Can Chapter 76 turn the tide?

Akagi stared at Kanon with a serious expression and said urgently:

"Let's act quickly, even if we have to watch from the sidelines, we need to get back as soon as possible!"

Hana smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry, the shareholder of Kitano General Hospital is Mitsui-senpai's father. He has already called the hospital to open a VIP channel."

Akagi muttered to himself, "...They're really fast...Looks like Mitsui isn't completely useless after all."

In the hospital, time seemed to slow down, and every second felt incredibly long.

However, Hanon didn't seem to be in a hurry. She patiently asked the doctor about everything, big or small, as if she were the one who was injured.

Akagi felt both warm and anxious. He wanted to interrupt Kanon and urge her to hurry up, but each time Kanon gave him a faint glance, he swallowed his words.

Seeing all this, Haruko smiled secretly.

She discovered that her brother's attitude towards Hanon had changed drastically, from initial suspicion to current trust.

On the way back to the stadium, Akagi finally couldn't help but ask, "What do you think of the game?"

"This is not good."

Akagi frowned, his heart skipping a beat.

Hua Yin smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry too much. No matter what, we'll definitely catch up in the second half."

With Captain Akagi injured and forced to leave the field, the players' morale was undoubtedly affected.

Especially those four problem children, nobody knows what kind of amazing things they might do, it's really a headache.

Instead of letting them waste their energy on the field, it's better to bring on substitutes. Let the starters conserve their strength for the decisive battle in the second half.

Akagi was silent for a moment before replying, "Yes!"

Hanon was always so composed, as if everything was under her control. He trusted her, and he trusted Coach Anzai.

In the Xiangbei lounge.

The first half has ended, and the players are now enjoying a valuable rest.

After quickly watching the video replay, Akagi's face turned ashen, and he flew into a rage, shouting angrily:

"What's wrong with you guys? Are you going to put on a zombie show? In just one quarter, Hainan has taken a 20-point lead!"

Rukawa Kaede sat close to Kanon with a blank expression.

Sakuragi lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

Kogure was still panting, his face showing fatigue and guilt. "I'm sorry, Akagi... I didn't do a good job."

When Kogure got the ball, Maki immediately rushed up, but before he could make any move, Kogure was so intimidated by Maki's powerful aura that his hand trembled, and the ball rolled directly to the opponent's feet.

Miyagi blushed and scratched his head, looking at the ceiling and then at Ayako.

Mitsui, on the other hand, was playing with his fingers, looking rather bored.

Mitsui was incredibly active in this match. Facing the sharpshooter Jin, Mitsui practically went berserk—

Whether it's driving to the basket, pulling up for a jump shot, or passing and assisting, he plays with incredible intensity.

This was too physically demanding for him, and before he could even think about how to recover, he was substituted out for the second quarter to rest.

Seeing that the players were only somewhat dejected, Hanon felt much more at ease.

It's okay to be frustrated; it just shows that everyone recognizes their shortcomings but still holds onto their determination to win.

In the second quarter, Shohoku's starting lineup consisted of Sakuragi and Rukawa, plus three bench players.

Hainan team used Amu and Ashen as super breakthrough players and shooters to rack up points like crazy.

Although Rukawa Kaede is somewhat willful, he at least follows the tactical arrangements and has improved his off-ball defense.

Facing the formidable Hainan team, the bench players lacked experience in major competitions, and with their pillar of strength, Akagi, absent due to injury, they were terrified as soon as they stepped onto the court, becoming nervous, flustered, and making numerous mistakes, which was to be expected.

What surprised her the most was Sakuragi—

This game was supposed to be his stage to shine, but his performance was unexpectedly poor, even making more mistakes than the bench players.

Kanon led Sakuragi to a corner of the corridor and asked with concern:

"Hanamichi, you're not acting right. Did something happen?"

Sakuragi lowered her head, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly, and said somewhat anxiously, "Sister, why is the gorilla still getting hurt? Is it... is it that no matter what, the final outcome won't change?"

Kanon was slightly taken aback by Sakuragi's question, not expecting him to think that way.

Sakuragi's voice grew softer and softer, tinged with a hint of helplessness:

"I practiced desperately, but... it seems like nothing can change things. If... we lose to Hainan, sister, will you leave me? Leave this place..."

Facing the possibility of losing to Hainan, he began to worry about losing his sister, just like losing his parents.

