Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

The game continued, and it was Ryonan's turn to attack. Uekusa brought the ball to the front court, where Meiho's captain and point guard, Nakayama Noriri, immediately closed in on him, pressing him tightly as if daring him to drive past. Annoyed, Uekusa passed the ball to Sendoh on the left. Daimon Saburo, defending Sendoh, mirrored Nakayama's aggressive stance, staying close and unafraid of being blown by.

From the sidelines, Coach Taoka Moichi immediately recognized Meiho's strategy. They were deliberately funneling Ryonan's players into the paint, where Mori Shigehiro and Maeda Ryuu could use their size and strength to shut down their offense. Taoka had anticipated this. The night before, he'd met with Changcheng High School's coach to discuss Meiho's tactics. Changcheng had fallen into the same trap, forced to attack the interior where Mori's dominance was absolute.

Taoka frowned. He didn't want Ryonan to fall into the same pattern, but for now, he had to trust his players to adapt on the court.

On the floor, Sendoh, holding the ball, saw through Daimon's defensive intent. Despite the pressure, he drove past Daimon toward the paint. However, he didn't venture too deep, pulling up for a jumper near the high post. Meiho's power forward, Maeda Ryuu, quickly closed out, forcing Sendoh to pass to Fukuda. Fukuda seized the opportunity, driving hard to the basket for a dunk, but Mori Shigehiro materialized in front of him, swatting the shot away with a thunderous block.

"What speed!" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "How can someone that big move so fast?"

In the stands, a middle-aged man with glasses—Kazuo Karasawa, coach of Fukazawa Sports University—watched intently. Beside him was Shota Sugiyama, the team's star center. "What a talent," Karasawa murmured. "If he comes to Fukazawa, he could surpass even you, Sugiyama."

Sugiyama nodded. "He's impressive. We should keep an eye on him."

Back on the court, Meiho regained possession, and Ryonan retreated on defense. Once again, Nakayama Noriri fed the ball to Mori Shigehiro in the post. Seeing Yuzumi struggling, Fukuda slid over to double-team Mori. Despite the added pressure, Mori didn't pass or shoot. Instead, he lowered his shoulder and powered through both defenders, sending Fukuda sprawling to the floor and Yuzumi stumbling back. Mori finished with another emphatic dunk, hanging on the rim as he glared down at the fallen Ryonan players.

The crowd erupted. "Ryonan's two big men can't handle Mori Shigehiro! He's a monster!"

On the bench, Coach Taoka clenched his fists. Mori's dominance was undeniable, but Ryonan couldn't afford to back down.

Ryonan's next possession saw Uekusa bringing the ball up again. This time, he spotted Kenichi Uesugi calling for it on the right wing. Uekusa faked a pass to the left before dishing to Kenichi. Morishima Ryoshi, defending Kenichi, stuck to him like glue, daring him to drive. But Kenichi had other plans. In one fluid motion, he rose for a three-pointer, catching Morishima off guard. The shot splashed through the net.

"What a release!" the announcer shouted. "Kenichi Uesugi with the three!"

The crowd buzzed. "Ryonan's outside shooting is keeping them in this!"

Meiho's coach, Tokugawa, scowled from the bench. He'd emphasized shutting down Ryonan's perimeter game, but Kenichi's quick trigger was proving difficult to contain.

Meiho's next possession saw Nakayama Noriri taking matters into his own hands. As Uekusa cheated toward the paint, anticipating a pass to Mori, Nakayama pulled up from deep and drained a three-pointer of his own.

"Nakayama answers!" the announcer called. "Meiho isn't backing down!"

The score tightened, and the game settled into a back-and-forth rhythm. Meiho pounded the ball inside to Mori and Maeda, while Ryonan relied on Kenichi's playmaking and outside shooting to keep pace. By halftime, the score was tied at 48-48.

In the locker room, Coach Tokugawa addressed his team. "We need to clamp down on Kenichi Uesugi. He's the key to their offense. Morishima, Daimon, I want you to double-team him the moment he touches the ball. Force someone else to beat us."

Mori Shigehiro, sipping water, added, "If he dares to come inside, I'll shut him down."

Tokugawa nodded but remained uneasy. Kenichi's ability to stretch the floor was a problem. If Ryonan's outside shooting stayed hot, Meiho's interior advantage might not be enough.

On Ryonan's side, Taoka Moichi was busy drawing up adjustments. "Kenichi, they're going to key in on you. Be ready to make them pay. Sendoh, Fukuda, be aggressive. We need to keep their defense honest."

Kenichi, calm as ever, nodded. He knew the real battle was just beginning.

The second half tipped off, and Meiho immediately implemented their adjusted strategy. As soon as Kenichi touched the ball, Morishima and Daimon swarmed him, denying him any space to shoot. But Kenichi was ready. With a quick fake, he split the double-team and drove into the lane. Mori Shigehiro rotated over, but Kenichi dished to Yuzumi for an easy dunk.

"Beautiful pass!" the announcer exclaimed. "Kenichi Uesugi with the vision!"

The crowd roared as Ryonan took the lead. Kenichi's ability to read the defense and make the right play was on full display.

Meiho responded with another inside score from Mori, but Ryonan kept pace. Kenichi, now the focal point of Meiho's defense, used his gravity to create open looks for his teammates. Sendoh hit a mid-range jumper, and Fukuda knocked down a three-pointer off a kick-out pass.

The game remained tight, with neither team able to pull away. As the final minutes approached, the intensity reached a fever pitch. Kenichi, sensing the moment, took over. He hit back-to-back threes, the second one coming from well beyond the arc, to give Ryonan a five-point lead.

Meiho fought back, with Mori scoring inside and Nakayama hitting a clutch three, but Kenichi's heroics proved too much. In the closing seconds, he drove past two defenders and floated in a game-sealing layup over Mori's outstretched arm.

The buzzer sounded, and Ryonan emerged victorious, 88-84.

As the teams shook hands, Mori Shigehiro approached Kenichi. "You're good," he said, extending a hand. "But next time, I won't let you win."

Kenichi smiled. "I'll be ready."

The crowd erupted in applause, recognizing they'd just witnessed a classic. Ryonan had overcome Meiho's towering giants, and Kenichi Uesugi had cemented his status as one of the nation's brightest stars.