Ace of the Bench

The referee's whistle PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! Cut through the gym like a starter gun.

The ball spun high, cutting a perfect arc toward the gym lights. All eyes were on the two tallest players: Riku Tanaka of Seiryō High and Daigo Nishimura of Shikoku High.

Both of them were directly below the ball. Their sneakers SQUEAK! SQUEAK! on the hardwood as they shifted.

Tanaka's broad shoulders tensed, legs coiled like springs. Nishimura mirrored him, hair damp with sweat and eyes narrowed. They rose together, body slicing upwards, jerseys rippling, air rushing past them in a soft WHOOOOSH! Their jump was synchronized, but Tanaka's extra half-inch of reach made the difference. The ball tipped slightly toward Marcus, who lunged forward with a lightning-fast hand.

Marcus landed on the polished floor with a dull THUMP!, the ball cradled under his arm, and he immediately scanned the court. His vision felt almost mechanical, the movement of each player both teammates and opponents calculating in fractions of seconds. Tiny misalignments, subtle gaps, and rookie overextensions leapt out at him.

"Why did they do that?" said Ayaka, her voice lost beneath the echo of the bouncing ball POCK! POCK!

From the bleachers, Kana nudged Ayaka. "See the tip-off? That's always the two tallest players. Centers usually get it because height gives them the edge to control the jump."

Ayaka blinked, impressed. "I thought it was just to show off."

Kana laughed softly. "Nope. Whoever wins the tip controls the first possession, and control is everything. Watch Marcus he's deciding the opening play."

Marcus dribbled past the half-court line POCK! POCK! POCK!

Shunjin James sprinted diagonally, weaving through the rookie defense like a needle threading fabric.

"Small forward's speed and timing are everything," Kana whispered in the bleachers, her words almost swallowed by the SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAK! of sneakers and the sharp SLAP! of palms on thighs.

"Shun cuts right into the soft spot. See how he moved between the power forward and center? That's deliberate."

The gym erupted with the SQUEAK-SQUEAK! of sneakers, stomping feet THUD! THUD!, and chants "SEI-RYO! SEI-RYO!"

Marcus feinted left, then drove forward, eyes on Shun, who flicked his wrist in a quick signal. Marcus spun the ball around a defender, tapping into a gap he'd noticed in the rookie Shikoku defense.

This is what it feels like to thread the needle, Marcus thought. Just one wrong move and the defense snaps shut. Timing is everything.

He tossed a sharp pass to Shun, who cut toward the baseline, spun midair, and launched a shot. The ball arced perfectly but an unexpected block came from the rookie power forward, Kaito Mizuno.

The crowd GASPED! Even Ayaka flinched.

Kana whispered, "See that? Don't underestimate rookies. Even first-form players like him can react when they read the play. Timing, instincts, it's all raw but deadly."

Marcus's jaw clenched. So they're not as weak as I thought.

Riku Tanaka positioned himself near the paint, ready to grab any rebound. Daigo Nishimura, Shikoku's center, mirrored him, muscles tensed, eyes locked. The rebound bounced high. Tanaka leapt but Nishimura had anticipated it. With a precise hand swipe SMACK!, the ball landed in Shikoku's small forward's hands, Akira Hoshino.

Akira spun, lightning-fast despite being only five-five. He darted past Marcus, weaving between veteran defenders with tiny, unpredictable steps TAP! TAP! TAP! The ball hit the rim CLANG!, then bounced out a near miss.

"Wow…" Ayaka murmured. "Even the small ones can make plays."

Kana nodded. "Exactly. In basketball, size matters, but instincts and footwork can level the field."

The Seiryō defense regrouped. Marcus called out instructions, short and sharp: "Riku, block the lane! Shun, cut inside! Kento, cover the shooter!"

The play broke into a chaotic rhythm, sneakers squeaking SQUEAK! SQUEAK!, balls bouncing in staccato POCK! POCK! POCK! against the polished floor. Marcus spotted a small opening between Mizuno and Akira. He pivoted and passed to Shunjin again. This time, Shun's mid-range jumper SWISH! cleanly through the net.

First score on the board. 2–0.

Coach Takeda clapped his hands CLAP! CLAP! "Good, but don't get lazy! Keep observing rookies are unpredictable."

Marcus wiped sweat from his brow. They're fast… and smart in ways we didn't expect. I thought we'd have an easy quarter, but this is… alive.

The crowd continued chanting, sensing the intensity. Even the bench rookies were leaning forward, eyes wide, ready to spring.

From the bleachers, Kana explained to Ayaka, "Every position has its role. Point guard controls the flow, shooting guard opens mid-range shots, small forward creates angles, power forward sets screens and rebounds, and center anchors the paint."

Ayaka watched as Daichi Moriyama, Seiryō's power forward, set a screen on Kaito BUMP! Marcus dribbled past the screen POCK! POCK!, eyes flicking to the gap. He feinted again and handed a pass to Riku Tanaka, who spun inside for a jump hook.

The ball grazed the backboard KISS! and dropped in. Score: 4–0.

"See how Daichi's screen made that possible?" Kana pointed. "Even a veteran can't just bulldoze past everyone; timing and coordination make space."

Ayaka leaned forward. "I get it. Basketball is like… chess with movement."

Kento Sato, Seiryō's shooting guard, stepped up. He had been waiting for a clean lane. He sprinted toward the baseline TAP! TAP!, got the pass, and despite his smaller stature launched a perfect three-pointer. NET SWISH! 7–0.

Coach Shimizu whistled PHWEEET! "Good start. Keep the pace!"

Shikoku High regrouped quickly. Nishimura called out a pick-and-roll to Akira Hoshino. The rookies moved like a single organism, exploiting tiny missteps from Seiryō's defense. Akira faked left, spun right WHOOSH!, and scored. First point for the visitors. 7–2.

Marcus blinked. They're sharper than we thought.

The quarter continued in this furious back-and-forth. Rookie Haruto Fujii intercepted a pass SNATCH!, raced down the court TAP-TAP-TAP!, and slammed it home SLAM-DUNK! Daichi Moriyama responded immediately with a rebound tip, following up with a layup BOUNCE! SWISH!

The clock ticked down BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!, and the tension rose. Each play carried weight; every mistake amplified the roar of the crowd "OOOHHH!"

Finally, the first-quarter buzzer blared BUZZZZZZZ! Score: 14–6. Seiryō leads, but the rookies of Shikoku had shown flashes of brilliance that made every veteran pause.

From the bench, Yuuto Inoue clenched his fists, watching intently. Next quarter, I'll show them what I'm capable of. I won't be invisible.

Ayaka nudged Kana, whispering, "I can't believe they're rookies…"

Kana smirked. "That's why you watch carefully. In basketball, age doesn't always matter. Skill, timing, and instinct can beat experience if you use them right."

The crowd roared "SEI-RYO! SEI-RYO!" as the teams jogged off the floor, hands clapping CLAP! CLAP!, students cheering. But every player knew the game had only just begun.