Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

At Ryonan High School's campus, the Sakuragi Army was finally making its way to the basketball gym.

As they strolled, their behavior—particularly their crude grins—drew wary glances from the Ryonan female students.

"Yohei, this place is amazing! So many cute girls—it's like heaven!" said Takamiya, the chubby member of the group, ogling at the blue-uniformed Ryonan female students.

Known for his lecherous tendencies, Takamiya couldn't contain himself in the presence of so many new faces.

Yohei, the level-headed leader of the group, noticed the girls' uncomfortable looks. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat loudly to catch their attention.

"Hey, you guys! Can you stop being so creepy? We're here to support Sakuragi, so act like it!"

Even someone as thick-skinned as Yohei couldn't handle the trio's antics at the moment.

Hearing his scolding, the three quickly sobered up.

"Heh, you're right. Let's go find Sakuragi already."

The sleazy expressions vanished, replaced by faux seriousness.

"Let's hurry up, or the game will end before we even get there!"

Yohei sighed in exasperation at his friends' antics.

The group finally entered the gym, surprised to see Shōhoku leading by a wide margin.

Though they didn't play basketball, they understood Ryonan's strength and knew how significant this lead was.

Excited, they began scanning the court, searching for Sakuragi.

At the same time, Shōhoku's bench was doing the same, wondering where their "secret weapon" had disappeared to.

Suddenly, all eyes turned toward Ryonan's bench.

Sakuragi, wearing the red number 15 jersey, was crouched behind Coach Taoka with a mischievous grin.

His hands were clasped together, forming the unmistakable "thousand years of death" gesture.

Before anyone could react, Sakuragi shouted, "Take this, old man!" and struck with all his might.

Coach Taoka's body jolted as pain shot through him. His face twisted in agony, and his pupils shrank.

"AAAAHHH! What in the world?!"

His scream of anguish echoed throughout the gym, drawing everyone's attention.

Uozumi and the rest of Ryonan's players hurried to help their coach up, their eyes falling on Sakuragi.

"What just happened to Coach Taoka?" one asked, utterly baffled.

Meanwhile, Sakuragi, grinning ear to ear, stood triumphantly.

"Hah! That's what you get for underestimating the great Sakuragi!"

With that, he strutted back toward Shōhoku's bench, his arrogance on full display.

Coach Taoka's face flushed with a mix of shame and fury.

"You red-haired brat! Who the hell are you, and what do you think you're doing?!" he shouted, pointing at Sakuragi.

Just then, Akagi arrived, grabbing Sakuragi and delivering a swift round of punishment before turning to Taoka with an apologetic bow.

The gym erupted in laughter.

"Haha! That red-haired kid is part of Shōhoku's team? He's hilarious!"

Even Yohei and the others from the Sakuragi Army were laughing so hard they nearly fell over.

"Sakuragi's going to kill us from laughing too much!" said Noma, tears streaming down his face.

Once the commotion subsided, the game resumed, and both teams returned to the court.

"Wait... Shōhoku's number 10 isn't on the court?"

"Why would they bench him now, of all times? Aren't they supposed to brace for Ryonan's counterattack?"

"And what's with that red-haired kid—he's actually a player?"

The reporters, scanning the court, noticed Ryu wasn't among Shōhoku's players. Instead, Sakuragi stood in his place, a shocking sight.

Yohei scratched his head, a massive question mark practically visible above him. "Sakuragi? They're really letting him play? Unbelievable."

The spectators' focus, however, shifted to Sendo.

"Sendo! Sendo!"

The gym erupted in cheers, energizing the Ryonan team.

Coach Taoka observed Shōhoku's lineup, his brows furrowed.

"Ryu? He's not playing? Strange..."

He chuckled dryly, reassuring himself. "Perhaps they're afraid of our Sendo. After all, we're a team destined for the Nationals."

His tone shifted to urgency as he barked orders at his team: "Sendo, crush them! Close the gap before the first half ends!"

Sendo smiled calmly, his eyes glinting with focus. "This year's Shōhoku is full of surprises," he remarked.

Uozumi and the others felt their confidence return.

"With Sendo, we can't lose!"

Akagi roared, "Shōhoku, let's widen the lead!"

Despite Ryonan's rally, Akagi was determined to maintain dominance.

Rukawa's intense gaze locked onto Sendo. "Sendo... I'll take you down," he muttered, finally getting his long-awaited opportunity to face Ryonan's ace.

The game began with Ryonan's possession.

Uozumi inbounded the ball to Sendo.

This was it—Ryonan's counterattack had begun.