Slam Dunk: Muguro

Chapter 402 Play Ball Like Maki!
slap~
Taking advantage of Sakuragi's momentary daze, point guard Hojo Shisho seized the opportunity to steal the ball and launch a fast break.

Hojo Yoshisho, the point guard, is short but fast, making him a weaker version of Miyagi.

Sakuragi quickly turned around, his arms flashing out afterimages, and immediately rushed forward.

The distance between the two sides quickly narrowed, and Sakuragi finally caught up when Hojo Yoshisho stepped into the three-point line.

"So fast!"

Hojo Shisho, the point guard, was slightly taken aback. Sakuragi's speed was beyond his expectations, and he immediately abandoned the idea of ​​going for a layup.

Given the height difference between the two players, layups are easily blocked.

However, the arrow was already on the bowstring and had to be released; he didn't want to miss such a good scoring opportunity.

So, point guard Hojo Yoshisho took a floater.

The moment the ball left his hands, point guard Hojo Yoshisho smiled.

He had a feeling that this ball would go in.

Sakuragi took a couple more steps, and by the time he stopped, the basketball was already close to the hoop.

Despite this, he did not give up. He jumped with all his might and managed to knock the basketball, which was about to go in, away.

Beep~
At this moment, the referee blew his whistle and then made a goaltending gesture, indicating that Hojo Shisho's score was valid.

Goal-scoring was a rule established by NBA legend George Mikan, who was known for his ability to block opponents' shots.

Goal-interference refers to illegally interfering with a basketball that is in its downward trajectory or on the rim.

If the basketball has already started to descend after being shot, and is touched by the defender, the score is automatically awarded to the attacking team.

If an offensive player interferes, it is ruled an offensive interference violation, and the defending team gains possession of the ball.

"hateful!"

Sakuragi stomped his foot in frustration, clearly annoyed.

Hua Hua Hua~
It was at this moment that many viewers spontaneously applauded and cheered for Sakuragi.

The reason they cheered for Sakuragi was mainly because he jumped very high, but he was just a little unlucky.

Sakuragi was taken aback at first, but then his worry turned to joy.

"As expected, the audience's eyes are discerning. I am the genius Sakuragi Hanamichi!"

Under the speechless gaze of point guard Hojo Shisho, Sakuragi waved triumphantly towards the stands.

Anyone who didn't know better would think Sakuragi scored the point.

In the corridor, the four giants of love were watching the battle.

At this moment, the four giants of love were filled with solemnity.

Morishige Hiroshi broke the silence first: "That red-haired kid jumps really high, and his jumping speed is incredible."

This was the first time he had ever seen a player who could jump so high.

Even Rukawa Kaede, whom he regarded as his lifelong rival, seemed to be slightly inferior.

Their jumping heights might be similar, but Sakuragi's jumping speed is clearly superior to Rukawa's, as if he had springs under his feet.

Maki couldn't help but sigh, "Shohoku recruited two incredible rookies this year!"

Beside him, Mikoshiba looked sullen, clearly agreeing with Maki's statement.

Shohoku was already very strong, let alone now.

Now that Shohoku has gained two more super rookies, the situation is very unfavorable for them.

Even if they team up to form a super team of four, they probably still wouldn't be a match for Shohoku.

Seeing his teammates looking somewhat downcast, and to avoid dampening their morale, Moroboshi Dai immediately said, "Let's not boost their spirits and diminish our own. Shohoku has a super rookie, and so does Aiwa!"

The one referred to as "Moroboshi Dai" is naturally Morishige Hiroshi.

Amu and Mikoshiba both looked at Morishige Hiroshi and then nodded approvingly.

In yesterday's game, Morishige Hiroshi put up a dominant performance with 50+20+10.

"Compared to A-Kuan, what are Sakuragi and Rukawa Kaede!"

They believe that, as fellow super rookies, Morishige Hiroshi's talent surpasses that of Sakuragi and Rukawa, and even rivals that of Kogure in his prime.

"No, Rukawa Kaede's strength is no less than mine. The one who defeated me in the National Junior High School Tournament was Rukawa Kaede!"

Morishige Hiroshi is an honest person and will not underestimate Rukawa Kaede, who once defeated him.

After learning that Rukawa Kaede had defeated Morishige Hiroshi in the National Junior High School Tournament, Maki and Mikoshiba looked at each other, feeling somewhat discouraged.

Shohoku is too strong!

Even Moroboshi Dai, the captain, was filled with worry.

"Shohoku is very strong, but Aiwa is not necessarily weaker than them. It is still uncertain who will win."

Dai Moroboshi began to take on the responsibilities of captain.

Encouraged by Moroboshi Dai, Maki and the others regained their fighting spirit.

The game continues on the field.

