The Legend Coach: Slam Dunk

June 19th, 9:30 AM, Kanagawa Prefectural Gymnasium

Inside the locker room of Hainan University Affiliated Colleges, Coach Takato addressed his team. "Honestly, I didn't expect to face East Toyoko today. I thought it would be Minowa. After all, it's been three years since East Toyoko reached the finals, so I assumed it would be the same this time!" he said, somewhat embarrassed. "That's why I only have information on East Toyoko from previous years. I didn't research their current lineup!"

"That's okay, Coach," Okabe said dismissively. "We watched their match against Minowa. East Toyoko only made it to the finals by luck. They're about the same strength as Minowa, and neither is a match for Hainan!"

"Is that so?" Coach Takato replied. "Then you should know your opponents well. Just play your game."

"Understood!" the Hainan team shouted in unison.

Outside the Gymnasium

"Team Hainan is coming out!"

"Here they come!!!"

"Team Hainan has finally arrived!!!"

Kudo, observing from the sidelines, said solemnly, "Team Hainan is here. Today is the first round of the co-finals, so there's no way Hainan won't bring their A-game. Otsu and Okabe will definitely start. Nakamura, Shota, you need to pay close attention to them. To beat Hainan, you must first beat those two. Got it?"

"Yes, Coach!"

"But Coach, I don't think Hainan will lose to East Toyoko," Oshima interjected.

"I don't think East Toyoko can win either, but this is the prefectural tournament finals," Kudo explained. "Hainan has to go all out to maintain their undefeated reputation in Kanagawa. It's up to East Toyoko to see how much they can push Hainan."

"Understood!"

East Toyoko was slightly stronger than Lingnan and Sunrise West, but they were no match for Hainan. Despite their efforts, East Toyoko's players were overwhelmed by Hainan's dominance. By halftime, East Toyoko had already given up. In the second half, Hainan's starters didn't even play, and the substitutes finished the game.

After the Match

"Hainan truly lives up to their reputation as the kings of Kanagawa. Now, it's our turn," Kudo said to the Shoyo team as they prepared for their match. "Let's head to the locker room."

"Yes, Coach!"

Musashi's Locker Room

"East Toyoko is out," said Musashi's Coach Tomogen. "It's our turn to get ready!"

"Understood!"

Shoyo's Locker Room

Inside the locker room, the Shoyo players changed into their uniforms and waited for Kudo's tactical briefing.

"The biggest gap between Musashi and us is height. Their tallest starting center is only 190 cm, so we'll exploit that advantage. We're playing a positional game. Kakuta, your interior defense and rebounding are among the best in the prefecture, so you'll start as power forward alongside Sugiyama to maintain our rebounding dominance," Kudo analyzed.

"Coach, what about me?" Oshima asked reluctantly.

"Oshima, you'll play small forward," Kudo replied. "Musashi's front line is roughly the same height—their center is 190 cm, power forward is 188 cm, and small forward is 188 cm. They're not particularly fast, and among their guards, only Miyamoto is a reliable three-point shooter. Even though you're 6 cm taller than their small forward, your agility matches theirs. Stick to the inside of the three-point line and don't let Musashi's players score easily."

"Finally, Nakamura, you'll play point guard, but scoring isn't your main task today. Your job is to limit Miyamoto. He's 185 cm tall, and his physical attributes are similar to yours. Focus entirely on stopping his three-pointers and drives. Don't worry about his passes. Understood?"

"Understood!"

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"Good. As long as we win this game, we're guaranteed a spot in the Nationals," Kudo concluded. "Give it your all today. Don't worry about conserving energy for tomorrow's match against Hainan. Even if we lose to them tomorrow, a win today will secure our advancement. Leave no regrets!"

"Yes!" the Shoyo team shouted.

The Match Begins

The match between Hainan and East Toyoko ended with a score of 124:65. After both teams left the court, the stadium staff quickly cleaned the court, and the Shoyo and Musashi players took the floor for a 10-minute warm-up.

As the players took their positions, the crowd buzzed with excitement.

"Shoyo's players are so tall!"

"Go Shoyo!!! Shoyo will win!!!"

On the bench, Otsu turned to Coach Takato. "Coach, Shoyo's lineup is going to be tough to handle."

"Yes, it's a challenging matchup," Takato admitted. "Especially for Musashi. Shoyo's height advantage is significant, particularly at center."

"So, how do we handle Shoyo when we face them?" Otsu asked.

"Since last year's winter tournament, Shoyo has been composed mostly of first and second-years. That's why their core lineup is so well-preserved," Takato analyzed. "With the addition of Sugiyama, a 205 cm center, Shoyo's lineup is highly versatile. But no matter how they adjust, their core revolves around Sugiyama and Nakamura. Shoyo's current lineup exploits Musashi's lack of height and speed. However, against us, they won't dare to use the same strategy. Our speed is unmatched, even by Musashi."

The Game Starts

The referee blew the whistle, and Sugiyama easily won the tip-off, tapping the ball to Saionji. Following Kudo's instructions, Shoyo played methodically. When Sugiyama received the ball in the post, he used his left shoulder to create space against Musashi's center and finished with a smooth hook shot.

"What kind of shot was that?!" the crowd exclaimed.

"Coach, what was that move?" Okabe asked, intrigued.

"This…" Takato hesitated, feeling a sense of familiarity but unable to place it. "Let's see it again. Maybe it's a special technique…" But he wasn't entirely convinced by his own explanation.

Musashi inbounded the ball, and their point guard dribbled up the court, passing to Miyamoto. As soon as Miyamoto caught the ball, Nakamura closed in, applying tight defense.

"Nakamura, this is the first time you've guarded me like this. Aren't you worried about running out of stamina?" Miyamoto taunted.

Nakamura didn't respond, keeping his eyes locked on Miyamoto.

Miyamoto attempted a series of fakes, but Nakamura didn't bite. With the shot clock winding down, Miyamoto launched a contested three-pointer, which missed. Sugiyama grabbed the rebound and passed to Saionji, who calmly brought the ball up the court. The ball found its way back to Sugiyama, who sank another hook shot.

Kudo had instructed Sugiyama to use the hook shot frequently during the game. Having practiced it for over a month, and with the help of the training scroll, Sugiyama's hook shot had become a reliable weapon. Using it in the match would only make him more proficient.

The game continued, with Shoyo building a 15:2 lead. Musashi called a timeout.