Imayoshi made a pass to Aomine, advancing the ball. He had faith in Aomine's abilities to deal with Nijimura, even though Aomine had left the zone.
But it wasn't just Aomine; Tsuna also appeared to be out of it.
Imayoshi noticed that Tsuna's stamina had taken a hit after accessing the zone. Although Tsuna was in better shape than Aomine, it was clear he wasn't at his peak.
As Tsuna moved to defend him, Imayoshi observed him keenly.
Imayoshi, now tasked with guarding Tsuna, said, "You're being pretty tough on a friend, aren't you? Those were some really harsh words..."
Tsuna brushed off Imayoshi's comment.
"The only one who can beat me is me," Tsuna casually recollected Aomine's words. He shook his head and added nonchalantly, "He needs a reality check..."
Tsuna had a promise to keep to Momoi, to bring Aomine back to his senses, and he was determined to do just that.
Imayoshi adjusted his glasses, deep in thought. He had once considered Aomine's arrogant words to be true in some sense, but not anymore, not since facing Fukuda Sogo.
Aomine, despite the throbbing pain in his muscles, clutched the ball and skillfully dribbled it down the court. His dribbling speed was remarkable, though not quite on par with his zone performance.
Midorima and Kise watched Aomine dribble the ball in silence.
Realizing the intensity of Aomine's face-off against Tsuna, Kise understood that Aomine had experienced far more agony than him. The mere act of standing definitely brought so much pain for Aomine, not to mention dribbling the ball with such speed. The strain on Aomine's body was almost unbearable.
"...Aominecchi is truly something," Kise whispered loudly, making sure Midorima caught his remark.
Midorima gave an approving nod, recognizing that to pull it off would demand an extraordinary level of determination and mental strength, a quality that earned his deep respect.
In a different section of the audience, the Uncrowned Kings also greatly admired Aomine's unwavering determination and resilience.
However, in the midst of this silent appreciation, Akashi, watching their former Teiko captain, noted that even with Aomine's remarkable efforts, it might not be sufficient.
"...He also had improved that much since the last time I've seen him, huh?"
Akashi thought to himself, closely observing their ex-captain's naturally formidable and aggressive defensive stance.
Kotaro discreetly pointed something out, saying, "Nijimura's giving off a vibe like Aomine in the second quarter."
Mibuchi and Nebuya exchanged serious glances. They had been primarily focused on Tsuna, but now it seemed Nijimura was also proving to be a significant force on the court.
Meanwhile, Aomine also picked up on this change. He couldn't help but notice Nijimura's calm demeanor and his natural play style.
"Is that some kind of beastly instinct?" Aomine wondered.
However, Aomine sensed a subtle difference and furrowed his brow.
Midorima adjusted his glasses, carefully observing Nijimura. Something about Nijimura's demeanor felt unique.
Kise wondered, "Why is he so similar to Aomine?"
Midorima pondered for a moment, considering Nijimura's demeanor. He felt Nijimura was like a seasoned veteran who had weathered many battles.
"He's akin to a chivalrous knight, a true warrior..."
Midorima remarked.
On the court, Aomine just scoffed at Nijimura's unique aura. "I don't care... I'll break through and make Tsuna face me again."
Aomine's determination blazed in his eyes as he moved quickly, shifting to Nijimura's right side with impressive agility.
With his path open, Aomine pushed forward, but he sensed a looming presence behind him. A hand reached out to snatch the ball from his grasp.
Aomine winced in pain, straining to move his hand faster and avoid that hand. However, Nijimura quickly reacted, closing in swiftly, his hand brushing the ball and making it slip off Aomine's hand.
Imayoshi was taken aback.
"Aomine got stopped by someone other than Kazama?" he thought in disbelief.
As the ball slipped from Aomine's grasp, Imayoshi was too slow to react.
Tsuna, on the other hand, had anticipated Nijimura's move and was already on the hunt for the ball. With a burst of speed, Tsuna raced to seize the ball, silently acknowledging Aomine's resilience. Even in his weakened state, Nijimura couldn't contain Aomine's skills entirely.
"But that's more than enough!" Tsuna exclaimed, snatching the ball.
The opposing players were momentarily stunned but quickly recovered and scrambled to block Tsuna's path.
His determination blazing, Wakamatsu yelled, "You won't pass me, you fucking monster!"
Wakamatsu stood his ground, determined to block Tsuna's path.
Tsuna, his dribbling skills resembling that of a graceful dancer, gently shook his head at Wakamatsu's efforts.
Frustration gnawed at Wakamatsu as he struggled to keep up with the nimble ball.
"I'll stick to his every move then," he thought, trying to predict Tsuna's actions.
Tsuna veered to the right, and Wakamatsu followed with all his might. But Tsuna had a cunning grin on his face as he unexpectedly halted and spun around, leaving Wakamatsu in a state of confusion.
Wakamatsu's eyes widened as he realized the ball was no longer in Tsuna's hand.
"...Sakurai!"
Imayoshi's voice pierced through the daze, snapping Sakurai back to the game.
He saw Mochizuki in possession of the ball and rushed to block, but it was too late. With a swift and perfect shot, Mochizuki scored a three for Fukuda Sogo.
"Goddammit!" Imayoshi cursed under his breath, the frustration evident on his face.
Due to Tsuna's prior face-off with Aomine, he had put Tsuna as the same as Aomine, overlooking the distinctions between them that Momoi had told them beforehand.
While Aomine was known for his solo style, Tsuna had consistently demonstrated himself as a cooperative and team-oriented player.
As the third quarter concluded, Fukuda Sogo had reestablished their lead on the scoreboard, now displaying a score of 71 - 59. This situation dawned upon the Too Academy members, who now realized that they were in a pinch.
Harasawa told them to stick to their original plan based on Momoi's data to counter Fukuda Sogo's players' tactics. They all nodded in agreement, not ready to throw in the towel yet.
As the fourth quarter started, they quickly understood that even though they had figured out how to alter their rhythm to outsmart Haizaki and prevent him from shutting down their plays, it all went to waste without Aomine keeping Tsuna in check.
Aomine also realized this as he clenched his teeth. Nijimura's presence kept him in check, and he couldn't do much about it with his current condition.
Imayoshi understood that their defense was in a bad spot.
They also noticed that their offense wasn't working as the game continued. Tsuna had switched places with Nijimura, and that caused problems for their attack.
As they tried to catch up in the game by scoring three-pointers, they noticed that Mochizuki and Ogiwara were closely guarding Sakurai. Imayoshi turned to Tsuna, his frustration evident, as he realized their fate had been completely sealed.
Akashi's smile vanished after observing these events and returned to his usual composed expression. He turned and walked away.
"Let's go, there's nothing more to see," Akashi declared. The rest of the group exchanged puzzled looks and followed him.
Mibuchi glanced back at the court as he walked away, thinking, "So, our final opponent will be Fukuda Sogo Academy, huh?"
---
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