Kanon felt a pang of sympathy for Sakuragi, but she answered truthfully, "Yes."

Is this why Sakuragi Hanamichi is unable to find his own rhythm and feeling?

Sakuragi's eyes widened, and tears streamed down his face.

Hanon gently put her arm around his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Hanamichi. I made you feel uneasy."

It was her oversight that caused Sakuragi to make rapid progress in his basketball skills, but in reality, he was still that simple fifteen-year-old boy who cared deeply for and depended on his family.

Sakuragi was a little stunned by the hug; he could feel Kanon's sincerity and care.

Kanon ruffled his red hair and said with a smile, "But Sakuragi Hanamichi is a basketball genius, how could he possibly lose?"

Sakuragi's inner unease was still hard to calm: "But..."

Kanon placed her hand on his shoulder, her voice full of strength: "Now that you have me, show me your fearless spirit and tell me, genius Sakuragi won't lose!"

"...Sakuragi, the genius, will not lose!"

Please tell me firmly.

"Sakuragi, the genius, won't lose! He absolutely, absolutely won't lose!!"

After saying that, he slammed his head against the wall with all his might.

"Bang!"

A large bump bulged on Sakuragi's head, but the fighting spirit in his eyes burned even brighter. He grinned sheepishly and said:

"Hehe... Much better! Okay, don't worry, sister! This genius will definitely, definitely crush Hainan!"

After saying that, he excitedly ran into the lounge, his head still bearing a large bump, to show off his antics.

The outcome of losing is cruel.

He understood that he needed to become stronger to change this outcome.

Hanon stared at the crack in the wall, thinking expressionlessly, "I guess I'll have to pay for this..."

After standing there for a while, a familiar scent approached her. Huayin looked up and smiled, "Xiaofeng."

Rukawa handed her the purple fruit juice: "Your mindset is unstable, not just because Captain Akagi isn't here."

Hanon took the drink, took a sip, and asked softly, "Hmm?"

Rukawa Kaede: "Even though we're far behind in the score, we still firmly believe that as long as you're here, Shohoku will definitely win."

Hanon's eyes widened, somewhat surprised by Rukawa's words.

"so,"

Rukawa Kaede suddenly wrapped one arm around her and cupped the back of her head with the other, his gaze intense, as if trying to see into her heart through her eyes:

"Will you always be here?"

Hanon sensed that Rukawa Kaede seemed different. Without thinking too much about it, she put her arm around his waist and replied, "Of course, I'll always be here."

Rukawa Kaede tightened his arms, lowered his eyes, and stared intently at the overlapping shadows of the two figures on the floor. "...Hmm!"

Before setting up the tactics, Hanon and Coach Anzai gave each player a pep talk.

Hanon smiled easily and said:

"If winning is too easy, wouldn't it feel like the challenge and fun are missing?"

Upon hearing this, the team members all lowered their heads and remained silent, none daring to respond.

"Hainan's style is to attack, attack, and attack again. Once they find the opponent's weakness, they launch a fatal attack."

Hanon continued, "We haven't even used our full strength yet, and we're only down by 20 points, which shows that our defense has improved a lot. Next, we should unleash our secret weapon, launch a fierce counterattack, and win this game!"

Compared to Shohoku's poor performance, Hainan's offensive efficiency can only be described as acceptable.

Everyone stared at her blankly. Was that really true? The tense atmosphere instantly eased, and the pressure in their hearts lessened.

Coach Anzai nodded with a smile: "Oh ho ho ho... Kanon is right. We are only 20 points behind, which is within my expectations. We are very strong, we can turn things around, and we will definitely win."

The two coaches took turns giving motivational speeches, and the Shohoku players were very receptive to it. Their eyes immediately hardened, and they responded in unison, "Yes!"

Kanon gently nudged Ayako.

Ayako immediately understood, straightened her back, and declared with great enthusiasm, "Everyone, cheer up! Our goal is to dominate the nation, these points are nothing! Remember, we are—"

"We are the strongest!"

"we are--"

The players were incredibly excited, as if they'd been injected with adrenaline, shouting, "We are—the strongest!"

Ayako led the players in shouting a few times until they released all the pent-up frustration in their hearts.

Hanon and Coach Anzai nodded in satisfaction, clapped their hands, and continued, "Alright! Now let's go over the tactics."

