Unexpected Fast Break Strategy

Kimura fell silent. He knew these young people were like unpolished gems. Just based on their raw talent alone, their strength had already reached a very high level in the country's basketball scene. But what level they could reach in the future, even Kimura couldn't foresee at this moment; their ceiling was simply too high...

But for this match, sorry. Shoei Junior High could completely crush them right now!!! Relying solely on their abundant stamina and match experience, they could overwhelm these rookies who had just stepped onto the court. Right now, his players still had decent stamina; at least up to this point, they were still full of energy. Therefore, persisting until the end of the third quarter shouldn't be a problem. By then, they could rotate the bench, rest for five minutes, and easily hold out until the end of the match. This way, they could easily win this game.

Leaning back in his chair, his mood relaxed. He originally wanted to take out a cigarette and smoke, but remembering they were still in the middle of a match, he picked up the teacup beside him and took a sip. Then he said to Shirogane Kozo, "After we win this match, I'll treat you to dinner, Brother Shirogane."

"Hmph." Shirogane Kozo let out a cold laugh, then said, "If you want to swindle a meal out of me, just say so, Kimura. Because we are definitely winning this match."

"Oh? Fine, let's wait and see then."

...

On the court, the match continued. Initially, Shoei Junior High relied on their fluent coordination. Finding a gap on the wing, they seized the opportunity to score a mid-range jumper. Possession changed.

Originally, Shoei Junior High's transition defense wasn't fast because they had to conserve their stamina. However, Li Zhongshu and his teammates, relying on their speed advantage and smaller stature, immediately launched a furious counterattack!! Their transition speed was as if they were risking their lives. After Li Zhongshu passed the ball to his teammate, they surged forward madly, catching Shoei Junior High completely off guard and leaving them in a state of confusion.

"How... how are they so fast?!"

"Hurry, get back on defense!!"

"What is wrong with these guys? They didn't play like this before...!"

Even Captain Kiyoshi Teppei was slightly stunned. This playstyle was completely outside his expectations. In an instant, he summoned all his strength and began to accelerate.

Ultimately, they still managed to get back on defense a step ahead, stopping the fast break. However, this sudden change of pace also consumed a lot of their stamina. Several of them panted heavily, finally calming down.

"Whew, don't rush... Just stick to our previous defensive strategy."

Once the pace slowed down, they dragged the game into the half-court defense they excelled at. But Li Zhongshu didn't panic at all. If it was a half-court battle, then they would score three-pointers to close the gap and reduce stamina consumption from driving to the basket!!

However, Li Zhongshu observed the situation on court. He noticed that the opponents were indeed guarding against his team's three-point strategy. At least two players were constantly ready to contest Midorima Shintaro's shots. Therefore, without a second thought, Li Zhongshu prepared to deceive Shoei Junior High regarding their defensive focus.

"Move into position!" Li Zhongshu said to his two teammates behind him, and they began cutting into the opponent's paint. Originally, Shoei Junior High hadn't even considered that the focus of Li Zhongshu's team's attack would be under the basket. On paper, the offensive threats were very clear. Obviously, the only ones capable of scoring on Teiko's side were Midorima Shintaro and Li Zhongshu. As for those nameless blue-haired players and the two original Teiko first-string players, their threat wasn't very large.

However... when Li Zhongshu carried the ball to attack, they noticed those two players had intentions of attacking the paint. Although they weren't inside scorers like Aomine Daiki who possessed formidable drive abilities, this intent to attack directly under the basket still posed a certain threat and unpredictability to the game's flow. Shoei Junior High, playing it safe, naturally didn't want to give up any defensive opportunities.

Kiyoshi Teppei considered for a moment and made a quick judgment.

"Defend the paint!!"

Shoei Junior High's original defensive strategy was to emphasize guarding Midorima Shintaro's three-pointers. Because they knew very well that his three-pointers could not be ignored. Statistically, they found that the green-haired guy's three-point accuracy was actually over 90%!! What kind of terrifying three-point shooting was that?! Moreover, uncontested, Midorima Shintaro's current three-point accuracy was... 100%!!! Therefore, they had assumed Li Zhongshu would look to create opportunities for Midorima Shintaro.

But now, they temporarily changed their defensive strategy. Several players tried to catch up with those two, heading straight into the paint to defend the attack!

However, seeing this scene, Li Zhongshu smiled. Sure enough, they had guessed wrong! There was no helping it; after all, he was the King of Acting!

Seizing the opportunity, Li Zhongshu kicked the ball out to Midorima Shintaro. Although there was a defender in front of Midorima, Li Zhongshu's pass was quite clever, flying just over their heads. Midorima Shintaro caught the ball on the perimeter and shot a three-pointer right in the defender's face.

*Swish!!*

The three-pointer went in!!!

Next, Shoei Junior High used their steady playstyle to launch an attack, which allowed them to establish a highly comfortable rhythm, scoring another two points.

But when possession changed, Li Zhongshu passed the ball directly to Midorima Shintaro. Midorima caught it and surged forward at top speed. Shoei Junior High naturally couldn't react in time. By the time they realized, they accelerated to chase, which exhausted them. Yet, they still couldn't stop Midorima Shintaro's three-pointer.

*Swish!*

The ball went in.

This direct three-pointer was truly exquisite. Kiyoshi Teppei's eyes were filled with shock; he couldn't comprehend how this play could be so fast. They had never seen this kind of playstyle before! Attacking this fast, was this even normal?! Could their stamina even hold up?

At this point, after several more possessions, Shoei Junior High's rhythm was completely disrupted. Those who originally showed no signs of fatigue now had exhaustion written on their faces.

"Whew... those guys are really interesting."

Kiyoshi Teppei said slowly after chasing back once again, "Coach, we need a timeout."