On June 29th, at 10 AM, the gymnasium was like a scorching hot iron pot, with heatwaves and human voices almost tearing off the roof.
Colorful banners fluttered in the stands, with Ryonan's blue and Ryokufu's green cheering sticks intertwining into rolling waves. Even the aisles were packed with people craning their necks to watch—this was the final battle of the Kanagawa Prefecture preliminaries.
In the center of the court, the commentator's hand, holding the microphone, was slightly sweaty, his voice echoing through the speakers to every corner of the venue: "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the ultimate showdown of the Kanagawa Prefecture High School Basketball Preliminaries!
On one side, we have Ryonan, the dark horse that rose unexpectedly this season and defeated Hainan; on the other side, we have Ryokufu High School, with its luxurious lineup, vowing to avenge its previous loss!
Now, let us welcome the starting players of both teams with our most enthusiastic applause!"
Applause and cheers instantly erupted, making the backboard tremble slightly.
"First to enter—Ryonan High School!" The commentator's voice suddenly rose, "Standing two meters and two centimeters tall, the team's iron wall, number 4 Center—Uozumi Jun!"
Uozumi Jun ran onto the court with his right hand raised high, his blue jersey shimmering in the sunlight. He forcefully thumped his chest, drawing shouts of "Go Uozumi!"
"Next is Ryonan's spiritual commander, the elegant number 7 Forward—Sendoh Akira!"
Sendoh smiled and waved, casually tossing the ball into the stands, causing a flurry of screaming as people scrambled for it.
"Known as the 'Rebound Monster,' the number 10 Power Forward who ignites the court with his passion—Sakuragi Hanamichi!"
Sakuragi suddenly jumped up, his iconic red hair particularly striking in the crowd.
"The scoring machine, with exquisite breakthroughs, the number 13 Forward—Fukuda Kiccho!"
Fukuda expressionlessly patted the ball, yet his eyes revealed a strong desire to score.
"And finally, Ryonan's most surprising presence! The all-around, offense and defense integrated number 17—Gu Jin!"
Gu Jin jogged onto the court, his gaze sweeping over the fervent stands, finally settling on Ryokufu's half-court, a Full of fighting spirit of radian in the corner of his mouth.
The moment Gu Jin jogged onto the court, the gymnasium was like a powder keg with a spark thrown in, instantly erupting!
"Gu Jin—!" Someone shouted first, and then, a tidal wave of cheers surged from every corner of the stands, each wave higher than the last.
Girls in the front row held up light boards emblazoned with "Gu Jin Must Win," frantically waving their arms, not caring that their voices were hoarse from shouting;
Boys in the back row stood on chairs, waving their blue cheering towels like small flags, causing those around them to stand up as well, forming a sea of blue.
A bespectacled boy held a camera, his lens locked onto Gu Jin's figure, his shutter clicks as rapid as a machine gun;
Two girls next to him clutched each other's arms, screaming and jumping high, their hair ties flying off unnoticed.
Even more girls shrieked: "Gu Jin! I love you! Gu Jin! I love you!!!"
As if sensing this enthusiasm, Gu Jin paused slightly and raised his hand to wave towards the stands.
This simple gesture instantly ignited the entire venue!
The cheers suddenly rose by an octave, making the steel framework of the stadium hum.
Even the commentator smiled and raised his voice: "It seems Gu Jin's popularity is truly unstoppable!
This all-around warrior, who emerged this season, has not only led Ryonan to great achievements but has also garnered countless fans with his dazzling performances—look at the intensity here, it's almost like a personal cheering rally for him!"
Gu Jin's gaze pierced through the boisterous crowd, and when it landed on Ryokufu's half-court, the arc of determination at the corner of his mouth deepened.
The frenzy of the stands was like fuel, completely igniting the fire in his eyes—he would not disappoint his supporters in this fateful showdown.
Meanwhile, on Ryokufu's bench, the substitute players watched the scene, their expressions darkening.
One substitute player spat under his breath, "What's going on? Is this their home court?"
"Ryonan's starting lineup is in position!" The commentator took a deep breath, his tone rising again, "Now, let's look at their opponents—Ryokufu High School's starting five!"
Ryokufu players filed out from the player's tunnel, the team emblem on their green jerseys gleaming under the lights.
"Ryokufu's interior pillar, number 4 Center—Na Takamitsu!"
Na Takamitsu stood expressionlessly under the basket, his massive physique like a small mountain, his gaze clashing with Uozumi's in mid-air, creating sparks.
"The court's brain controlling the rhythm, number 7 Point Guard—Sato Tatsuya!"
Sato dribbled the ball with a fancy crossover, then raised his chin towards Ryonan's half-court.
"The powerful foreign aid from America, the explosive number 11 Power Forward—James Wallace!"
Wallace forcefully thumped his bulging chest, emitting a dull thud, which drew screams from Ryokufu fans.
"The number 13 Small Forward, combining speed and skill—Mike Okita!"
Mike Okita made a quick change-of-direction fake, his eyes as sharp as knives.
"And finally, the sharpshooter renowned for his three-pointers, number 14 Shooting Guard—Mitsui Hisashi!"
When the name "Mitsui Hisashi" came out of the commentator's mouth, the entire venue first fell silent, then erupted into even more fervent discussion.
Mitsui Hisashi stood on the edge of the court, raising his hand to brush back the stray hairs from his forehead, his gaze falling on Gu Jin on Ryonan's half-court, carrying complex emotions—the competitive desire of a fellow master, and the unwavering resolve for this life-or-death battle.
"Both teams' starters are now on the court!" The commentator's voice carried an undisguised excitement, "Ryonan's twin towers in the paint are cooperating more seamlessly, and the frontcourt synergy between Gu Jin and Sendoh is simply unguardable;
While Ryokufu boasts the offensive power of foreign aid Wallace, coupled with Mitsui Hisashi's outside firepower, this matchup is truly the ultimate clash of spear and shield!"
The referee walked to center court, signaling for the captains to tip off.
Uozumi and Na Takamitsu stood face to face, both bending their knees and lowering their centers of gravity, their eyes fixed on the basketball in the referee's hand.
"The game is about to begin!" The commentator's voice suddenly tensed, "Will Ryonan continue its dark horse run, or will Ryokufu turn the tide? Let's wait and see—"
Before he finished speaking, the referee tossed the ball high into the air.
Uozumi and Na Takamitsu jumped simultaneously, their large hands blurring in mid-air.
The roar inside the gymnasium ceased abruptly at this moment, everyone's eyes fixed on the airborne basketball—
The final battle of Kanagawa Prefecture officially began!