NOVEL WEB Chapter 33: Chapter 033: Has It Even Been a Minute Since the Fourth Quarter Started?
"???"
"A wide-open three-pointer?"
"What the heck was that?"
"Why go for a risky three instead of a safe two?"
With no one keeping up on the fast break, Shigure Akihito suddenly came to a sharp stop and launched a three-pointer, leaving everyone in the gym stunned.
Another three-point attempt!
But this wasn't a desperate, reckless shot.
Utilizing the quick-release advantage of his 'Stationary Soft Three', Shigure charged toward the basket the moment he let go of the shot. His intention was clear, Seiho quickly caught on: if the shot missed, he was planning to crash the boards for a second-chance opportunity.
Except… they read him wrong.
Shigure's real plan?
If it didn't go in, he'd follow it up with a putback slam!
Unfortunately for Seiho…
They never got to see that play unfold.
Swish~!
It dropped, again!
Seiho vs. Teiko. With Shigure's back-to-back three-pointers, the scoreboard now read 83:62. The gap was cut down to just 21 points.
And what had just been a near 30-point blowout, was now barely over 20. That shift in momentum? Felt completely different.
"He hit another one?! His threes are insane!"
"Who pulls up for a three in that situation?!"
"Judging by the jersey, he's a starting player for Teiko, right? Why wasn't he playing in the first three quarters?"
"Are they… looking down on us?"
Some of the Seiho Middle School fans in the crowd gasped sharply at that last shot, only releasing their held breaths once the ball swished through the net.
On the court.
The Seiho players were dumbfounded.
Another three?!
This guy came in red-hot off the bench!
He hadn't played the first three quarters, and yet here he was, coming in cold and immediately catching fire!
"Takahama..."
"Stick to him. Don't give him any space to shoot!"
Seiho's No. 7, Takahama Ryo, narrowed his eyes with a trace of menace. After a curt nod, he turned toward Shigure Akihito, his expression twisted in frustration.
Victory had seemed so close…
Just one final quarter and it would've been in the bag…
But then out of nowhere, a Teiko starter checks in, nails two consecutive threes and even grabs a steal, cutting the lead all on his own…
If they lost at this point,
The more Takahama thought about it, the darker his expression grew.
Seiho's next possession.
Shigure Akihito's consecutive threes clearly rattled Seiho's players. Their small forward, coming off a screen and finding daylight, chose to respond with a three of his own.
But
CLANK!
All he got in return was the crisp ring of a missed shot.
Teiko secured the defensive rebound. Even if their second-stringers weren't as individually skilled, their fundamentals were solid. They immediately launched into a fast-break counterattack.
The point guard sprinted down the court, eyes alert not only for defenders but primarily locked onto Shigure Akihito, a testament to how aware he was of who the real threat was.
And just then,
He caught a glimpse of Shigure's movement.
And couldn't help but think:
So fast!
WHOOSH~!
Without hesitation, Teiko's second-string point guard fired the pass to Shigure, who was racing into position.
Receiving the ball in full stride, still under the effects of 'Godai Tomokazu: Full-Throttle Acceleration', Shigure unleashed yet another move from his arsenal.
[Skill: Stationary Soft Three – Lateral Stepback Variant]
When in an accelerated state, immediately execute a lateral stepback jumper upon receiving the pass. This creates a fake shot to bait defenders into jumping, then transitions into a behind-the-back dribble and sideways retreat for a clean release.
And just like that, everyone from Teiko watched as Shigure Akihito pulled out yet another weapon from his toolkit!
High-speed cuts across the court,
SMACK!
He caught the pass beyond the arc!
Raised the ball,
Fake shot!
In an instant, his pace exploded, behind-the-back dribble into a lateral stepback!
Rose again!
Released the shot!
By the time Shigure had finished his sideways motion and launched the ball, he'd already put serious space between himself and his defender, Takahama Ryo, who was still frozen in place where Shigure had faked the first shot.
Hands held high, dumbstruck.
A textbook French salute.
Everyone who witnessed the whole sequence couldn't blame Takahama.
Because from the moment Shigure received the pass, every movement had flowed with perfect precision, so smooth, so natural, and so fast, far beyond the rhythm he'd shown earlier in the game.
Teiko's bench: "…"
Thinking about it…
Come to think of it…
It's not even that unusual anymore, is it?
Off the ball, he sometimes speeds up out of nowhere, though only for a few seconds.
On offense, his stepbacks, jump stops, and shooting form,
On defense, his anticipation and steals,
Does Shigure Akihito have a skill that boosts his speed when executing specific techniques?
Is that… really possible?
Alongside that growing suspicion, and a twinge of envy toward Shigure's natural talent,
SWISH~!
Another three.
Three in a row.
They were all threes, yes, but every single one had a different flavor. Each one more vicious than the last.
Just moments ago, the crowd was roaring at Seiho's commanding lead. Now, the students had fallen completely silent, staring at the scoreboard in disbelief.
On the sidelines, where Seiho players manually flipped the score counter,
The scoreboard now read:
83:65.
"..."
From a 27-point lead to now just 18.
Has it even been a full minute since the fourth quarter began?
This is insane.