arimoto.
"It's Toshigawa Academy."
"Oh, let them play against our B team."
"But Coach, both our C and B teams are out doing stamina training with the captain."
"Oh… well, I guess it can't be helped, then. They came all this way. Have them play some of our bench players and starters from the A team. They picked the wrong school to play."
"Haruko, you can sit here on the bench," said Nanaho as she took out her game plan board and sat down, completely focused.
"Thanks," said Haruko as she sat.
"Everyone, go get warmed up!"
"Alright, everyone, go get warmed up!" said Nanaho, her voice firm and focused.
"You heard her—move it! Let's go stretch our legs!" Yukio clapped his hands, signaling the team to get moving.
The Toshigawa players immediately sprinted up and down their half of the court twenty times, their sneakers squeaking against the polished wood floor. Sweat began to form on their brows as they focused on getting their blood pumping. After finishing their sprints, they gathered near the sideline and began their stretches.
Takahiro led the stretching routine, starting with basic arm rotations, gradually increasing the range of motion. Everyone followed suit, stretching their shoulders, triceps, and wrists.
"Don't forget to stretch your legs properly. We'll need them at full capacity," said Takahiro as he bent down, touching his toes before transitioning into a deep lunge. The team mimicked his movements, making sure to loosen their hamstrings and calves.
Hayato pulled his foot behind him, stretching his quadriceps. "We're going up against some big guys, so we can't afford to be stiff. Flexibility is key."
Shino, still nervous about the crowd, struggled to focus on his stretches. His movements were stiff, and his hands trembled slightly. Yukio noticed and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Take a deep breath, Shino. Stick to the routine, and you'll be fine," Yukio said, his tone calm and confident.
After about ten minutes of stretching, Yukio clapped his hands together. "Alright, time for drills. Form two lines!"
The players quickly split into two lines at the three-point line. Yukio started the passing drill, throwing a sharp bounce pass to Takahiro, who caught it smoothly before sprinting toward the rim. He quickly passed it back, and Yukio went for a clean layup, the ball kissing the backboard before dropping in.
"Next!" Yukio called.
Noboru took his turn, passing the ball to Hayato before dashing towards the basket. Hayato faked a pass before returning it to Noboru, who easily finished with a smooth layup.
Shino hesitated as he stepped up with Tetsuo. Taking a deep breath, he passed the ball to Tetsuo and ran towards the rim. Tetsuo returned the pass just in time for Shino to take two quick steps and go for a layup. The ball hit the backboard but bounced out of the rim.
"Crap, I didn't make it," Shino muttered, lowering his head.
"You have plenty of time to get it right. Just focus," Yukio reassured him.
The team repeated the drill, working on their passes, transitions, and finishing at the basket. Once they had warmed up their shooting, they moved on to defensive footwork.
"Alright, pair up! Defensive slides, baseline to free throw line, let's go!" Yukio instructed.
Toshigawa's players bent their knees and moved laterally across the court, their arms extended, staying low to maintain balance. Noboru grinned as he pushed himself harder, his competitive spirit showing.
"This is nothing! I could do this all day," he boasted.
"Save your energy for the game, loudmouth," Hayato smirked, keeping his form steady.
After completing their defensive drills, the team moved on to mid-range jump shots, each player taking turns shooting from different spots on the court. Yukio and Hayato were consistent, their shots landing smoothly. Noboru took his shots confidently and missed almost all of them, while Shino still seemed a little shaky so he didn't manage to make a single one. Takahiro's shots were decent and Tetsuo didn't miss a single shot.
"Good, good. Keep the ball movement quick and efficient," Nanaho called from the sidelines, watching their warm-up closely.
As Toshigawa wrapped up their drills, they turned to see Yokonan's players watching them from their side of the court, their expressions filled with amusement and condescension. Ryuu, the tall 190 cm player, scoffed.
"All that effort just to get crushed," he muttered to his teammates.
Manabu shook his head. "Show some respect, Coach is here."
"Doesn't matter. This game is gonna be a joke," said another Yokonan player, smirking.
Toshigawa finished their warm-up and gathered near their bench, wiping sweat from their brows.
"Damn, these first years are a pain. Why do we have to play these losers?" said a boy in a Yokonan jersey, standing at 190 centimeters.
"The captain took both of them and a couple of the second years out on a run, Ryuu," said Manabu.
"How much do you think we should score in this game? One hundred and fifty? Or should we do our iconic 111 to 11?" said another player.
"That sounds about right. Let's crush these amateurs," said Ryuu.
"Um, can you guys show a little more respect? Coach is here," said Manabu.
"Let me check out the competition. Let's see… one, two, three, four, five, six. Looks like this game is going to be a breeze," said a player wearing number six on Yokonan's team.
"Kayano, we cannot judge a team by its quantity. Remember, only five people can play on the court at a time," said a guy standing at 193 centimeters.
"Say whatever you want, Kogure. Toshigawa Academy would be a walkover for our third team," said Kayano.
"Looks like we're playing the first team," said Takahiro.
"Yeah, it seems that way," said Yukio.
"O-oh no! This is bad!" said Shino, shaking.
"I can take on anyone, so let them come," said Noboru, smirking.
"Looks like Keichiro isn't here… wait, is that Takeshi Kayano and Kogure?" asked Hayato as Kogure and Kayano walked over to Toshigawa's bench.
"Oh, is that you, Hayato? I haven't seen you since junior high. How come you didn't play last year? If you did, maybe Toshigawa would have made it further. Wouldn't they, Kogure?" asked Kayano.
"Didn't Keichiro or anyone who was there that day tell him what happened?" Hayato thought to himself, confused.
"That's none of your concern. All I know is that I'll beat you today," said Hayato.
"One step at a time. First, try to get Coach to take you off the bench. Then you can talk," said Kayano.
"I will. And when I do, I'll shut you down for sure."
"Yukio, it's been a while. How have you been?" said Kogure.
"Everything has been great so far," said Yukio.
"That's great to hear. I see you've put together a team. Hopefully, they don't get tired by the end of the first quarter. Sadly, I won't be playing—Coach won't allow me. Well, try your best not to be humiliated, okay?" said Kogure teasingly.
"Trust me, we wouldn't have come here if we weren't ready."