The game pressed on, and Takao dribbled the ball with Izuki in close pursuit. A sly grin played on Takao's face as he swiftly passed the ball to Midorima, their eyes locking in silent understanding.
Midorima secured the ball and began his shooting motion, his eyes narrowing in focus.
He also kept an eye on Kiyoshi, who stood ready to support Kagami, aware that this was exactly what Shutoku had been planning for.
"Should I jump now?" Kagami contemplated as Midorima set up for his shot. Realizing that waiting would be too late, Kagami propelled himself upward with a powerful leap.
Midorima smoothly sidestepped, maintaining distance from Kagami, and prepared for another shot.
Kagami clenched his teeth while airborne and, as soon as he landed, leaped once more to block Midorima's shot from behind.
"Can't quite reach the ball," Kagami acknowledged, but he then let out a smirk as a figure suddenly leaped in front of Midorima, and Kagami exclaimed, "Perfect timing, Senior Kiyoshi!"
"No way I'm letting that happen!"
Kiyoshi exclaimed as he leaped to block Midorima's shot. Takao couldn't help but chuckle as he'd been waiting for this moment.
Midorima had some hesitation initially, but then his determination took over. "No more room for hesitation."
When Midorima passed the ball to Takao, it caught everyone on Seirin off guard.
"Midorima passed the ball?"
Kagami muttered in disbelief. Even Kuroko was taken aback by what he'd just witnessed.
"Did you all just witness that? Midorima passed the ball!" Kise exclaimed, his disbelief evident on his face. He turned to Tsuna and the others, seeking confirmation. "I must not be dreaming, right?"
Momoi and Nijimura shared in the surprise.
But Tsuna remained unfazed, and Momoi couldn't help but ask, "Tsuna, why aren't you surprised? Did you anticipate this?"
Tsuna shook his head, commenting, "Why should I be impressed? It's something he should've done a while ago..."
Nijimura understood Tsuna's perspective.
Still, he was too accustomed to Tsuna's calculated thinking that even if Tsuna claimed to foresee this development, Nijimura wouldn't have the slightest doubt of it.
"But it's Midorima we're talking about..."
Kise, however, appeared confused.
Tsuna maintained his point. "It doesn't matter who it is. While individual ability is important, basketball is fundamentally a team sport."
He made eye contact with Momoi to emphasize his point.
Momoi blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed, as she clearly grasped Tsuna's reference to Aomine, who had a reputation for playing for himself.
"Eh? That's quite surprising. I didn't expect you to say that..." Kise mumbled, his thoughts drifting to Kuroko.
Kise found the similarity between Tsuna and Kuroko rather intriguing.
Tsuna observed Kise's surprised expression, understanding his reaction, before shifting his focus back to the court.
The Generation of Miracles was undeniably exceptional, particularly within the realm of Japanese basketball.
Despite the individual talents on the court, the superiority of their solo performances could only shine at this level. In high-level games, the importance of teamwork surpassed individual prowess, as every player was exceptionally skilled.
Shutoku was gaining momentum, and Seirin faced challenges in their efforts to counter.
Yet, just when Shutoku believed they had control of the quarter, the game took an unexpected turn. Seirin's players shared a meaningful look, and in a swift motion, Izuki passed the ball to Hyuga, and the whole team advanced together.
Shutoku was caught off guard by this sudden burst of speed, prompting them to tighten their defense. However, Seirin's team was remarkably fast, swiftly advancing into Shūtoku's half of the court. Hyuga passed the ball to Kiyoshi, who aimed for a dunk, and Otsubo leaped to block him.
To everyone's surprise, Kiyoshi passed the ball to Kagami, who thunderously slammed it into the basket.
Otsubo frowned at the clever maneuver.
"Those sneaky tactics," he muttered.
Takao expressed his frustration, "We were taking control, and they pulled out a new trick. Unbelievable."
Otsubo disagreed, "It's not a new tactic. This is how they really play..."
The game turned into a high-scoring battle as both teams kept racking up points, and the second quarter concluded with the score tied at 45 - 45.
During the halftime break, Aida, Seirin's coach, observed that their up-tempo style was draining the players' energy rapidly.
The players gulped down water bottles, their breaths heavy.
Kagami realized the toll it was taking on him. He clenched his fist and noticed his trembling legs. "I can't beat Midorima by just leaping around aimlessly."
As the halftime break drew close, Aida changed their strategy, preparing to unveil Kuroko's hidden move.
"Kuroko definitely wouldn't be out here without a trick up his sleeve."
As both teams returned to the court, Midorima wore a thoughtful expression as he observed Kuroko rejoining the game.
The game continued, and Shutoku noticed that Seirin was playing at a slower pace while they maintained their own speed. This tactical shift allowed Seirin to take the lead on the scoreboard.
When Seirin had the ball, Kiyoshi screened Takao, who was guarding Kuroko. This created an opportunity for Kuroko, and Izuki passed him the ball.
Midorima was taken by surprise when Kuroko got hold of the ball. Instantly, he closed in on Kuroko, determined not to underestimate him, thinking, "I don't know what you're planning, but I won't go easy on you, Kuroko."
But to Midorima's astonishment, Kuroko seemed to vanish into thin air.
Before he knew it, Kuroko had eluded his defense, leaving Midorima looking in disbelief. Shutoku was equally stunned, scrambling to react, but it was too late. Kuroko passed the ball to Kagami, who added more points to Seirin's score.
The game continued, and Shutoku did their utmost to thwart Kuroko's Vanishing Drive, but it proved to be a formidable challenge.
"Even though it was surprising, the overall game dynamics haven't changed much," Momoi remarked.
She kept a close eye on the game and continued, "It's still a high-scoring match where neither team can halt the other's attack."
However, Kuroko's Vanishing Drive did give Seirin a slight edge by conserving their energy. Meanwhile, Shutoku had to work harder to maintain their fast-paced play and keep up with the point-scoring competition.
Kagami knew they couldn't maintain this pace indefinitely.
He realized that for them to secure a victory, he had to take on the challenge of stopping Midorima by himself. This way, they wouldn't have to double-team him and leave a vulnerability in their defense.
In the midst of the game, Kagami took a moment to reflect, thinking back to his training days with Alexandra in the United States.
Recalling one particular training session, Kagami closed his eyes briefly.
"That's not the way to do it, you knucklehead!" she scolded, giving Kagami's head a light smack.
He winced and turned to her, clearly frustrated. "What's the right way, then?"
Kagami asked, rubbing his aching head.
Alexandra let out a sigh. She understood that for someone as fiery and passionate as Kagami, calming his mind was no easy task.
"You've got to keep a clear head, Kagami. Emotions can't cloud your judgment," she advised.
Izuki controlled the ball, searching for a gap in Shutoku's defense when a sudden, sharp slapping sound echoed across the court. All eyes turned to Kagami, who had just given himself a resounding slap on the face.
Kagami's eyes opened wide, but his face displayed an unexpected calmness. Realization dawned on him, and he muttered to himself, "I need to keep a cool head."
Midorima, who had observed this peculiar act, couldn't help but feel an ominous shiver. There was something different about Kagami now.
Midorima frowned as he mumbled, "He feels different now..."
Tsuna couldn't help but smirk. He was eager to see just how much Kagami had evolved.
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