The Legend Coach: Slam Dunk

The timeout ended, and the game resumed with Hainan in possession. With less than three minutes left, Hainan slowed their pace, meticulously using up the shot clock to limit Shoyo's opportunities.

At critical moments, the ball inevitably found its way to Otsu. Sugiyama's presence on the court forced Hainan to rely heavily on their ace. Nakamura, though exhausted, refused to give up. This was the closest Shoyo had ever come to a Kanagawa title, and he was determined to push through. Relying on sheer willpower, Nakamura maintained his defensive intensity, but Otsu was equally composed, protecting the ball with precision. Every possession was crucial, and mistakes were not an option.

"Otsu, beat Nakamura! This shot has to go in!" Coach Takato shouted from the sidelines.

Facing Nakamura's tight defense, Otsu remained calm. He dribbled toward the side of the paint, aiming for a high-percentage shot close to the basket. Suddenly, Otsu faked a jump shot, tricking Nakamura into leaping early. As Nakamura descended, Otsu prepared to shoot, but Oshima swooped in from behind for a crucial block!

"Great job, Oshima!!!" Kudo cheered from the bench.

Hainan's point guard grabbed the loose ball, but with little time left, he was forced to take a contested shot under pressure from Saionji. The rebound was secured by Sugiyama, who outmuscled Okabe.

"Waaaah!!!" The Shoyo crowd erupted. "Great job, Sugiyama!!!"

"Go, Sugiyama!!!" the cheerleaders screamed. "Go, Shoyo!!!"

"Tighten the defense!!!" Takato yelled frantically, jumping up and down on the sidelines. "Don't let them advance the ball!!!"

Despite Takato's frantic instructions, Saionji and Nakamura managed to bring the ball upcourt. Nakamura's efforts paid off as he passed the ball to Sugiyama, who didn't hesitate to sink a hook shot. The score was now 84:86, with Shoyo just two points behind.

Hainan regained possession, and Otsu's focus was unwavering. "This shot has to go in," he thought. Exchanging a glance with Okabe, Otsu executed a pick-and-roll, freeing himself from Nakamura's defense. With Okabe screening Sugiyama, Otsu drove to the basket and scored, extending Hainan's lead to 84:88.

Takato breathed a sigh of relief. If that shot had missed, Hainan would have been in serious trouble.

With just over a minute remaining, Shoyo trailed by four points.

Shoyo inbounded the ball, and Otsu abandoned Nakamura to double-team Saionji alongside Hainan's guards. Recognizing the threat, Nakamura rushed to the backcourt to assist Saionji. Spotting an opening, Saionji passed the ball to Nakamura, who sprinted upcourt to avoid a 10-second violation.

With Otsu no longer guarding him, Nakamura drove toward the basket. Hainan's power forward, abandoning Oshima, fouled Nakamura to prevent an easy score.

"Tweet!!!" The referee's whistle blew. Hainan had committed a foul, sending Nakamura to the free-throw line.

The stadium fell silent. Nakamura's free throws were critical. Taking a deep breath, he sank the first shot. Before attempting the second, he exchanged a meaningful glance with Sugiyama and Oshima. On the second attempt, Nakamura intentionally missed, and Sugiyama soared for the rebound, slamming it home with a thunderous dunk! The score was now 87:88, with Shoyo just one point behind and only 50 seconds left on the clock.

"Tweet!!!" The referee signaled a timeout. Takato could no longer remain seated. The pressure was mounting, and he was visibly uneasy.

Spectators murmured among themselves:

"Shoyo is incredible. They've kept the game this close. It's not easy."

"This year's Shoyo is on par with Hainan. No other team in Kanagawa can compare to them."

Shoyo's Timeout

In the Shoyo huddle, Kudo addressed his sweat-drenched players: "Great job, everyone!"

"But we're still down by one, and Hainan has the ball," Kudo reminded them. "Next, we'll foul their ball handler. Be careful not to give up an and-one opportunity, and don't make it obvious enough to be called an intentional foul. If you can't foul, don't let them take a three-pointer. If we don't stop this next shot, we'll have to rely on a three to tie the game."

"Remember, never give up hope until the final buzzer. If you give up, the game ends early!"

"Understood!!!" the team shouted.

Hainan's Timeout

In the Hainan huddle, Takato issued his final instructions: "Otsu will bring the ball up again. Everyone, cover him and prevent Shoyo from fouling him. No matter what, we must score on this possession. Understood?"

"Understood!!!" Otsu nodded solemnly.

The Final Moments

The timeout ended, and Okabe inbounded the ball to Otsu. Saionji and the Shoyo players attempted to swarm Otsu, but Hainan's players were ready, forming a protective barrier around their star.

"Defense! We must stop this shot!!!" Shoyo's bench shouted frantically.

True to his reputation, Otsu calmly dribbled up the court under immense pressure. Nakamura pressed him tightly, staying alert to potential screens.

When Otsu finally broke free, Nakamura fouled him to stop the play.

"Tweet!!!" The referee blew the whistle. Nakamura had committed a defensive foul, but thankfully, it wasn't ruled intentional.

With no rebounding advantage over Shoyo, Otsu needed to sink both free throws to secure Hainan's lead. The pressure was immense, but Otsu remained composed, draining both shots. The score was now 87:90, with less than 30 seconds remaining.

Oshima inbounded the ball to Saionji, who sprinted upcourt. Hainan's defense focused entirely on Shoyo's perimeter players, leaving Sugiyama and Oshima open to prevent a three-pointer.

With time running out, Nakamura attempted a contested three-pointer under Otsu's pressure. The shot missed, but Sugiyama grabbed the rebound and immediately passed it to Ikeda, who launched a three-pointer at the buzzer.

The ball arced through the air as the entire stadium held its breath. Kudo, watching the timer, shook his head and sighed.

The ball swished through the net, but the buzzer had already sounded. Ikeda's shot was too late, and the three points were nullified. The final score was 87:90 in favor of Hainan.