The Fukuoka Prefecture Prefectural Tournament final was held four days later than Kanagawa Prefecture's.
This Just right gave Gu Jin an opportunity to make up for the curiosity about the unknown that he had in his previous life.
In the original manga, the mysterious team that ultimately won the championship, all signs pointed to Hakata Shodai High School.
Of course, Osumi Daini High School from Kagoshima Prefecture also had some possibility.
However, in public perception, Hakata Shodai High School had a stronger voice!
Today, Gu Jin and Aida Hikoichi came to Fukuoka Prefecture together, their goal being the match that would determine the Fukuoka Prefecture champion — Hakata Shodai High School against Hojo Shisho High School.
Sakuragi Hanamichi...couldn't be brought along...The last time they went to Aichi Prefecture, Gu Jin was almost completely plundered by Sakuragi.
Some things, some people, being taken advantage of once is enough!!!
Furthermore, this reconnaissance mission was crucial for Ryonan, so bringing Aida Hikoichi was perfect.
"Gu Jin, I've found out all about both teams' lineups.
Let me start with Hakata Shodai's side:
Hakata Shodai's No. 7 is Miyamoto Kenta (Point Guard).
Grade: Second year
Height: 178cm
Characteristics: His speed is extremely fast, his drive and dish are precise, he has a mid-range pull-up jumper, and on defense he excels at steals, making him the team's 'offensive engine.' He and No. 8 are known as the 'Hakata Twin Stars.'
I heard he has repeatedly defeated Morohoshi Dai of Aiwa Academy head-on; his strength should not be underestimated!!!"
Gu Jin nodded, and Aida Hikoichi continued: "No. 4, Sato Takashi (Shooting Guard/Captain).
Grade: Third year
Height: 184cm
Characteristics: He is the team's core defender, strong in confrontation, good at tight man-to-man defense against the opponent's ace; on offense, he primarily relies on spot-up threes and backdoor cuts for layups, with high stability, and is the team's leader.
No. 10, Kobayashi Yu (Small Forward).
Grade: First year
Height: 186cm
Characteristics: Energetic, large defensive coverage, can defend from the 1-spot to the 3-spot; on offense, he has ball-handling and driving ability, high efficiency in finishing at the rim, and is considered the team's future core.
No. 8, Matsumoto Satoru (Power Forward/Ace).
Grade: Second year
Height: 192cm
Characteristics: The team's absolute ace, excellent in both offense and defense, outstanding rebounding ability (averaging 12+ rebounds per game), stable mid-range shooting, occasionally plays center, his style is close to an 'all-around power forward.'
No. 5, Tanaka Tsuyoshi (Center).
Grade: Third year
Height: 196cm
Characteristics: A 'center' focused on defense, good at blocking shots and boxing out for rebounds, strong rim protection; on offense, he mainly relies on put-backs and second-chance points, rarely participating in outside offense."
His height wasn't outstanding, but his weight reached an astonishing 135 kilograms, and he was a flexible big man!!!
"Hikoichi, you just went around before the game started and got all this information?" Gu Jin was a bit surprised.
Aida Hikoichi said proudly, "Of course, I'm a professional."
Gu Jin praised, "Hikoichi, when it comes to intelligence gathering, you're truly a genius."
"Hehe." Aida Hikoichi smiled and continued, "Let me tell you about Hojo Shisho High School's starting lineup. However, they are considered a second-tier team in Fukuoka Prefecture, relatively weaker, and probably made it to the finals mostly by luck.
No. 9, Nishimura Takuma (Point Guard).
Grade: Second year
Height: 175cm
Characteristics: Solid ball-handling fundamentals, but average speed and passing vision; on offense, he relies on fast-break layups, considered the team's 'rhythm controller.'
No. 4, Hojo Takahiro (Shooting Guard).
Grade: Third year
Height: 185cm
Characteristics: The team's only scoring threat, good at isolation plays and three-pointers (averaging around 15 points per game), but weak defensive awareness, a typical 'offense-first, defense-weak' player.
No. 6, Yamamoto Sho (Small Forward).
Grade: Third year
Height: 180cm
Characteristics: Defensively oriented style, slower movement speed; on offense, he mainly relies on off-ball movement and catch-and-shoot, with low scoring efficiency.
No. 8, Uchida Yu (Power Forward).
Grade: Second year
Height: 188cm
Characteristics: Average physical confrontation, moderate rebounding ability; on offense, he relies on hook shots in the paint, lacking independent offensive capability.
No. 5, Okada Akira (Center).
Grade: Third year
Height: 190cm
Characteristics: The tallest player on the team, but lacks bulk, limited rim protection; primarily responsible for screens and boxing out for rebounds, with very little offensive contribution."
After the game began, the rhythm remained in Hakata Shodai High School's hands.
Just five minutes into the game, Hojo Shisho seemed to be tied down by invisible strings, completely following Hakata Shodai's pace.
Gu Jin watched from the stands, growing more and more alarmed, his fists unconsciously clenching.
Hakata Shodai High School's players ran as if they were one unit.
Gu Jin had only one feeling—
That was, the ball was alive in their hands!!!
No matter who was dribbling, with a flick of the wrist, it would fly along a teammate's running trajectory, landing precisely where it needed to be.
This transmission speed and awareness—it was almost like a machine!
Their overall coordination was even more fluid!!!
One screen would just begin, and a cut on the other side would already be in position.
The center also played comfortably; as long as he raised his arm to call for the ball in the paint, the ball would come to him as if it had eyes, requiring no special skill, just a gentle placement into the hoop.
Hakata Shodai High School as a whole had no flashy moves, and you barely heard any shouting, yet every pass, every movement was as if pre-calculated, fitting together so perfectly it was astounding.
Was this still high school team coordination?
Gu Jin recalled Sannoh from the manga he read in his previous life.
Sannoh was indeed strong; Zawa Kita's isolation plays, Kawata's dominance, Fukatsu's court control—each was top-notch.
But Hakata Sho was different; they didn't have that suffocating single-point pressure that was immediately apparent, yet they were like an impenetrable net, playing team basketball to the extreme.
The movements of the five players were seamlessly integrated; they seemed to melt into a single body of water, and you couldn't tell who was the wave and who was the bottom, only that wherever this current flowed, it was all-pervasive!!!
Even their opponents couldn't tell who the absolute core was, because each person was an indispensable part of the strategy.
Just now, when Hojo's shooting guard tried to drive to the basket, the lane was clearly open, but as soon as he took a step, two Hakata Sho players seemed to emerge from the ground, blocking his path front and back, and the ball was stolen as soon as it left his hands.
Hakata Sho immediately counterattacked, and with three passes and two dribbles, they were at the basket; the layup was as light as a feather, but you could clearly see Hojo's players running, yet they couldn't catch up to that flowing rhythm.
Gu Jin suddenly remembered that feeling from his previous life when playing professional games against strong teams—you knew none of them were god-tier individually, but together, they became a wall that left you nowhere to exert force.
The numbers 21:4 on the scoreboard were unsettling.
Only five minutes in, and Hojo Shisho's players were already breathing heavily, their eyes filled with confusion, as if they didn't know where to run.
Meanwhile, Hakata Shodai High School's players had no expression on their faces; their movements—running, passing, shooting—were repeated like a pendulum, precise and cold.
Everything was taken for granted!
This was not how high school basketball should be.
Gu Jin rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling that if Ryonan were to face them...it would be a tough battle!
This momentum had transcended any high school team he knew of.
It was like a bug in the system.
