Kuroko’s Basketball: Before Generation Miracles, I Already Crowned

The game had begun.

As planned before the match, Akihito Shigure and Shuzo Nijimura remained on the bench as substitutes, seated quietly on the sideline.

But things weren't going smoothly on the court.

While Shinji Kuromina, standing at 185 cm, served as the offensive core in the paint and was playing in solid form, paired with Reiji Fukaya on the perimeter, their opening plays managed to steadily put points on the board.

Even so, their opponents from Shirotani Middle School were returning fire relentlessly!

185 centimeters.

In middle school basketball, especially for a first-year, or even a second-year, that was considered a respectable height for a big man.

However, once the game was elevated to the level of third-years, that height no longer stood out. After all, third-years represented the pinnacle of middle school basketball, players who had fully matured after three years of development didn't get that way for free.

Take, for instance, Shirotani's current frontcourt lineup, both were third-years, each standing around 185 cm. And what's more, their starting five was made up entirely of seasoned third-years with refined skills and outstanding team chemistry.

Under the orchestration of their point guard and captain, Shirotani's offense was far more cohesive, and they created scoring opportunities with ease, especially compared to the patchwork team of Teiko's first- and second-year second-stringers.

Although today's match was meant to give Teiko's rising stars some much-needed experience, Coach Ino had fully anticipated this kind of struggle.

Still, no matter the situation, the team on the court bore the name Teiko.

Watching them falter like this... was hard not to get riled up.

And then,

This was Teiko, where "Victory is everything."

Even in a training match meant to test their newer recruits, achieving their goal didn't mean surrendering the win. That was exactly why the main squad traveled with the team, to step in at times like this.

"Shigure."

"Nijimura."

"Get ready, you're going in."

Over in the third-team's gymnasium, all eyes had been waiting for this moment. No matter the purpose behind the training match, no one wanted to sit on their home court and watch their own team fall behind.

And so,

Amid the growing attention from the stands...

Akihito Shigure and Shuzo Nijimura both stood up and pulled off their warm-up jackets.

Time to take the court.

Meanwhile...

On Shirotani's bench, a few of the substitutes couldn't help but frown at the sight.

"They're putting in two first-years now? What good's that gonna do?"

"No..." one of the third-years on their bench shook his head. "If they're part of Teiko's main squad, their strength is beyond question."

"Besides… they're wearing official roster numbers."

On the sideline, Shuzo Nijimura glanced at the scoreboard and frowned. "What the hell have these guys been playing? How're they this far behind against opponents at this level?"

Shinji Kuromina, walking past, shot Nijimura a fierce glare the moment he heard that.

Besides him, the only other first-years on the court were Reiji Fukaya and another player, one whose name Akihito didn't even know.

That particular rookie had made quite a few mistakes today.

And just now,

Shirotani's point guard had stolen the ball from him in the backcourt and immediately launched a fast break!

Their small forward burst ahead, fired up like he was on some kind of adrenaline rush against Teiko's first-years, playing like everything was falling into place for him today!

The point guard delivered a pinpoint pass, and the small forward soared up, fully intent on finishing the fast break with a layup.

"Okay!"

It felt effortless!

Shirotani's small forward brimmed with confidence, this was another easy score in the bag!

But right then!

He suddenly felt something, an ominous presence from behind. A hand, descending from an absurd height, came crashing down!

Boom!

A deafening thud.

The ball was brutally pinned against the backboard!

Frozen, the small forward turned his head stiffly.

The figure who had just "plucked" the ball off the glass with both hands and brought it down to the floor, was none other than one of Teiko's newly subbed-in main squad players.

Number 12.

Akihito Shigure.

The Shirotani forward stared in disbelief.

He'd looked, he swore he'd looked. When he went up for that layup, there had been no one around him!

And yet…

Wasn't that jump way too high?!

What kind of middle schooler could block a shot from above the rim like that?! It was barely short of goaltending!

On the sideline,

Shigure's sudden burst of speed, followed by that monstrous block, left Shirotani's coach, and every single player on the bench, on their feet.

Goda Tomokazu's full-power acceleration + Nobunaga Kiyota's skywalking block!

A combination that brought the entire court to its feet,

Utterly terrifying.