Sakuragi is clearly not suited to be a point guard. His ball handling and passing fundamentals are excellent, but his playmaking ability is terrible.

Simply put, he lacks the awareness to "seize the opportunity." His teammates rarely have a chance, but he is always a step too slow. By the time he passes the ball, the opportunity has already passed.

In just five minutes, Sakuragi made three mistakes and failed to get a single assist.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Hojo Shisho began to narrow the gap.

As Hojo Shisho scored again, Sakuragi grabbed his hair in frustration, looking quite dejected.

He stood on the court, a hint of confusion in his eyes, beginning to doubt himself.

Am I really suited to be a point guard?
He seemed like an amateur when it came to controlling the pace of the game and timing his passes, always appearing inadequate.

"Sakuragi, you can choose to break through and pass!"

Suddenly, Kogure's voice rang out from outside the arena.

Throughout the match, Kogure kept a close eye on the progress of the game and noticed Sakuragi's predicament.

Kogure's suggestion made Sakuragi's eyes light up, as if he had found a way to solve the problem.

Breaking through and passing the ball is indeed a good approach.

Sakuragi possesses amazing athleticism. As long as he breaks through the opponent's defense and draws the defender's attention, and then finds an open teammate, the chances of an assist will definitely increase significantly.

In Slam Dunk, Maki is the epitome of this.

Thanks to Amu's feeding, A Shen was able to win the county tournament's top scorer.

Without Maki drawing the defense, A-Shen's scoring efficiency will definitely be greatly reduced.

In terms of physical ability, Sakuragi is no less capable than Maki.

After Shohoku served the ball, Sakuragi dribbled the ball past half-court and decided to try Kogure's suggestion in the upcoming game.

He began actively seeking opportunities to break through, no longer waiting in place as before, mechanically passing and dribbling the ball.

The next moment, Sakuragi dribbled past his opponent.

Hojo Shisho, the point guard, tried to intercept, but Sakuragi simply bumped past him and easily broke through.

This is Sakuragi's signature bulldozer breakthrough, using skillful counter-attacks to break through the opponent.

Given Sakuragi's athleticism, very few players can stop his breakthroughs, and Hojo Shisho, the point guard, is clearly not among them.

After completing the breakthrough, Sakuragi drove straight to the basket.

Because Sakuragi changed his playing style, it wasn't until then that Hojo Shisho's players finally realized what was happening.

Just as Hojo Shisho was helping out on defense, Sakuragi, who had successfully drawn the defense's attention, immediately passed the ball to the unguarded Yamamoto Kuma, who easily scored a layup.

With his breakthrough and passing strategy proving effective, Sakuragi's confidence returned.

In the hallway, Mikoshiba couldn't help but tease, "Maki, that shot is just like your playing style." "Yeah, his athleticism is outstanding!"

Looking at Sakuragi on the field, Maki couldn't help but think of Kogure.

Like Kogure, Sakuragi's physical attributes are impeccable, with no flaws whatsoever.

Although Maki believes his physical abilities are no less than Sakuragi's, he has a certain weakness: his coordination is not very good.

This resulted in his movements not being fluid enough, especially when breaking through and changing direction. The way he generated power in some movements was limited, resulting in his technical movements not being smooth enough.

This is somewhat similar to the future gOat.

However, compared to gOat's crab walk and crab-back jump shot, Maki's situation is much better; at least his shooting form is not ugly.

The game continued, and Sakuragi's breakthroughs and passes became increasingly smooth.

If the opposing player comes to cover, he will choose to pass the ball.

If the opposing player doesn't provide backup, Sakuragi will score on his own.

Under these circumstances, Shohoku began to quickly widen the score gap.

Beep~
Soon after, Coach Hojo requested a suspension.

After the timeout, Hojo Shisho further strengthened teamwork and managed to score a goal.

When Shohoku launched another attack, Sakuragi discovered that the player defending him had become Hojo Shisho, a small forward.

Hojo Shisho, a small forward, is strong and muscular, and is half a head shorter than Sakuragi, making him clearly more suitable for guarding Sakuragi.

However, this was no challenge for Sakuragi at all.

Although Hojo Shisho is better at physical play as a small forward, his explosiveness is far inferior to Sakuragi's.

So, Sakuragi started doing fancy tricks.

Although his fancy skills are not as good as Rukawa or Sendoh, his athleticism makes him unstoppable for ordinary players.

Hojo Shisho, the small forward, tried to keep up with Sakuragi's pace, but his physical abilities wouldn't allow it, and Sakuragi easily shifted his center of gravity.

Sakuragi seized the opportunity, quickly started moving, and used his explosive power to overpower his opponent, leaving the defender behind in almost an instant.

