Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

The halftime break arrived swiftly, and the players from Ryonan and Meiho returned to the court. From their expressions, it was clear that neither team felt particularly pressured. However, the coaches of both teams wore somber expressions, leaving the audience puzzled. Why had they taken a halftime break? Both coaches seemed to sense an impending loss.

Yuzumi and Mori Shigehiro stepped into the center circle once again for the jump ball. As the referee's whistle blew, both players leaped into the air. This time, Yuzumi jumped higher than he had in the first half, finally managing to touch the basketball at its highest point. But Mori Shigehiro's right hand also made contact with the ball, causing the two to collide mid-air. Despite Yuzumi's best efforts, he was still slightly outmatched. Mori Shigehiro secured the ball for Meiho.

"Ah! Ryonan's center was just a little short! What a shame!" someone in the crowd exclaimed.

"He's improved a lot, though! In the first half, he was completely dominated in the jump ball!"

"Mori Shigehiro is just too strong. Even Sannoh's Kawata might struggle against him!"

With the ball in their possession, Meiho quickly launched an attack into Ryonan's half. Nori Nakayama, after shaking off Uekusa's defense, passed the ball directly to Mori Shigehiro in the paint. Without hesitation, Mori Shigehiro drove toward the basket. Yuzumi, wary of his turnaround shot, couldn't fully commit to stopping his advance. Mori Shigehiro powered his way into the key, faked left, and completely fooled Yuzumi, who was already on edge. He spun to the right and went up for a two-handed dunk.

But just as he was about to slam the ball through the hoop, a towering figure with purple hair appeared out of nowhere. A massive hand shot up and swatted the ball out of Mori Shigehiro's grasp. It was Uesugi Kenichi, arriving just in time to block the dunk!

The crowd erupted. "Wow! Kenichi Uesugi blocked Mori Shigehiro's dunk!" "He showed up at the perfect moment!" "But Mori Shigehiro doesn't seem intimidated at all!"

On the Meiho bench, Coach Tokugawa sneered. "Hmph! All he can do is shoot from the outside. Thinking he can stop Mori Shigehiro at the rim? A pipe dream!"

But in the next moment, the sound of the ball being slapped away echoed through the gym. "Bang!" Kenichi Uesugi had not only blocked the dunk but sent the ball flying out of bounds.

"Wow! Kenichi Uesugi actually blocked Mori Shigehiro's dunk!" "This guy is incredible! I've never seen anyone block Mori Shigehiro before!

Coach Tokugawa's expression shifted from disdain to shock. He knew better than anyone how strong Mori Shigehiro was. For someone like Kenichi Uesugi, who looked so slight, to not only hold his ground but also send the ball flying was unbelievable.

On the court, Uekusa grabbed the loose ball. He initially looked to push the pace for a fast break but, under pressure from Nakayama, decided to slow things down and wait for his teammates. Once everyone was in position, he passed the ball to Kenichi Uesugi. Having played together for so long, Uekusa could tell Kenichi was in the zone, and feeding him the ball was the obvious choice.

As soon as Kenichi caught the ball, Meiho's defense tightened. Ryoshi Morishima and Saburo Daimon double-teamed him, sticking to their strategy of letting him drive but not shoot. This time, Kenichi obliged, dribbling quickly between his legs to break free from the loose double-team. Morishima and Daimon didn't chase him, content to funnel him into the paint where Mori Shigehiro was waiting.

But Kenichi had other plans. As he reached the free-throw line, he took off, holding the ball in his right arm. At the peak of his jump, he slammed the ball toward the basket with a thunderous Meteor Dunk!

Mori Shigehiro, still seething from the earlier block, leaped to meet him. With a powerful swipe, he sent the ball flying into the stands, where it struck a bald spectator square on the head, nearly knocking him out. Mori Shigehiro roared in triumph, but the referee's whistle cut through the noise.

"White No. 15, defensive goaltending! Ryonan's basket counts!"

Mori Shigehiro froze, his roar dying in his throat. "What? How is that possible? I blocked it!" he shouted, confused. Maeda Ryuu quickly explained the call to him.

On the Meiho bench, Coach Tokugawa's expression grew serious. Kenichi Uesugi's dunk had exposed a flaw in Meiho's interior defense. This kid wasn't just a three-point shooter; he had the confidence and ability to attack the rim.

The game resumed, and Meiho went back on the offensive. Nakayama Noriri, still trusting Mori Shigehiro, passed the ball to him in the post. Mori, furious from being blocked and having his goaltending called, took out his anger on Yuzumi, battering him with his strength. Yuzumi fought valiantly but was

eventually knocked out of bounds. With no one left to stop him, Mori Shigehiro rose for another dunk.

But once again, Kenichi Uesugi appeared, blocking the dunk with a resounding "Bang!"

The crowd went wild. "Mori Shigehiro was blocked again!" "Kenichi Uesugi is incredible! He's faster and more explosive than anyone expected!" "His vertical leap is insane! He's jumping higher than Mori Shigehiro!"

On the Meiho bench, the players were stunned. Mori Shigehiro, their unstoppable force, had been blocked twice in a row by a player who was significantly smaller.

In the stands, Sugiyama Shota, a seasoned center, watched intently. "This kid is something else," he muttered. He knew better than anyone how difficult it was to block someone like Mori Shigehiro, yet Kenichi had done it twice.

The game continued, and Ryonan pushed the pace. Uekusa passed the ball to Kenichi just past half-court. Kenichi blew past Daimon and Morishima, driving straight to the basket. This time, instead of pulling up, he went straight at Mori Shigehiro, leaping for another dunk.

The crowd gasped. "Is he crazy? He's going to dunk on Mori Shigehiro?" "He's going to get destroyed!" "This is suicide!"

Even Taoka Moichi, Ryonan's coach, held his breath. But Kenichi didn't back down. He collided with Mori Shigehiro in mid-air, and to everyone's astonishment, it was Mori who was sent flying backward. Kenichi hung on the rim, staring down at his fallen opponent.

"Oh my god! Kenichi Uesugi just dunked on Mori Shigehiro!" "I can't believe what I just saw!" "This guy is a monster!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, and even Kazuo Karasawa and Sugiyama Shota, two seasoned veterans, were left

speechless. Kenichi Uesugi had not only held his own against Mori Shigehiro but had dominated him.

On the Meiho bench, the players were in shock. Their invincible center had been humiliated. Coach Tokugawa's face was a mask of disbelief. He had never seen Mori Shigehiro bested like this.

Back on the court, Yuzumi looked at Kenichi with a mix of awe and envy. "Why don't you play center? You're way better than me," he said, half-joking.

The score now stood at 52-48, with Meiho yet to score in the second half. As Meiho prepared for their next possession, Mori Shigehiro was already demanding the ball, desperate to reclaim his pride. But Nakayama Noriri hesitated. Kenichi Uesugi's presence had changed everything.

The game was far from over, but one thing was clear: Kenichi Uesugi had arrived, and he was here to dominate.