Chapter 137: Quick Offense and Defense
The game started off quietly contrary to most people’s expectations. Everyone in the crowd was expecting a fast-paced exchange with a flurry of attacks and defenses, but the commanding figure carried the ball with relaxed movements.
“Calm down! Let’s get one first!”
The dignified voice of Ai-chan echoed through the gym. The nervousness of being in the finals was not apparent in her voice, and she even smiled. On the other hand, Yui-chan’s face was serious as she took her mark. The strong will to absolutely suppress the game could be felt clearly.
“Fufu. You’re very enthusiastic, Yui-chan.”
“It’s a good opportunity to fight with Nikaido-senpai for real, of course.”
Yui-chan defended, keeping a certain distance between the two teams as this was as good as it gets. Ai-chan tried to dribble in, but she couldn’t do it. Then what about passing? The goal was right in front of them, but they couldn’t attack.
“I won’t let you do your job, Nikaido-senpai.”
Seeing Yui-chan’s fearless smile, Ai-chan understood. Yui-chan kept the other team’s key players in check, while the rest of the players defended woman-to-woman. It was a simple but really effective tactic. This was how they made it to the finals. But — sweet.
“—Ts!?”
Ai-chan stepped up a gear and accelerated rapidly. With a low posture, she forcefully cut into the enemy line. Yui-chan’s reaction was delayed for a moment, but she quickly pulled herself together to block the way. However, the ace of the basketball team moved even faster than that.
Just before her and Yui-chan’s bodies crossed, she stopped suddenly and changed her rhythm again. After playing with Yui-chan and pulling off her mark with her slow and steady movements, Ai-chan shot the ball with beautiful form like a model. The ball drew a beautiful parabola and was sucked into the net.
“””Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ——-!!!”””
In the blink of an eye, the audience applauded and cheered for the offense and defense that had taken place. While receiving the ball from her friends, Yui-chan returned to her position and glared at Ai-chan, who was on the defensive. She was the ace of the basketball team. Yui-chan didn’t expect that she would make an aggressive first move by herself.
“—Konnyarome.”
[TN: Konnyarome: A habitual curse under a person’s breath meaning ‘That jerk’]
But that was why I respect my seniors. In addition, Kaede-neesan declared war on me if I teased her a little. There will never be a time when one can take on and defeat two of the most famous people in Meiwadai High School at the same time.
“I’ll do it! Eh, I’ll give it my all, I’ll give it my all!”
The first-year team marched forward, passing the ball around. Yui-chan’s position was that of a commander, just like Ai-chan. Her role was to be the point forward, either to be the starting point of the attack while passing the ball around, or to attack and score points herself, as Ai-chan had done earlier.
Now that we were in the enemy’s territory, what should we do? Instead of playing woman-to-woman, Nikaido-senpai and her team have adopted a zone defense, where they have already decided in advance against whom to defend with each other. What this tactic lacks in individual skills, it makes up for in the ability of the entire team with defending. It’s a perfect strategy for a two-day-only surge team.
“Well, if that’s the case, then feel free to… I’ll let you go!”
She chose to pass the ball to a player on the outside left and at the same time ran into the enemy territory. Naturally, Ai-chan came along to prevent her from getting free, but she didn’t care and received the pass. She dribbled the ball, but was blocked by Ai-chan, so she couldn’t shoot. What was Yui-chan doing?
“—That’s it!”
It was a pass to a teammate on the other side, on the outside right. A quick and bold development. The pass was quick and daring, yet accurate, and done with a fluid motion, her teammate shot and it entered the net.
“””Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ——!!!”””
While Ai-chan scored with her individual skills, Yui-chan scored with her teamwork. The crowd’s expectation rose as they watched the contrasting attacks and the heated match that could not be considered a ball game.
“… I’m so sorry. Yui-chan was so much more than I imagined that I couldn’t do anything about it.”
“It’s okay, Kaede. It’s the same for me.”
Wiping the light sweat from their foreheads, Kaede and Ai exchanged a few words. Both of them reaffirmed their commitment. Not even the slightest carelessness could be tolerated. That was what this match was about, they thought to themselves.
“If they take one point, you can take it back. Yoshizumi is watching. We have to show him how cool we are, right?”
“Yes! I’ll definitely win this game to get a reward from Yuya!”
Clenching her fists and lighting her eyes with fire, Kaede ran toward the enemy lines. She looked at her back with a wry smile, and muttered to herself so that no one would hear.
“… I wonder if I can get it if I work hard too. A reward from Yoshizumi.”
The women’s basketball final of the ball game got even more exciting from here.
