Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

"Oh my god! What kind of monster is he? He was about to go out of bounds, but he still managed to sink the ball into the basket!"

"Unbelievable! This is the first time I've seen someone score from behind the basket!"

"It's incredible. Even with so many players from Dayei College blocking him, they couldn't stop him from scoring."

"The game's over! If he can score like that, what chance does Dayei College have?"

On Dayei College's bench, the players stared at the court, mouths agape. They had never witnessed such an outrageous scoring play. Kenichi Uesugi had truly opened their eyes today.

Even their coach, Hirata Takuichi, was stunned. He knew Kenichi Uesugi was strong—exceptionally strong—but he hadn't expected him to be this dominant. Now, he finally understood why everyone said Kainan had lost to him single-handedly. With such terrifying scoring ability, even Sawakita might struggle to compete!

The game continued, and Dayei Academy's players fought valiantly. They had come too far to give up easily. After all, they had nearly made it to the national top four last year. Falling in the top 16 was not an ending they could accept.

Tsuchiya Jun brought the ball to the front court, facing Kenichi Uesugi's suffocating defense. The pressure was immense. After a series of fakes, Jun opted to pass, but Kenichi's

"Emperor Eye" saw through it. The moment the ball left Jun's hand, Kenichi intercepted it, sparking a fast break for Ryonan.

Dayei Academy, their morale crumbling, could no longer keep up. Ryonan's counterattack was swift, and after receiving a pass from Kenichi, Sendoh scored an easy layup. 57:32.

"Dayei Academy hasn't scored a single point in the second half! Their defense has completely fallen apart. They're like a house of cards now!"

"It looks like Ryonan is advancing to the top eight! They've proven themselves as a true contender after defeating last year's top-four team."

Coach Hirata Takuichi called a timeout, seeing his players' movements grow sloppy. During the break, he asked for their thoughts. Despite their despair, the players unanimously agreed to keep fighting. Even if they couldn't change the outcome, they wanted to persevere until the final buzzer.

Respecting their decision, Hirata sent them back onto the court.

On Ryonan's bench, Coach Taoka Moichi anticipated Dayei's resilience. He addressed his team, "There are two powerhouse teams from Osaka Prefecture. We sent Toyotama home yesterday, and now it's Dayei Academy's turn. If they won't give up, let's finish the job and send them packing!"

"Yes, Coach!" Ryonan's players responded with fiery determination.

The game resumed, and Ryonan maintained their dominance. Even without Kenichi's "Perfect Copy," their offense flowed seamlessly. Sendoh, quiet for most of the game, began to shine, scoring relentlessly despite double teams. Fukuda and Uozumi also stepped up, with Uozumi blocking three consecutive shots under the basket.

The crowd was electrified. After the timeout, Dayei Academy showed some life. Jun Tsuchiya and shooting guard Nagarai Masataka hit a few three-pointers, but it was too little, too late. Dayei couldn't stop Ryonan's offense, and the gap in the score only widened.

Finally, the game ended. 88:64. Ryonan had defeated Dayei College and advanced to the national top eight. From this moment on, the basketball world began to take them seriously.

"I can't believe it! They've made it to the top eight in their first national tournament!"

"And their opponents were no pushovers!"

"With their current form, they might go even further!"

"It all depends on who they face next!"

After the game, Coach Taoka and the Ryonan players quickly posed for the media before hurrying to the locker room. Their next mission was to scout their upcoming opponent: the winner of the Meihou Industry vs. Changcheng High School game.

The match between Meihou and Changcheng had started half an hour later, and the venues were close enough for Ryonan to catch the end of it. For Taoka, watching the game live was far more valuable than reviewing footage later.

When Ryonan arrived, the game was nearly over. As they entered the arena, the crowd immediately noticed them.

"Wow, it's Ryonan! I heard they just crushed Dayei Academy!"

"They must be incredible!"

"Of course! They even beat Kainan in the Kanagawa Prefecture finals!"

"Kainan was a top-four team last year! They only lost to Sannoh in the semifinals!"

Ignoring the chatter, Ryonan's eyes went straight to the scoreboard: 56:102. The entire team was stunned—except for Kenichi Uesugi, who already knew the result.

Coach Taoka's expression turned grim. The joy of their victory had evaporated in an instant. Meihou Industry was a force to be reckoned with. Changcheng, a top-eight team last year, had been utterly dismantled. Ryonan had played a practice match against Changcheng before the nationals and won comfortably, but this result was a wake-up call.

On the court, Changcheng's Mikoshiba drove to the basket, only to be swatted by Meihou's towering center, Mori Shigehiro. Ryonan recognized him immediately—the freshman phenom they'd read about in magazines. His strength was as impressive as the reports claimed.

Soon, the game ended with Meihou winning by 46 points. As Changcheng's players walked off the court, dejected, Taoka led Ryonan back to their dormitory with a heavy heart.

That evening, Taoka gathered the team to review footage of Meihou's previous games. They watched their match against Aiwa Academy, where Mori Shigehiro dominated early, even injuring Aiwa's star player, Moroboshi Dai. Despite fouling out, Mori's impact was undeniable.

Ikegami remarked, "Mori's like Sakuragi from Shohoku—foul-prone and reckless."

Taoka countered, "He's a freshman. Mistakes are expected. But don't underestimate him. He's adjusted well since then."

Yuzumi, however, was undeterred. "He's just a rookie. I'll handle him."

Taoka didn't respond, but he knew Yuzumi might be in for a tough battle. Mori's combination of size, strength, and skill was unlike anything Yuzumi had faced.

Later, Kenichi Uesugi checked his system interface. His experience bar was at 99%. He was on the verge of entering the "Zone," a state of peak performance. All he needed was the right opponent and the right moment.

The next day, Ryonan arrived early at the arena for their game against Meihou Industry. As they entered the player tunnel, they crossed paths with Meihou's team. Yuzumi, perhaps intentionally, bumped into Mori Shigehiro. The collision sent Yuzumi stumbling back, nearly falling. The Ryonan players were shocked. Mori's raw power was terrifying.

Mori, oblivious to the tension, offered a hand. "Sorry about that!"

Yuzumi, feeling humiliated, ignored him and stood up with Kenichi's help. Mori shrugged and walked away, muttering, "How rude. He didn't even say 'it's okay.'"

The encounter left Ryonan uneasy. Mori's strength was even more formidable than they'd anticipated. Today's game would be a true test.

In the locker room, the mood was tense. Yuzumi, once confident, now seemed shaken. Coach Taoka rallied the team with his usual motivational speech and outlined their strategy. When it was time, he led them onto the court.

The crowd erupted as Ryonan and Meihou took the floor. Meihou's fans outnumbered Ryonan's, thanks to Mori Shigehiro's rising stardom. The buzz around him was undeniable, and his performances had captivated the nation.

As the game tipped off, Mori won the jump ball against Yuzumi, despite being shorter. His explosive leap and sheer power were on full display. Meihou's first possession ended with Mori backing Yuzumi down in the post. With a sudden burst of strength, he sent Yuzumi sprawling out of bounds and finished with a thunderous dunk that shook the entire basket.

The crowd went wild. "Mori's unstoppable! Yuzumi didn't stand a chance!"

On Ryonan's bench, the players exchanged worried glances. Even Coach Taoka was taken aback. Mori's strength was beyond anything they'd prepared for.

The game had only just begun, but Ryonan already faced an uphill battle. Could they overcome Meihou's towering giant and advance to the next round? Only time would tell.