Originally, the main offensive force was Akagi, but now that Akagi is injured, the tactics naturally need to be changed.

Coach Anzai leisurely sipped his tea, while Hanon meticulously explained the tactics to each player.

The players quieted down and listened attentively.

In fact, during the training camp, the Shohoku team had repeatedly practiced these tactics and conducted many simulations, so there was no problem with the team's coordination.

The purpose of this re-arranging is simply to reinforce the impression on each team member and emphasize every detail.

Coach Anzai adjusted his glasses: "Oh ho ho ho... Good tactics, but what about the rebounds? What are you going to do about that?"

Hanon smiled and said, "Well, if we have the chance, we'll go all out to grab it. If we don't, we'll just have to give up. As soon as the shooter takes the shot, Hanamichi will immediately cut to the basket and go for the rebound!"

Mitsui was full of confidence: "As long as you defend tightly, I'll have an open shot, how could I possibly give you a chance to grab the rebound!"

Sakuragi blinked his bright, large eyes, his face clear and innocent: "Are you sure you can handle this, mistress?"

Mitsui immediately gave him the middle finger: "Who do you think you are, a complete novice like you?"

Gongcheng raised an eyebrow, a hint of provocation in his voice: "Are you up to it, mistress?"

Akagi, surprisingly, also blew two puffs of air out of Mitsui's nostrils...

Mitsui gritted his teeth, his emotions running high, and suddenly threw himself onto Rukawa's shoulder: "Kaze-kae, they're bullying senpai!"

Rukawa Kaede got goosebumps from Mitsui's antics, and he coldly shoved him away: "Idiot! Stay away from me!"

…He only accepts his girlfriend's affectionate touches!

"Hahaha……"

The previously somber atmosphere in the lounge instantly dissipated, and everyone started joking around in a relaxed manner.

Not long after, the brief 15-minute halftime break ended, and the second half began.

In the center circle, Sakuragi successfully dribbled the ball, and Miyagi charged forward with the ball.

The wild monkey ran up to Sakuragi and laughed smugly, "Hey, red-haired monkey, it's not too late for you to admit defeat! Don't waste your energy, look at the score, do you even have a chance to turn this around?"

Sakuragi pouted, seemingly unconvinced, then suddenly gave Kiyota a strange smile.

"To tell you the truth, wild monkey, we deliberately let you win just now. After all, winning too easily takes away the fun of the challenge."

After saying that, Sakuragi made a face at Kiyota and immediately sped away from him.

Kiyota, annoyed by Sakuragi's arrogance, snorted, "That wretched red-haired monkey!"

Standing two steps beyond the three-point line, Miyagi made a hand gesture, which the four Shohoku players understood, and they all started running.

Shohoku's tactics are about to begin!

The Xiangbei team members quickly formed a standard "elevator door" formation.

There was no one in the paint.

Yan scratched his head, puzzled, and asked: What kind of offensive formation is this?

The Hainan players were just as puzzled as the audience.

Is Shohoku giving up with their bizarre positioning?

Coach Taoka, with his keen eye, observed for a moment and calmly remarked: "This should be a pick-and-roll tactic specifically designed for shooters."

This ridiculously powerful elevator door tactic has never been seen before.

Therefore, in the eyes of coaches, it is just an ordinary three-point pick-and-roll tactic.

Coach Gao waved his paper fan around, not taking it seriously.

So what if Shohoku changes their tactics?

Can they turn the tide?

At this moment, Sakuragi and Rukawa, each with their own opponents, were poised and ready in the corner positions.

First, Miyagi passed the ball to Rukawa, while he himself sprinted to the baseline with the defender.

Then, Mitsui suddenly cut inside from the bottom corner into the penalty area, startling Hainan's defense into retreating inwards.

The two players' cross-court runs forced Hainan to tighten their interior defense.

Rukawa dribbled the ball a few times, feigning a breakthrough, but suddenly passed it behind his back—

He passed the ball precisely to Mitsui, who slipped between Sakuragi and Rukawa and made a reverse run back to the three-point line!

Just as Amu was about to rush after Mitsui, then—

Sakuragi and Rukawa have formed an "elevator door".

The moment Amu was blocked, he was stunned.

Is this how you block people?

It was their first time playing together as a team, and Sakuragi and Rukawa seemed a bit clumsy. Even the monster Maki struggled to squeeze through and lunged at Mitsui on the outside.