Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Competing for the court
However, a group of people entered the basketball courts. They were met with a lively chatter that prompted them to look toward the noise.
Observing the group gathered, Ben's brow furrowed, and he turned to Tsuna. "Change of plan. There's no time for a test. Our opponents are here."
Taking it in stride, Tsuna responded calmly as he glanced toward the newcomers and then back at Ben. "Well, I suppose we have to roll with it. Thanks for giving me a shot."
Ben shook his head, pointing to Alexandra conversing with their opponents. "It's not about trusting you. I trust her."
"I understand," Tsuna replied with a smile. He didn't take offense to Ben's guarded response. It was a sensible approach, especially considering Tsuna's significantly younger age.
Ben's cautiousness regarding the game garnered Tsuna's respect. Surveying the team, Tsuna grasped that each member shared a genuine passion for basketball and a collective desire to win.
"Who's the little guy? No way you're letting him play, right?"
A mocking voice sliced through the friendly chatter, drawing everyone's attention toward a guy with a tattoo on his neck and short black hair. The conversation quieted down abruptly, eyes shifting to the source of the voice.
The leader of their opponents, a blond guy sporting sunglasses, intervened.
"Aye, Freddy, no need to be rude," the blonde leader chided, then turned his attention to Johnny. He sought confirmation, "He's probably too young to play, right, John?"
Tsuna stood at a height of 165 cm, which was reasonably tall for his age, but he appeared comparatively shorter than the other players on the court.
Johnny's response was muted, caught in a moment of uncertainty. Their team was short a player due to a recent departure, so they needed a replacement. Ben, the decision-maker, hadn't made his call on Tsuna yet. So, Johnny's gaze swiveled toward Ben for guidance.
Freddy raised an eyebrow at this awkward exchange between them, his curiosity piqued. "No way. Really?"
"Yeah, this guy's on our team for this game," Ben confirmed, addressing everyone on his team.
His team members reacted with nonchalant shrugs, placing their trust in Ben's judgment. As the team leader, he held the final say in these matters. Furthermore, they believed in Alexandra, she rarely steered them wrong on such matters.
Freddy, however, seemed to lose his composure, bursting into hearty laughter. He turned to his teammates, dripping sarcasm, "Oh boy, we're in for a real treat."
His teammates, excluding the sunglass-wearing blond leader, joined in the laughter. Yet, a subtle, amused grin tugged at the corner of the blond leader's mouth, his demeanor suggesting he already deemed this game a sure victory.
"Seriously..." Chris muttered under his breath, his tone a mix of exasperation and amusement. He had grown accustomed to the opposing team's irritating behavior, but they did excel at delivering unexpected twists like this.
Observing the unfolding scenario, Alexandra shook her head in mild amusement. "They say you should never wake a sleeping dragon," she mused quietly.
Turning her attention to Tsuna, who wore a serene smile while observing the scene, she muttered under her breath, "He's annoyed."
The sunglass-wearing blond took charge, clapping his hands to draw the group's focus. He then addressed Ben, "We're starting in 5 minutes, okay?"
Ben affirmed this with a nod, communicating to his own team, "Sure thing. 5 minutes."
"Perfect. Let's get going."
With this, the blond leader left the bench, leading his team to another section of the court.
Before leaving, Freddy directed a comment toward Tsuna, who maintained his calm smile. "Don't crush us too hard, alright?"
He chuckled, his teammates joining in the laughter. Observing Tsuna's continued calm, Freddy's grin only broadened.
"Don't worry, no need to cry. Your mom's not here."
The laughter escalated, and Tsuna's smile stretched even wider in response.
Observing the unfolding scenario, Alexandra couldn't help but slap her forehead in exasperation. She recognized that their opponents had undoubtedly stirred the pot.
Concerned about the potential impact of the taunting, Ben turned to Tsuna, inquiring with an evident worry, "You doing alright?"
Now regaining his customary composed demeanor, Tsuna replied with a calm assurance, "No need to fret over that."
However, a cold glint in his eyes displayed his clear displeasure at the unnecessary teasing.
Ben's relief was palpable as he saw that Tsuna wasn't taking the bait. Ben then shifted his focus to the rest of the team, rallying them with determination. "Alright, let's get ready."
Street basketball was a less formal version of the game, often played on courts without strict rules. It provided a platform for players to display their skills and entertain the crowd.
As the game got underway, someone from the watching crowd tossed the ball into play. Unfortunately, it ended up in the hands of the opposing team.
Tsuna watched closely, surprised by the skill level of his opponents. He couldn't help but think, "They're good. But my teammates aren't too shabby either."
A spark of excitement ignited within him as the game went on.
Under pressure from Tsuna's team, the opposing player passed the ball to Freddy. It became apparent that Freddy was a standout player among them. Swiftly navigating through the defense, he scored two points for his side.
Freddy couldn't resist taunting Tsuna, making a mock crying face. In response, Tsuna's expression remained friendly, a smile forming on his lips.
"Hey, Ben, pass the ball over to me."
Ben nodded in agreement. As the ball was handed to Tsuna, Freddy stepped up his defense. Tsuna's smile grew in the face of Freddy's challenge.
Instead of charging ahead, Tsuna decided to pass the ball to Richard. While Freddy braced himself for a challenge, Tsuna cleverly slipped past him and positioned himself for a better shot. Richard got the ball back to Tsuna in sync, leading to a perfect layup.
Freddy, expecting Tsuna to show off, was disappointed by Tsuna's lack of reaction. This poked at Freddy's pride, leaving him a bit annoyed that someone younger was disregarding him. He felt like he wasn't being taken seriously.
An internal cry of frustration echoed within Freddy's mind. As the game continued, his irritation grew. Every time he thought Tsuna would pass, Tsuna smoothly moved through toward the net. On the other hand, when Freddy anticipated Tsuna's drive, the ball ended up somewhere else.
It seemed like Tsuna was purposefully playing games with him. Even his own teammates joined in, throwing teasing remarks at him and suggesting they switch positions. Eventually, fueled by anger, Freddy agreed to switch. Unfortunately for them, the same patterns kept unfolding.
Gradually, the realization dawned on them—Tsuna's style of play was incredibly frustrating. What a clever strategy he employed! Faced with this, they abandoned marking him individually and resorted to a double-team tactic.
Even Tsuna's own teammates grew wary of passing him the ball. They hadn't built enough trust in Tsuna's ability to break through the defense. It seemed only logical to steer clear of Tsuna for the time being.
With each new point scored against them, their situation grew grimmer. Tsuna approached his team, trying to boost their spirits. "...Don't worry. Just pass the ball to me."
His teammates exchanged glances, unsure whether Tsuna was being overly confident.
'He's still quite young...' Ben sighed inwardly, watching Tsuna's determined stride as he positioned himself for their pass.
Even when two opponents converged on Tsunay, their efforts to score were thwarted. The blond player who had discarded his sunglasses demonstrated exceptional defense skills, causing considerable frustration for Tsuna's team.
Tsuna found himself in a helpless position. His teammates lacked faith in him, and as a result, he rarely received the ball.
With their score continuously plummeting, unease rippled through his teammates. During a dribble by Richard, a misstep led to a pass toward Tsunayoshi, who found himself doggedly marked by two opponents.
"Damn it!!" Ben's frustration was palpable. He immediately issued orders, "Get back, defense!!"
They swiftly followed suit, retreating to protect their side of the court. Tsuna could only offer a resigned shake of his head. He didn't hold their hesitance against them. After all, he was still relatively young in their eyes.
However, what happened next left everyone in shock.
"What in the world—"
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