Wow~
A series of exclamations erupted in the stadium, with many spectators stunned by Sakuragi's explosive power.

After breaking through, Sakuragi's speed increased rapidly, and he reached his peak in the blink of an eye.

Hojo Shisho, the center, seemed a little hesitant. Before he could make a decision, Sakuragi had already rushed into the paint.

Sakuragi showed no fear. He leaped high, displaying amazing jumping ability, and delivered a powerful dunk over his opponent.

Bang~
Under Sakuragi's impact, Hojo Shisho, the center, couldn't help but take two steps back and almost fell to the ground.

The next moment, cheers erupted from the audience, as if they were about to lift the roof off the stadium.

This spectacular dunk over an opponent not only earned Sakuragi cheers but also further dampened Hojo Shisho's morale.

The players of Hojo Shisho looked at each other, all feeling a sense of despair.

They didn't want to be humiliated anymore and desperately wanted to end the match!

The suspension of the Hojo Four Merchants' business had little effect.

As the score gap widened further, Coach Hojo Yoshisho clearly accepted defeat and sent out his entire reserve lineup.

Coach Anzai also made a simple decision, replacing Sakuragi with Yohei.

It wasn't that he didn't want to substitute everyone off the court, but rather that the Shohoku lineup on the court was already the worst possible lineup.

The main purpose of this match was to train the players.

"Dad, the game isn't over yet, how can you take me off the field?"

Sakuragi was quite disappointed after being substituted off the court.

He was having a great time, and he even wanted to outdo Rukawa Kaede, but Coach Anzai substituted him out of the game early.

"Sakuragi, the fact that I substituted you off the court early shows that your performance on the court is no less than Rukawa's."

But I want to defeat him!

Sakuragi relentlessly kneaded Coach Anzai's soft flesh.

thump~
Akagi's iron fist, which descended from the sky, finally landed on Sakuragi's head.

"It hurts!"

Sakuragi clutched his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Damn it, the other team has already fielded their substitutes, how dare you still rack up stats on the field?"

"...You're absolutely right!"

Under Akagi's intimidation, Sakuragi immediately expressed his agreement.

He wouldn't waste time processing data; even if he did, it would be pointless.

Unfortunately, Sakuragi was still naive and inexperienced.

Because in the future, gOat will rely on data manipulation to complete the so-called 411 project, which is also the basis for his confidence in calling himself GOAT in front of the media.

However, sports cars can't possibly compare odometer readings with taxis.

With such a long mileage, they only managed to win four championships, and those championships were won by forming super teams, refereeing bias, and exhausting the team's potential.

These four titles are far less valuable than a three-peat, let alone two three-peat titles.

The most speechless thing is, have you ever seen a unanimous FMVP with a plus or minus of 0?
In 2013, gOat won the Finals MVP unanimously, but his plus-minus was 0, which is the only case in NBA history of a unanimous Finals MVP with a plus-minus of 0.

This shows that gOat's performance in the finals had very limited impact on the team.

Aside from the FMVP with a plus-minus of 0, gOat is the only player in the top ten of the MVP rankings with a negative plus-minus, and he did so twice.

It’s simply the most ridiculous thing in the world!
The game continued, and even after Sakuragi left the court, the score difference between the two sides continued to widen.

Even Shohoku's benchwarmer lineup is stronger than Hojo Shisho's starting lineup and substitutes.

Not long after, the game ended, and Shohoku advanced with a lead of more than fifty points.

After this match, the calls for Shohoku to win the championship grew louder and louder.

At the same time, I am paying more attention to Shohoku's next two games.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Shohoku's next two opponents will be Jinbo University Affiliated High School and Aiwa Academy.

In the corridor, Moroboshi muttered to himself, "I hope Jinbo Dai can step up his game, and it would be best if Shohoku's full starting lineup could be on the court!"

Amu spread his hands, unsure of what to say.

You're making things difficult for Shen Baoda's subordinates!

Even if everyone in Jinbo Dai's faction were on fire, it would probably be of no use given their strength.

After the game, Shohoku went straight back to their dormitory.

On their way, they happened to run into the Ryonan team.

Akagi asked Uozumi in a deep, muffled voice, "How did your match go?"

"Our opponents were too weak. We won without even having to play!"

Uozumi didn't ask about the result of the game for the Shohoku team. Unless the Shohoku team had a major car accident, they couldn't possibly lose.

"Uozumi, this is our detailed analysis of Sannoh Industrial. We hope it will be helpful for your match the day after tomorrow!"

At that moment, Kogure handed over a notebook.

"Then I won't stand on ceremony. No matter the outcome, I'll treat you all to a meal after the national competition."

Uozumi patted his chest and made the promise.

"Then it's settled!"

(End of this chapter)