ALL NOVEL Chapter 42: Is All You Can Do Talk?
Just as Ryonan's spirits were soaring high:
"Tweet!"
The referee's whistle sounded. Shohoku called a timeout.
In just five minutes of the second half, Ryonan had not only caught up but taken a commanding lead. The score now stood at 42:58, with Shohoku trailing by 16 points.
The Ryonan supporters erupted in cheers.
"If it keeps going like this, Shohoku's done for. They've only got Rukawa. Even if Akagi and Ryu come on, what difference will it make?"
"Haha, right? And just look at Sendoh—he's only starting to warm up!"
"Let's go, Ryonan! Keep it up, Sendoh!"
The crowd's chants for Ryonan filled the gym.
A Kanagawa sports reporter sighed as he watched Shohoku struggle.
"Looks like Shohoku still can't shake their losing streak."
"I wonder what strategy Coach Anzai will come up with during this timeout?"
"Akagi's back, but it's hard to say if he'll play or not."
The cameraman pointed his lens toward Shohoku's bench, where Ayako was carefully checking Akagi's injury.
Akagi clapped his hands loudly to get everyone's attention. His voice was firm and steady.
"Good work. Keeping the gap under 20 points is already a solid effort. Now it's time for us to fight back."
He turned to Sakuragi, ruffling his red hair with a big hand.
"Sakuragi, well done. That was great work!"
While Sakuragi hadn't been able to fully stop Uozumi's scoring, he'd been critical in securing defensive rebounds. Without his efforts, Ryonan might have extended their lead to 20 points already.
"You've made big improvements this game, Sakuragi," Ayako said with a smile as she handed him a bottle of water.
Hearing all the praise, Sakuragi puffed out his chest and grinned from ear to ear.
"Hahaha! I told you I'm a genius!"
Rukawa glanced at him with a cold expression, clearly unimpressed. Exhausted, he gasped for air, his fatigue evident. Rukawa had given his all on both offense and defense, but Ryonan's relentless double-teaming had taken its toll. And with Kogure and the others unable to step up offensively, the pressure had fallen entirely on him.
Coach Anzai began calmly outlining his strategy.
"Shiozaki, you'll sub in for Yasuda. Rukawa, Sakuragi, take a break. Akagi and Ryu will go in."
He pointed to Ryu. "The focus will be on creating space for Ryu to take his shots. Spread the floor as much as possible."
Everyone nodded, understanding their roles.
Sakuragi, however, wasn't pleased. His face scrunched up as he complained loudly.
"Old man, I can still play! Let me back in! Without the genius me, they'll be in trouble out there!"
Coach Anzai chuckled softly. "Sakuragi, don't forget—you're our secret weapon."
Hearing the words secret weapon, Sakuragi's mood did a 180. With a smug smile, he finally sat down.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Taoka continued to fine-tune Ryonan's strategy.
"Shohoku's morale is in shambles right now. This is the perfect moment to crush them completely. Stick with the double-team strategy—whenever the ball gets to Rukawa or Ryu, trap them immediately. Don't give them any room to move."
He paused, looking at Uozumi. "As for the rebounds, Akagi will probably come back in. I'm counting on you to protect the boards. I know you can handle it."
The players nodded in agreement, ready to maintain their momentum and finish Shohoku off.
Ryonan was up by 16 points, and with steady play, Shohoku didn't seem likely to catch up.
"Ryonan, victory is ours!" Uozumi roared, rallying his team.
"Tweet!"
The referee blew the whistle. The game resumed.
"We're up!" Akagi shouted, tossing aside his towel and leading his team back onto the court.
As Akagi strode forward, Kogure looked at him with concern.
"Akagi, are you sure your body's okay?"
"Don't worry," Akagi replied with a hearty laugh, showing no hint of hesitation.
The crowd erupted into murmurs as Shohoku took the court, with spectators and reporters quickly scanning the lineup.
"Akagi is back! And that #10 is on too."
"Finally feeling the pressure, huh? But Rukawa and the red-haired guy aren't on the court."
"Is this part of Shohoku's plan? I'm curious—what's that #10 going to show us this time?"
Watching Akagi and Ryu enter the game, Tagaoka smirked coldly.
"So, they've finally brought in their big guns. But with a 16-point lead, not even Akagi and Ryu can close the gap. Anzai-sensei, this game is ours again."
Not seeing Rukawa on the court boosted his confidence further.
As soon as Akagi stepped onto the court, Uozumi's competitive spirit surged. Ignoring Akagi's injury, he sneered.
"What's this, Akagi? I thought you were too scared to play."
Akagi had always been a towering presence in Uozumi's mind. This game was Uozumi's chance to crush him and regain his confidence before the Kanagawa tournament.
"Don't get cocky, Uozumi," Akagi replied coolly. "It's only a 16-point lead."
Meanwhile, Sendoh's gaze locked onto Ryu. He smirked, adding a playful jab.
"Hey, Ryu, finally decided to join the game? Don't disappoint me now. Is Akagi the only real player on your team?"
Ryu met Sendoh's taunt with a calm smile, shrugging as he replied.
"Looks like the legendary Sendoh is just all talk. Sixteen points? That's nothing."
Sendoh wasn't upset. Instead, he burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Ryu, huh? You're an interesting guy. Let's settle this with skill, not words."
The two locked eyes, the intensity between them palpable, as if electric sparks crackled in the air.
Yoshinaga placed a hand on Sendoh's shoulder.
"Sendoh, don't waste your energy on a team like Shohoku. They're just a first-round washout. Let's crush them completely. Don't let them score another point."
Ryu's eyes turned cold, and his voice was sharp. "Trash like you should stay quiet. Who do you think you are?"
"You...!" Yoshinaga's face darkened, but before he could continue, the referee's whistle interrupted.
"Tweet! The game resumes! Shohoku's ball!"
The heated exchange came to a halt as the teams prepared to play. Shohoku was ready to fight back.