The final battle of the Public Welfare Cup 3-on-3 format: Gu Jin's team will compete against Sendoh's team.
On the eve of the match, both teams' players were summoned to a conference room. Representatives from the Public Welfare Cup's organizers and investors, Ryonan School Director Shinboku Rin, and Coach Taoka Moichi were already seated.
After Gu Jin, Sendoh, Uozumi, Fujima Kenji, and other players took their seats, the organizer's representative spoke first.
"Hello everyone, I am Tetsuya Aoki, Director of the Kanagawa Prefecture Sports Association. I have invited you here today because this match will determine the champion of this event."
"The core of the Public Welfare Cup is 'public welfare,' aiming to promote the spirit of sportsmanship. Therefore, in this final showdown, I hope you all can fully display your competitive spirit. Of course, the entertainment value of the match is also crucial."
The investor's representative immediately added, "Exactly, especially the entertainment value—to make more people fall in love with basketball."
"So, I urge everyone to give their best performance, ensuring the excitement of the game while competing against each other."
"Of course, winning and losing are equally important. This is not about playing a fixed game or deliberately performing, but about playing a beautiful match."
Taoka Moichi immediately interjected, "Mr. Miyamoto, Director Aoki, please rest assured."
"These individuals are all top players in Kanagawa Prefecture's high school basketball scene; the final match will undoubtedly be spectacular."
The investor smiled and promised, "The event has received excellent feedback so far. In addition to the original prize money, I will personally prepare a pair of limited edition Michael Jordan sneakers for each player."
Half an hour later, the Kanagawa Prefecture Gymnasium was already packed, buzzing with activity.
"Who do you think will win between these two teams?"
"No need to ask! It's definitely the King Team! With Gu Jin, the King of One-on-One, Godai Tomokazu, a three-point sharpshooter, and Uozumi, a two-meter tall dominant force under the basket, this lineup is top-notch!"
"I don't see it that way. The War God Team has Sendoh Akira and Fujima Kenji, especially that Naito Tetsuya. Haven't you witnessed his strength? In the last game, that guy from Shohoku who looked like a gorilla, plus Kosha Kazuma from Hainan, both of them couldn't stop him!"
"Exactly! That 11th-numbered tall guy from Ryonan, he's almost 1.9 meters tall, right? Naito Tetsuya just turned around and directly knocked him flying. I still remember that scene."
"The King Team is still stronger! They even defeated the 'Perfect Team' formed by Rukawa Kaede and Hanagata Toru; their strength is evident."
"The War God Team is even stronger!"
"Nonsense, the King Team is the most formidable!"
The spectators on the sidelines argued back and forth, their voices rising and falling, making the pre-game atmosphere even more heated.
The referee tossed the coin, Gu Jin called heads, and the King Team got possession first.
Gu Jin dribbled the ball forward, Sendoh Akira angled his body to cut him off, his fingertips almost touching his dribbling hand.
Gu Jin suddenly changed direction and accelerated, his shoulder creating a slight gap. Just as he was about to drive into the restricted area, Naito Tetsuya shifted over like a heavy tank, his massive body directly blocking the route.
Gu Jin quickly flicked his wrist, passing the ball to the right three-point line—Godai Tomokazu caught the ball and jumped, the basketball arced through the air and swished through the net, 2:0!
A long-range shot right at the start of the game, and the sidelines erupted in cheers.
The War God Team inbounded the ball, Fujima used Naito Tetsuya's screen to shake off Gu Jin, drove to the free-throw line, stopped short, and passed back.
Sendoh Akira was already being guarded by Uozumi when he received the ball, but he calmly sent the ball under the basket.
Naito Tetsuya received the ball with his back to the basket, and Uozumi immediately went to guard him—the two-meter giant's muscles tensed instantly, trying to push Naito Tetsuya out of the restricted area.
But Naito Tetsuya only grunted, then suddenly pushed his shoulder backward, and Uozumi was actually knocked back two steps, hitting the stanchion with a thud!
"Boom!" Naito Tetsuya turned and slammed the ball, the rim shook violently, 1:2.
Uozumi frowned, clutching his shoulder; the force of that collision was far beyond imagination.
Gu Jin stood outside the three-point line, his eyes narrowing—that last move, Uozumi's effort was definitely not perfunctory, yet he was easily pushed aside by Naito Tetsuya. This strength... Coach Taoka Moichi on the sidelines was also surprised.
"This kind of strength, even Uozumi can't withstand it?"
At this moment, Aida Hikoichi spoke up appropriately: "Coach, his name is Naito Tetsuya, a second-year player from Miura Dai. He is 196 centimeters tall, weighs 155 kilograms, and he runs extremely fast, only needing 11 seconds for 100 meters."
"Such a big guy runs 100 meters in just 11 seconds?" Taoka Moichi was stunned.
"Yes, Coach, and his strength is astonishing. According to the information I've gathered, he can bench press 380 pounds."
"His physical conditioning is superhuman," Taoka Moichi's mouth was wide open.
The game continued.
In the next possession, Gu Jin deliberately fed the ball to Uozumi.