Chapter 137: Quick Offense and Defense
The game started off quietly contrary to most people’s expectations. Everyone in the crowd was expecting a fast-paced exchange with a flurry of attacks and defenses, but the commanding figure carried the ball with relaxed movements.
“Calm down! Let’s get one first!”
The dignified voice of Ai-chan echoed through the gym. The nervousness of being in the finals was not apparent in her voice, and she even smiled. On the other hand, Yui-chan’s face was serious as she took her mark. The strong will to absolutely suppress the game could be felt clearly.
“Fufu. You’re very enthusiastic, Yui-chan.”
“It’s a good opportunity to fight with Nikaido-senpai for real, of course.”
Yui-chan defended, keeping a certain distance between the two teams as this was as good as it gets. Ai-chan tried to dribble in, but she couldn’t do it. Then what about passing? The goal was right in front of them, but they couldn’t attack.
“I won’t let you do your job, Nikaido-senpai.”
Seeing Yui-chan’s fearless smile, Ai-chan understood. Yui-chan kept the other team’s key players in check, while the rest of the players defended woman-to-woman. It was a simple but really effective tactic. This was how they made it to the finals. But — sweet.
“—Ts!?”
Ai-chan stepped up a gear and accelerated rapidly. With a low posture, she forcefully cut into the enemy line. Yui-chan’s reaction was delayed for a moment, but she quickly pulled herself together to block the way. However, the ace of the basketball team moved even faster than that.
Just before her and Yui-chan’s bodies crossed, she stopped suddenly and changed her rhythm again. After playing with Yui-chan and pulling off her mark with her slow and steady movements, Ai-chan shot the ball with beautiful form like a model. The ball drew a beautiful parabola and was sucked into the net.
“””Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ——-!!!”””
In the blink of an eye, the audience applauded and cheered for the offense and defense that had taken place. While receiving the ball from her friends, Yui-chan returned to her position and glared at Ai-chan, who was on the defensive. She was the ace of the basketball team. Yui-chan didn’t expect that she would make an aggressive first move by herself.
“—Konnyarome.”
[TN: Konnyarome: A habitual curse under a person’s breath meaning ‘That jerk’]
But that was why I respect my seniors. In addition, Kaede-neesan declared war on me if I teased her a little. There will never be a time when one can take on and defeat two of the most famous people in Meiwadai High School at the same time.
“I’ll do it! Eh, I’ll give it my all, I’ll give it my all!”
The first-year team marched forward, passing the ball around. Yui-chan’s position was that of a commander, just like Ai-chan. Her role was to be the point forward, either to be the starting point of the attack while passing the ball around, or to attack and score points herself, as Ai-chan had done earlier.
Now that we were in the enemy’s territory, what should we do? Instead of playing woman-to-woman, Nikaido-senpai and her team have adopted a zone defense, where they have already decided in advance against whom to defend with each other. What this tactic lacks in individual skills, it makes up for in the ability of the entire team with defending. It’s a perfect strategy for a two-day-only surge team.
“Well, if that’s the case, then feel free to… I’ll let you go!”
She chose to pass the ball to a player on the outside left and at the same time ran into the enemy territory. Naturally, Ai-chan came along to prevent her from getting free, but she didn’t care and received the pass. She dribbled the ball, but was blocked by Ai-chan, so she couldn’t shoot. What was Yui-chan doing?
“—That’s it!”
It was a pass to a teammate on the other side, on the outside right. A quick and bold development. The pass was quick and daring, yet accurate, and done with a fluid motion, her teammate shot and it entered the net.
“””Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ——!!!”””
While Ai-chan scored with her individual skills, Yui-chan scored with her teamwork. The crowd’s expectation rose as they watched the contrasting attacks and the heated match that could not be considered a ball game.
“… I’m so sorry. Yui-chan was so much more than I imagined that I couldn’t do anything about it.”
“It’s okay, Kaede. It’s the same for me.”
Wiping the light sweat from their foreheads, Kaede and Ai exchanged a few words. Both of them reaffirmed their commitment. Not even the slightest carelessness could be tolerated. That was what this match was about, they thought to themselves.
“If they take one point, you can take it back. Yoshizumi is watching. We have to show him how cool we are, right?”
“Yes! I’ll definitely win this game to get a reward from Yuya!”
Clenching her fists and lighting her eyes with fire, Kaede ran toward the enemy lines. She looked at her back with a wry smile, and muttered to herself so that no one would hear.
“… I wonder if I can get it if I work hard too. A reward from Yoshizumi.”
The women’s basketball final of the ball game got even more exciting from here.
