Chapter 15: Chapter 15 : VS Kaijo VI - Third Quarter
When they came back for the third quarter, they couldn't help but frown at Kaijo's player.
They are different now. No Kise, no Kasamatsu, no Moriyama, no Kobori, and no Hayakawa on their squad. When Seirin players looked at Kaijo's bench, they could see Kaijo's starter looking back at them and Kise waved his hand with a smile.
Seeing the confused faces of their opponent, one of Kaijo's players took a step forward and explained,
"Don't worry about them. I think you faced them enough to know that you are far below our first team, and our coach agrees with that. He decided to let us deal with you. Try to not lose so fast. After all, it would be embarrassing for you to lose against bench member." He sneered mockingly at Seirin's player.
Now, all of Seirin's players don't really know who the hell is this guy who spoke to them. But the way he sneered made all of them want to beat his face to death.
"So, we are being underestimated again, huh?" Furihata muttered as he warmed up a bit.
"Yeah, it seems so." Izuki nodded while doing the same. Then, Furihata looked at the scoreboard and a twitch could be seen forming in the corner of his mouth.
77-64
"Well, if they don't want to put their starter, let's force them to do that." His smirk widened at his own idea. "Thirteen points is not a big lead at the third quarter, and I doubt they can put us on the same pressure like their first team. So, let's give them nightmare."
His smirk mirrored the other. Furihata could see Hyuga's evil aura leak up at the idea.
"Good thinking, Brat. Let's give them hell."
"You are really a terrible person, Furihata-kun." Izuki patted his shoulder while Tsuchida and Mitobe nodded behind them.
"I don't know what you mean, Senpai." Furihata replied with an innocent smile plastered on his face.
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*Splash!*
"Nice three, Hyuga!"
"Nice shoot, senpai!"
The first five minutes of the third quarter became a nightmare for Kaijo's bench players. Furihata and Hyuga suddenly decided to become the next Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, combining seven three-point shots for the team.
'Damn, Hyuga-senpai is on fire. Four three-point shots already?' Furihata muttered, impressed with his senpai. He himself has already scored nine points from three points this quarter.
Izuki is doing a good job facilitating both of them with five assists. And the presence of Mitobe and Tsuchida on defense is enough for Seirin to close the gap between both teams.
Speaking of Tsuchida, Furihata couldn't help but feel awe at him. His quiet senpai turned out to be the anchor of their defense, stopping everyone under the rim. His blocking ability is also incredible. He has already collected two block shots in just five minutes, giving Seirin the opportunity for a quick fast break.
Furihata took a glance at the scoreboard.
82-84
It was amazing, how they allowed Kaijo's bench members to only score five points and overturn the score. But he knows it would not last for long.
Then he turned around to see the movement on Kaijo's bench. He could see their starters are getting ready for the game. He sighed and muttered,
"Finally, they are here again."
His teammates nodded, sharpened their focus once more as the game would be more difficult for them.
"Well, seeing as they need to wait for the next play, let's score one more time and give them more pressure." His teammates smirked at what he said.
"Good idea, Brat," Hyuga replied while fixing the glasses on his face.
The next play started with the ball for Kaijo #20 which Furihata didn't know what his name is. Furihata is guarding him tightly, not giving any space for him to drive or to take a shoot.
While guarding him, Furihata took a quick glance at the clock and think,
'Only ten seconds before they ran out of time and it will be a turnover for them. But they would be substituted and two points lead against Kaijo is not the best condition. Let's force him to take a shoot and score one more time.'
Right after he finished his monologue thought, Furihata lowered his guard on the right side, allowing Kaijo #20 to drive forward to that direction. Furihata did that not only because he knows that his opponent is not left-handed, but because the one who is waiting on that side is Tsuchida.
"SHIT!" Kaijo #20 cursed as he realized that it was a trap. He looked around to see if there is anyone who he can pass, but all of his teammates were guarded tightly. So, he decided to make a quick stop inside the free-throw area for a midrange shoot.
However, right before he releases the ball, Tsuchida's hand is already in front of him, waiting for the ball to get released.
"Crap!"
Right after the ball is released from his hand, Tsuchida blocked the ball easily. Furihata who knows that his senpai would be there to stop Kaijo #20 didn't wait too long before he grabbed the rebound for a fast break.