Uozumi held the ball with his back to the basket, lowered his shoulder, and exerted force, trying to push Naito Tetsuya away. But Naito Tetsuya was like an iron tower nailed to the ground, unmoving.
Uozumi exerted force a second time, and Naito Tetsuya suddenly moved forward to meet him, sinking his arms and directly swatting away Uozumi's shot! The ball landed in Fujima's hands, who quickly passed it to the fast-breaking Sendoh Akira, who easily scored a layup, tying the game at 2:2.
"This guy... he's almost comparable to Morishige Hiroshi, maybe even stronger!" Gu Jin was secretly shocked.
In his previous life, he had seen Morishige Hiroshi's dominance under the basket in anime, which relied on a combination of explosiveness and weight. Naito Tetsuya's strength, however, seemed purer, as if he had accumulated immense power, with every collision carrying a destructive force.
If Morishige Hiroshi were to face him, it would probably be a fierce, head-on battle.
The game entered a seesaw battle.
Godai Tomokazu hit another three-pointer (4:2), Fujima drove for a layup (3:4), Gu Jin hit a pull-up jump shot (4:5). When Naito Tetsuya received the ball near the free-throw line, Uozumi chose to establish position early, pressing his arms firmly against Naito Tetsuya's lower back.
Naito Tetsuya suddenly turned, his right shoulder hitting Uozumi like a battering ram. With a "thud," Uozumi stumbled back to the sideline, and Naito Tetsuya strode into the restricted area, forcing a layup over the recovering Gu Jin, 4:6!
Gu Jin had tried to interfere with his hand, his fingertips touching Naito Tetsuya's arm, only to feel a surge of brute force that almost knocked him off balance.
He shook his wrist, gaining a new understanding of "strength" for the first time.
Sendoh Akira began to organize the offense, utilizing Naito Tetsuya's ability to draw defenders.
In one tactical play, Sendoh Akira faked a drive, then suddenly slammed the ball against the backboard.
Naito Tetsuya rushed in like an arrow released from a bow, colliding heavily in mid-air with the recovering Uozumi—at the moment of body contact, Uozumi was actually knocked off course in mid-air, while Naito Tetsuya steadily caught the rebound and slammed the ball into the hoop with one hand! 5:8!
Uozumi landed, clutching his knee and panting, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
The spectators on the sidelines watched in stunned silence; this was not basketball, but a contest between two giant beasts!
Gu Jin took over the offense, scoring twice in a row against Sendoh Akira in one-on-one situations (7:10), and Godai Tomokazu hit another three-pointer (9:10).
At a crucial moment, Naito Tetsuya erupted again: receiving a pass from Fujima, he turned his back to the basket, continuously spinning while shouldering Uozumi, grinding his way to the basket, and scoring a layup against two defenders, 9:11!
He then blocked Uozumi's dunk on the defensive end with a slap, assisting Fujima for a three-pointer (9:13).
Subsequently, Gu Jin showed his power.
With 1 minute left, the score was 19:18, with the King Team leading by 1 point, reaching match point.
The War God Team had possession, Fujima was locked down by Gu Jin, and the ball eventually fell into Naito Tetsuya's hands.
Uozumi put all his effort into guarding him, but Naito Tetsuya suddenly turned, his right elbow inadvertently creating space, then jumped for a powerful dunk—Uozumi jumped desperately to block, and the two collided solidly in mid-air. Uozumi fell to the ground, but Naito Tetsuya, as if nothing had happened, slammed the ball fiercely into the hoop! 19:19!
In this battle between giants, Uozumi was actually defeated.
With 15 seconds left, Gu Jin drove past Sendoh Akira. Facing Naito Tetsuya's help defense, he pulled up for a jump shot—Naito Tetsuya leaped to block, his huge shadow almost covering the entire shooting area.
However, Gu Jin forced a change of direction in mid-air, the ball grazing Naito Tetsuya's fingertips and hitting the rim!
20:19
Sendoh Akira inbounded the ball and immediately passed to Fujima, who quickly passed it back to Sendoh Akira.
Sendoh Akira dribbled the ball forward, Gu Jin recovered with incredible speed, and Sendoh Akira lobbed the ball to Naito Tetsuya under the basket.
Uozumi was faked out by Naito Tetsuya, and could only watch as Naito Tetsuya jumped to shoot.
However... smack!
"Look, it's Gu Jin's block!"
"So powerful, he jumped so high, he just caught the basketball."
With 3 seconds left on the clock, Gu Jin got the ball.
Facing Sendoh Akira's defense, he passed the ball to the three-point line—Godai Tomokazu caught the ball and jumped. Fujima, surprisingly, abandoned Gu Jin and rushed to the three-point line like lightning!
"Swish!" Godai Tomokazu had already released the shot.
The basketball arced through the air, and just as the whistle blew, it swished through the net!
The three-pointer was valid, counting as 2 points! 22:19!
The final whistle blew, and the King Team narrowly won.
Taoka Moichi walked towards Naito Tetsuya: "Young man, your strength is astonishing."
Naito Tetsuya grinned, his attitude respectful: "Coach Taoka, I just have brute strength."
Taoka Moichi looked at his thick arms, a smile playing on his lips: "Young man, are you interested in coming to Ryonan?"