At that moment, Takao suddenly accelerated, cutting in from the wing and drawing the defenders' attention. Wakamatsu quickly stepped up to help, creating a mismatch.
Seeing the opening, Takao executed a perfect bounce pass to Otsubo, who caught the ball and exploded toward the rim like an arrow leaving the bowstring.
Imayoshi immediately stepped in to stop him, but Otsubo used his physical strength to bulldoze through the defense effortlessly.
Otsubo wasn't the least bit fazed by Imayoshi's attempt to contest him. On the contrary, his confidence only grew—he knew that in terms of physicality, he had the clear advantage.
So, Otsubo made up his mind—he would use his strength to power through Imayoshi and go straight for the basket.
However, Aomine, the defensive anchor of his team, instantly read Otsubo's intentions. Reacting on instinct, he collapsed into the paint, leaping high into the air, ready to deliver a devastating block.
Aomine extended his arms mid-air, eyes locked on the ball.
"This is exactly what I wanted" Otsubo smirked. His goal had never been to score—it was to lure Aomine inside and create an open shot for Midorima.
Just as everyone thought Otsubo would force the layup, he made an unexpected move—a pass.
Without hesitation, he flicked the ball backward with perfect timing, his motion fluid and precise. The ball arced gracefully through the air, landing right in Midorima's hands, three steps beyond the three-point line.
Sakurai's expression tightened as he rushed forward to contest the shot.
But Midorima remained unfazed. He caught the ball, completely unaffected by the defense, and rose into his shooting form—calm, precise, and unshakable.
With his high release point and towering height, Midorima knew that aside from Aomine, no one on the court could challenge his shot. This was the confidence of the Generation of Miracles' best sharpshooter.
The ball left Midorima's fingertips in a picture-perfect arc and swished through the net with a crisp "swish".
With that, Shutoku took the lead — 9:8. The intensity of the game escalated.
...
"Man, I'm late again" Kise muttered, strolling into the gym at his own pace.
As soon as he stepped inside, the scoreboard caught his attention. His lips curled into a smile.
"A showdown between the best shooter and the best power forward of the Generation of Miracles? Now this is exciting." His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Scanning the crowd, Kise suddenly spotted two familiar figures—one in vivid red, the other in deep blue.
"Kagamicchi! Kurokocchi?" he called out playfully.
Hearing their names, Kagami and Kuroko turned almost simultaneously, both looking surprised for a split second before regaining their composure.
Kagami frowned, clearly annoyed.
"Oi, Kise! Can you not call me 'Kagamicchi'? That nickname pisses me off."
But Kise just laughed, waving it off. "Don't sweat the small stuff!"
His easygoing grin showed he didn't take Kagami's irritation seriously.
"Kise" Kuroko greeted simply with a slight nod, acknowledging his presence.
With no further words, the three of them turned their attention back to the game.
...
"Yo, nice shot, Midorima!" Aomine chuckled before launching into an immediate offensive push.
Midorima, as always, remained silent and focused, fully immersed in both offense and defense.
The game quickly turned into a back-and-forth shootout — both teams trading buckets, with no one able to stop the other.
As the first quarter wound down, Midorima drilled a buzzer-beating three, giving Shutoku a slight edge.
End of Q1: 30:29. Shutoku leads by one.
"These two teams are evenly matched" Kawamura remarked. Even from the first quarter, it was obvious both squads were powerhouses.
"This is just the warm-up. Aomine and Midorima are feeling each other out. Expect things to heat up in the second quarter" Shiro analyzed. The first quarter had been more about role players testing each other, while the true showdown between the Generation of Miracles had yet to begin.
"Besides the two superstars, the rest of the players are going at it evenly" Momoi added. "But in the end, only Aomine and Midorima will decide the game."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Kagami, watching the game closely, thought to himself, "Damn… Even with neither of them going all out, I'm not sure I could take them on. He shook his head. Looks like I really need to head back to the U.S. for training"
…
Tōō Bench
Katsunori Harasawa ran a hand through his hair, looking straight at Aomine.
"First quarter's done. From now on, we run the offense through you. You can handle Midorima, right?"
Aomine smirked, clenching his fist slightly.
"Relax"
His confidence was unshakable, his eyes burning with competitive fire."The only one who can beat me… is me."
Shutoku Bench
Nakatani was also giving out tactical instructions.
"Set up screens — Midorima needs to get open. We're going all in on offense. It's on you, Midorima. Take down their ace."
Midorima took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
"I put up thousands of threes every day. I'm ready."His mind was crystal clear—this game was crucial. He had to give it everything."
As long as I shoot my best, I'll beat Aomine."
The referee blew the whistle.
"Break's over! Second quarter starts now!"
The crowd erupted, eager for the battle ahead.