"DEFENSE!" One of Kaijo's players shouted, trying to warn his teammates about the fast break. But Furihata's speed is one of the best here and could be compared to Kaijo's captain, Kasamatsu who is one of the fastest players besides Kise and Kagami.
So, when Furihata is running with the ball in his hand, almost nobody could follow him. Only one player managed to follow him, but that is because he starts running for defense right before Furihata grabbed the rebound.
However, Furihata didn't slow down for a bit. No, he is running faster to the rim, making the defender took a step back to defense the paint area. But that was what Furihata is waiting for. When the defender took a step back, he did a quick crossover, throwing off the defender's balance.
"Damn!"
While his balance is shakened, the defender still could react to the crossover. But Furihata has already foreseen that happening. So, he did a quick jab step before he shifted the ball once again to his other hand, another crossover.
"SHIT!"
This time, the defender could do nothing as his balance is already off. He fell down to the floor and could only see Furihata smirked at him as he stopped dribbling the ball.
Ankle breaker!
The defender could only glare at Furihata in rage for the humiliation. But he couldn't do anything as Furihata launched the ball from the three-point area, making it his third three-point shots of the quarter.
82-87
Right after the three went in, the buzzer rang loudly, and Kaijo's main players came in to substitute their bench member.
"So, they finally came again." Furihata could hear Hyuga muttered besides him.
"But it is not only them who made a change," Furihata replied while glancing at Seirin's bench, looking at Kagami who came to substitute Tsuchida.
"Kagami." Izuki and Hyuga nodded to the red hair. "When will Kuroko play?" Izuki asked.
"Don't know. It depends on the condition of the court, but it would happen soon." Kagami replied while observing Kaijo's players, especially Kise. Furihata noticed Kagami's stare to Kaijo's players, so he slapped his back.
"Don't look at them like that. It's creepy." Furihata chided in. Fortunately, before Kagami could retaliate, Hyuga managed to interfere.
"Kagami, you will face Kise again. Can you stop him?"
"Of course, I can. Who do you think I am?" There is a hint of arrogance in his tone, but no one gives a damn about it. They need to stop Kise, and Kagami is their best chance to stop him. If his arrogance could boost his confidence, so be it.
"Good. As long as Kise could be stopped, we should be fine. But if you cannot hold your ground against him, we will go with double team. Understand?"
"Tch."
The referee blowed the whistle again, asking for the players to be ready. The ball is on Kise's hand now, no doubt wanted to retaliate against the last attack. While guarding Moriyama, Furihata still keeps his eyes on Kise and Kagami, ready to interfere whenever Kise managed to do the same ankle breaker as him.
And then, he saw the same move came. Kise leaned his body as if he wanted to move forward, but when Kagami took a step back to guard the drive, Kise took a quick crossover in the same manner as Furihata did before.
"DAMN!"
While his balance is shakened, Kagami still managed to close the gap between him and Kise. But just like what Furihata did before, Kagami's unbalanced guard is the key. Kise didn't wait for too long before he shifted the ball once again to his right hand, fooling Kagami twice. But this time, Kagami could not keep up, resulting in him falling to the floor.
Another ankle breaker!
Kise smirked as he looked down at Kagami who is on the floor. He took a stance to do a three-pointer, but when he jumped, his eyes caught a fast movement from another side approaching him at a very high speed. And before he could release the ball from his hand, the person jumped too and reached for the ball on his hand.
"Sorry, Blondie. But not today."
That person was Furihata, who keeps his eyes on Kise since the beginning. Even though Kise is far superior in aerial duel, Furihata who runs to get block had the momentum advantage.
*SMACK!*
But unlike the first time he blocked the ball, Furihata couldn't secure the rebound and do the fastbreak to follow up the block. However, that was enough to shake Kaijo's players, especially Kise. The Blonde looked at him agape as he tried to simulate what just happened before.
When he was blocked the first time, he could still say that it was a fluke. But twice? No, he didn't believe in coincidence. There is only one reason why Furihata could block him twice today.
He is strong.
Then, Kise grinned, showing his excited expression, glad that Seirin is not only Kagami and Kuroko. With the presence of Furihata on the court, defeating Seirin would be more satisfying now.
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