At 9 AM on Thursday, with thirty minutes remaining until Ryonan's third game, the gymnasium was already filled with a considerable number of spectators.
Sunlight streamed in diagonally through the high windows, falling on the Ryonan Team's warm-up area, stretching the players' jumping shadows long and short.
Today's opponent was Joko High School.
This school was quite famous in Kanagawa Prefecture, but it was due to its football team—the undisputed champions of the prefectural football league for five consecutive years, with girls constantly surrounding the school gate asking for autographs from the football players.
In contrast, the basketball team seemed particularly deserted, with only three people sparsely seated on the bench, not even enough to form a complete rotation lineup.
Taoka Moichi held a tactics board, glanced at the opposing team warming up, and said seriously, "Joko High School's basketball is not their strong suit; their tallest center in the starting lineup is only 1.85 meters, and their overall strength isn't high. However, you must never take them lightly. Even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit, understand?"
"Understood!"
The Ryonan players were in high spirits, which made Taoka Moichi nod in satisfaction.
There was no suspense in this game, but the number of spectators remained undiminished.
This was because Ryonan's popularity was very high, and their previous games had been spectacular. Gu Jin's accurate shooting, Sendoh's artistic passing, Sakuragi Hanamichi's strong rebounds, Uozumi's dominance under the basket, and so on, had long garnered immense popularity for the Ryonan players, with many people specifically coming to see them.
Sakuragi Hanamichi bounced the basketball twice in place, his red hair particularly eye-catching in the crowd: "Coach! Why aren't I starting today?"
"We don't need our strongest lineup today." Taoka Moichi's words immediately deflated Sakuragi.
Seeing Sakuragi's complacent expression, Taoka Moichi tapped him on the head, "Gu Jin is playing power forward; you need to watch and learn, understand?"
"Understood!" Sakuragi responded.
He then changed the subject, looking at Fukuda Kiccho with a frown, "Fukuda, your eyes are still red; don't play today."
Fukuda Kiccho's left eye still had a bruise, and he clenched his fists: "Coach, I'm fine!"
"Even if you're fine, no!" Taoka Moichi's attitude was firm. "There's no need to take risks against a team like Joko. If it were against Hainan or Shoyo, I'd let you play even with an injury, but today it's unnecessary."
Fukuda pursed his lips and eventually nodded.
"Starting lineup: Point guard Uekusa, shooting guard Koshino, center Uozumi, small forward Sendoh, power forward Gu Jin." Taoka Moichi tapped the tactics board, "Don't be careless, maintain the rhythm, and play as you do in practice."
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.
Just then, a commotion erupted in Joko High School's lounge area.
A girl in a white tracksuit and white high-top basketball shoes walked over, stopping directly in front of Gu Jin.
The girl had a meticulously tied ponytail and delicate makeup on her face. She was Aino Mikuriko, the manager of Joko High School's basketball team.
"Gu Jin, we meet again." She curled her lips, her smile carrying an indescribable twist, her eyes like poisoned needles, staring fixedly at Gu Jin, "You didn't expect it, did you? To run into me here again."
Gu Jin frowned, a blurry shadow flashing in his memory—during Wako Junior High School, there was indeed a girl who pursued him, sent love letters, and blocked the school gate, but he had never paid her any mind.
"Hello, can I help you?" he asked in a flat tone.
"Nothing." Aino Mikuriko turned and walked away.
"What exactly makes me inferior to Shimamura Yoko?" Aino Mikuriko gritted her teeth, the emotion of jealousy roaring wildly in her heart: "I was also the school beauty of Wako Junior High School! The people who pursued me could line up from the school gate to the station! But you wouldn't even look me in the eye! For you, I specifically studied basketball, fell in love with basketball, but you still ignored me!"
Returning to Joko's rest area, her eyes grew even more venomous: "Gu Jin, I've liked you for so long, but you treated me like trash... Since I can't have you, I'll destroy you with my own hands!"
"Mikuriko, what's wrong?" A tall, thin boy walked over and put his arm around Aino Mikuriko's shoulder. He was wearing Joko High School's No. 10 jersey, stood 1.82 meters tall, and was the team's starting power forward, Kise Tatsuto.
Aino Mikuriko immediately put on a wronged expression and snuggled into Kise's arms: "It's nothing... I just remembered that in junior high, Gu Jin... he pursued me and was rejected, so he spread rumors everywhere, saying I actively pursued him, and even said I..." She lowered her head, her voice choked, "said I offered myself to him..."
Kise Tatsuto's face instantly flushed red, and he glared fiercely at Gu Jin: "Is that the No. 17? Damn it! So he's such a scumbag! Mikuriko, don't worry, today I'll definitely 'teach him a lesson'!" He clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking. "If I help you injure this No. 17, will you agree to go out with me?"
Aino Mikuriko bit her lip, nodded, but a calculating glint flashed in her eyes.
Not long after, Joko High School's coach also assigned tactics to his players.
He was a middle-aged man in a football training uniform with "Joko High School Football Club" printed on his chest—he was Yamamoto Tsubasa, the head coach of the football team. Because the school didn't prioritize basketball, he was assigned to manage the basketball team concurrently.
"Winning the first two games was purely due to weak opponents and sheer luck..." Yamamoto Tsubasa slapped the tactics board, his spittle flying, "Ryonan is strong, but don't you dare be cowards! Be aggressive in your tackles, and don't hesitate when sliding!"
The players looked helpless. Captain Mizusawa Yu couldn't help but remind him, "Coach, we're playing basketball today."
"I know, I know!" Yamamoto Tsubasa waved his hand, pointing at center Fujita Go, "Fujita, you're the center, guard the restricted area! Absolutely don't let the opponent easily kick... uh, shoot the ball into the basket! You need to guard it like a goalkeeper!"
Fujita Go's mouth twitched: "Coach, there's no goalkeeper in basketball..."
"It's all pretty much the same!" Yamamoto Tsubasa waved his hand impatiently, "The point is, don't let them score! Alright, get on the court!"
The players exchanged glances, dragging their feet towards the court.
Joko High School's starting five were already lined up: point guard Captain Mizusawa Yu (175 cm), shooting guard Ogura Yuchi (178 cm), small forward Inoue Sasuke (180 cm), power forward Kise Tatsuto (182 cm), and center Fujita Go (185 cm).
Sakuragi Hanamichi in the warm-up area watched this scene and couldn't help but nudge Gu Jin: "Hey, why does their coach look like he plays football?"
Gu Jin followed his gaze, glanced over, and responded lightly: "He is a football player."
"Huh?!" Sakuragi Hanamichi's eyes widened, his mouth agape enough to fit a basketball, "I knew I heard him say 'tackle' just now; I thought I misheard..."
Sendoh Akira next to him chuckled at the remark, and Uozumi Jun also couldn't help but curl his lips.
Taoka Moichi heard them, turned, and glared at the few of them: "Less talk! Hurry up and warm up! Get ready to play! Even if the opposing coach sells ramen, give me your absolute best!"