In the final five minutes of the game, the air on the court seemed to ignite.
The moment Sato Tatsuya held the ball, his eyes were filled with nothing but determination.
He no longer focused on playmaking, but instead, like a drawn sword, he repeatedly thrust towards Hainan's defense—a continuous crossover dribble shook off Maki Shinichi, he drove into the restricted area, evaded Kiyota's block in mid-air, and then flipped the ball into the hoop with a reverse layup. 55:53.
“Sato! Well done!” The roars from Ryokufu’s bench nearly tore off the roof.
During Hainan's offensive possession, Takasago was about to receive the ball under the basket when Sato surged out from the side, slapping the ball away.
Mitsui Hisashi, like an arrow released from a bow, sprinted to the frontcourt, caught the rolling basketball, and, at the three-point line, stopped, jumped, and shot without hesitation, facing the pursuing Miyamasu.
“Swish!”
The basketball went straight through the net, 55:56. Ryokufu took a 1-point lead.
Mitsui gasped heavily as he landed, a sharp pain shooting through his knee, but he held his head high, the fire in his eyes burning even brighter. “You think you can win with dirty tricks? No way!” he yelled towards Hainan’s half, his voice cracking but firm.
Takato Riki sharply closed his folding fan, his knuckles turning white.
During Hainan's offensive possession, Ryokufu’s substitute center was pushed aside, and James came to help defend. Kosha Kazuma gritted his teeth and deliberately used his elbow to violently hit the helping defender, James Wallace, under the basket.
With a dull thud, James clutched his ribs and stumbled back two steps, his face instantly paling—this blow was several times harder than the one he used to push aside the substitute center earlier.
“James!” Sato Tatsuya roared back.
James waved his hand, trying to tough it out, but the stinging pain with each breath made it difficult for him to even lift his arm.
Ryokufu’s coach gritted his teeth and waved for a substitution: “Number 9, Totsuka Tetsuya, get in!”
He clenched his fists and nodded to his teammates.
The game continued, and Hainan, taking advantage of the confusion caused by James's departure, scored 4 consecutive points, 59:56.
But Sato and Mitsui, like cornered beasts, responded with an almost frenzied offense—Sato drove and passed, Mitsui caught the ball in the corner and shot, a three-pointer made;
Mitsui faked a shot and made a pass, Sato drove into the restricted area for a scoop layup, 59:61.
Takasago tried to use a small foul to push aside Number 9 under the basket again, but the opponent held him off with all his might.
Although Number 9 was not at a height advantage, he played with a desperate intensity, snatching a crucial rebound from Takasago's hands and throwing it to Sato on the perimeter.
Sato immediately launched a super long-range three-pointer, the ball arcing through the sky and settling perfectly into the net. 62:64.
The spectators in the stands were already on their feet, the waves of cheers rising higher and higher.
“Go, Ryokufu!”
“Don't give up!”
Taoka Moichi sat in the stands. He looked at Mitsui Hisashi, running wildly on the court, and suddenly remembered what the kid was like in junior high—just like this, even when his stamina was completely exhausted, there was always an unyielding stubbornness in his eyes.
“This kind of tenacity…” he murmured, a touch of emotion in his voice.
Gu Jin's fingers were tightly gripping the railing, his knuckles white.
He knew that Ryokufu would most likely not win, but watching their fighting spirit at this moment, something deep inside him was powerfully struck.
This is basketball; even when in a desperate situation, even when opponents resort to unscrupulous means, there are still people willing to give their all to fight for a possibility.
Last minute, score 69:69.
Maki Shinichi's layup was blocked by Sato, Mitsui grabbed the rebound, and threw a long pass to the fast-breaking Mike Okita, who dunked, 69:71.
28 seconds left.
After a timeout for Hainan, Maki Shinichi held the ball to run down the clock, then suddenly accelerated and broke through in the final five seconds. After drawing a triple-team, he passed the ball to Jin Soichiro in the corner.
The moment A Shen received the ball, Number 9 lunged with all his might, but was still half a beat too late.
“Swish!”
Three-pointer made, 72:71.
The final buzzer sounded.
Hainan's players were exhausted and collapsed on the ground, Takato Riki let out a long sigh, but there was no joy of victory on his face.
Kosha Kazuma leaned against the backboard, looking in Ryokufu's direction, his eyes complex.
Ryokufu's players stood on the court, no one speaking.
Number 9 squatted on the ground, covering his face with his jersey; Mike Okita clenched his fists, his eyes red-rimmed;
Sato Tatsuya stared at the scoreboard, his lips moved, but in the end, he only tugged at his jersey.
Only Mitsui Hisashi still stood outside the three-point line, looking towards the hoop.
Sweat dripped from his chin to the ground, his knees trembled slightly, but his back was ramrod straight, and the unyielding spirit in his eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
Suddenly, applause erupted in the stands, starting with a few scattered claps, then quickly swelling into a wave.
“Ryokufu played well!”
“Lost with honor!”
Hainan's players stood on the court, despite being the winning side, they were enveloped by the applause from the stands directed at Ryokufu, the respect in that applause pricking their hearts like needles.
Kiyota Nobunaga gripped his towel, his knuckles white, and his Adam's apple bobbed several times before he managed to blurt out: “Why… we're the ones who won, aren't we?”
He looked at the backs of Ryokufu's players, surrounded by applause, then lowered his gaze to his sweat-soaked hands. Suddenly, Maki Shinichi's past admonition flashed through his mind—"As a key player for the ever-victorious Hainan, stop saying such naive things."
But at this moment, that word “naive” felt like a stone lodged in his throat, and he couldn't help but ask himself: Is this kind of victory truly what he wanted?
The cheers from the sidelines continued, but not a single bit of it belonged to Hainan.
Kiyota suddenly felt the victory in his hands was heavy, so heavy it was suffocating.
Taoka Moichi sighed softly and said to the Ryonan players beside him: “Do you see? This is true basketball. Win openly and honorably, and lose with dignity.”
Gu Jin looked at that stubborn figure on the court and suddenly understood something.
Victory is certainly important, but some things are more worth remembering than victory—like the stubbornness of giving your all, like the pride of never bowing down.
Ryokufu lost the game, but won everyone's respect.