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

The tension in Ryonan's gymnasium reached its peak as the game approached halftime.

Ryonan's momentum was surging, driven by Sendo's commanding presence on the court. Meanwhile, despite the cheers from Ayako and Shōhoku's supporters, their encouragement seemed as futile as trying to shake a tree with a single push.

Akagi stood on the court, his face serious as he heard the gym filled with chants of "Sendo! Sendo!"

"Damn it! Sendo's got the whole Ryonan team playing at their best!" Akagi muttered under his breath.

Turning to Sakuragi, who had been floundering defensively, Akagi issued a stern warning. "Sakuragi! If you mess up again, I'll pull you off the court myself!"

Ryonan had capitalized on Sakuragi's mistakes throughout the first half, scoring repeatedly on his side. This left Akagi visibly frustrated, his confidence wavering as the gap in performance widened.

Mitsui and the other Shōhoku players were drenched in sweat, hands on their knees as they tried to catch their breath. The relentless pace of Ryonan's offense had drained their energy, especially after Sendo's entrance, which not only boosted his own performance but also revitalized Uozumi and the rest of the team.

For Shōhoku, only Rukawa and Akagi remained as pillars, desperately holding the line. Mitsui and Ayano, with their limited skills, were struggling just to keep up with Ryonan's rhythm.

And Sakuragi? He was lost in his desire to outshine Rukawa and Sendo, throwing Shōhoku's coordination into chaos and opening the door for Ryonan to close the scoring gap.

"I get it... I'll do better!" Sakuragi stammered, clearly overwhelmed.

This was his first-ever game, and it showed. He was unable to adapt to the fast pace, and though he hadn't cared much about winning or losing earlier, the mocking faces of Ryonan's players were beginning to sting, even through his famously thick skin.

Akagi walked over to Sakuragi and placed a hand on his head, his tone surprisingly soft.

"Just focus on grabbing rebounds."

It was an uncharacteristically comforting gesture from the usually stern captain, which brought tears to Sakuragi's eyes as he nodded firmly.

"Alright, let's hold them off for the last minute!" Akagi roared, his deep voice reverberating through the gym.

The force of Akagi's shout momentarily stunned the Ryonan supporters, silencing their cheers.

"Yes! Shōhoku! Let's go!" The others echoed Akagi's rallying cry, their voices filled with determination.

On the court, Sendo's lazy but confident gaze shifted briefly to the Shōhoku bench, where Ryu sat watching the game.

The look in Sendo's eyes was a clear challenge, but Ryu remained calm, his expression unreadable.

Seeing no reaction from Ryu, Sendo smirked and returned his focus to Rukawa, who stood in front of him. "At least you're decent enough to make me try a little harder," he thought to himself.

On the sidelines, Coach Taoka was beaming with satisfaction as he glanced toward Coach Anzai. His smug expression seemed to say, "This is Ryonan's strength. You can't win."

Ryonan had possession.

Sendo skillfully drove past Rukawa, heading straight for the basket. Seeing Sakuragi guarding Ikegami, Sendo decided to set up his teammate.

But Sakuragi, motivated by Akagi's encouragement, stood his ground. Forced to adjust, Ikegami passed the ball to Yayoi, who attempted a jump shot.

"Rebound!" both teams shouted simultaneously.

In the paint, Akagi and Uozumi battled fiercely for position under the basket.

Then, it happened.

A sharp "Thud!" echoed through the gym as Uozumi's elbow accidentally struck Akagi's face near the eye.

Akagi collapsed, clutching his face, blood dripping from a gash near his eye.

"Akagi!" Uozumi exclaimed, panic overtaking his usually composed demeanor.

The referee blew the whistle immediately, stopping the game as the others rushed to Akagi's side.

"Captain!"

"Akagi!"

Ayako sprinted onto the court with a towel, her role as team manager and de facto medic in full force. She quickly began applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

The crowd erupted in chatter.

"Shōhoku's Akagi is injured! Is he okay?"

"If Akagi's out, how will Shōhoku stop Uozumi?"

On the Ryonan bench, Taoka's expression softened briefly, feigning concern for Akagi's injury. But inside, he saw this as the perfect opportunity.

"This is it! Without Akagi, Ryonan has a clear path to victory."

With Akagi unable to continue due to what appeared to be a corneal injury, Shōhoku needed a substitute.

All eyes turned to Ryu, still seated on the bench.

But to everyone's surprise, Coach Anzai signaled for Kenta Tsunoda, a second-year player, to replace Akagi.

Tsunoda swallowed nervously but stepped onto the court, ready to take Akagi's place.

As the game resumed, Tsunoda managed to draw a foul, scoring a single point from a free throw.

But Uozumi immediately responded with a powerful dunk over Tsunoda, scoring two points and further closing the gap.

"Tweet!"

The whistle blew, signaling the end of the first half.

The scoreboard read 35:31, with Shōhoku clinging to a narrow lead.

As the teams returned to their benches, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.

Ryonan's momentum had turned the tide, and with Akagi injured, Shōhoku's prospects seemed uncertain.

But sitting quietly on the bench, Ryu stretched his arms, his calm demeanor unwavering.

The second half was about to begin, and everyone knew it would determine the fate of the game.