Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

Taoka Moichi returned to the Ryonan team with a belly full of anger.

He had long known that Kitagawa Akihiko was coming for him. Kitagawa had always been arrogant, and now, with the Kanagawa championship under his belt, he was showing off his strength.

It was the same attitude he had back in college. Even though he didn't have the talent to be a starter, he insisted on competing for the position. If it hadn't been for Coach Kitano, who often advised him to be magnanimous, Taoka Moichi would have surely beaten Kitagawa a long time ago.

Now, Kitagawa had the nerve to show off in his own territory. Taoka Moichi could no longer stay silent. He wasn't the type to back down from a challenge, and he vowed to make Kitagawa regret this.

Taoka Moichi quickly gathered the Ryonan players for a meeting.

"Today's game is against the 16th-ranked team in last year's national competition, Machida Sansho. They're strong, so it's a rare training opportunity. I'll give as many players as possible a chance to get on the court, so make sure to seize it!"

Although Kitagawa's actions had enraged him, Taoka Moichi remained level-headed. His goal for this game was clear: to give the younger players, especially Koshino and Ikegami, a chance to gain more experience. While they were the key players for Ryonan's future, their lack of experience was a concern.

He wasn't overly worried about the outcome of the match. With players like Kenichi Uesugi and Sendoh on the bench, Taoka Moichi believed that Machida Sansho wouldn't be able to turn the game around.

Soon, Taoka Moichi announced the starting lineup: "Yuzumi at center, Ikegami at power forward, Makoto Masa at small forward, Koshino at shooting guard, and Uekusa at point guard."

Makoto Masa could barely believe his ears when he heard his name in the starting lineup. It was a dream come true for him. Meanwhile, Kazuki Kishino, who had been slacking off during training, felt a pang of regret upon hearing Masa's name. He had hoped to play, but now he realized he would have to work harder to earn his place.

Taoka Moichi had made these adjustments with careful thought. He wasn't planning to field Kenichi Uesugi and Sendoh just yet, as their skills were already proven, and he didn't need to worry about their readiness. Instead, he wanted to focus on the progress of the other players.

As the players lined up for the game, Uesugi and Sendoh exchanged knowing glances. They both understood that they wouldn't be playing immediately, so they offered words of encouragement to their teammates before sitting back down on the bench.

This was actually the first time that Sendoh was coming off the bench. For Uesugi, it was a familiar situation.

On the other side, Coach Kitagawa Akihiko quickly announced Machida Sansho's starting lineup: Noboru Furukawa at center, Kasahara at power forward, Hitoshi Ono at small forward, Kenichi Egawa at shooting guard, and Jiro Shinge at point guard. This was their strongest five-man unit, and Kitagawa's plan was clear: defeat Ryonan quickly, thereby establishing his dominance in front of Taoka Moichi.

The game began with both teams taking the court. Makoto Masa, despite his nerves, was ready for his first start. He had been a starter in junior high, but this was a high school match, and the intensity was much higher. Still, he knew he had to perform.

Machida Sansho's players couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Ryonan's starting players looking nervous. "Seems like the game will be easier than expected," they muttered among themselves.

The whistle blew, and the game was underway.

Yuzumi faced off against Machida Sansho's center, Furukawa Noji, for the tip-off. Furukawa, confident in his height advantage, didn't take Yuzumi seriously. However, in mid-air, he was startled when Yuzumi's large hand swatted the ball away from his grasp, knocking it into the air.

"Not only is this guy taller, but he jumps pretty high too!" Furukawa thought to himself in shock.

Uekusa, who had received the ball from Yuzumi, took his time to set the pace of the game. Without Kenichi Uesugi or Sendoh on the court, Ryonan would have to rely on their other players to establish rhythm.

Once Yuzumi positioned himself near the basket, Uekusa passed him the ball, and Yuzumi made quick work of Furukawa's defense, finishing with a powerful dunk. Ryonan was off to a 2-0 lead.

"That big guy is about 200cm tall! Furukawa's in for a tough time," the commentator said.

Despite his surprise, Kitagawa remained confident, believing that his team would still come out on top. A tall center alone wouldn't be enough to change the game.

The match continued. Machida Sansho made their way down the court, and the ball quickly found its way to small forward Ono. Seeing the nervous Makoto Masa in front of him, Ono decided to attack immediately. He used a burst of speed to blow past Masa and rush toward the hoop for a dunk.

But just as Ono took off for the dunk, Yuzumi appeared in front of him, blocking the shot with ease. "Great job, Senior Yuzumi!" shouted Makoto Masa from behind.

Ryonan quickly transitioned into a fast break, and with Uekusa and Koshino working together, they scored another easy basket.

On the sideline, Machida Sansho's captain Jiro Inoshita, watching his team fall behind early, smirked silently. "Interesting," he thought. "I didn't expect Ryonan to have such a strong center. But let's see if that's enough."

In the next possession, Machida Sansho's Jiro Inoshita brought the ball upcourt. This time, instead of passing, he decided to attack on his own. Uekusa read his intentions and positioned himself to stop the drive.

Inoshita grinned and executed a quick dribble move, slipping the ball through Uekusa's legs. When Uekusa looked down, Inoshita zipped around him, catching the pass and sprinting forward. Uekusa quickly realized he had been outmaneuvered.

As Inoshita reached the basket, everyone expected him to go for the layup, but he abruptly stopped, turning around and dribbling back to the three-point line. The audience watched, confused, as Inoshita squared up and launched a smooth three-pointer.

"Unbelievable!" Uekusa thought angrily as he scrambled to get back into position.

"Damn it!" he muttered as Inoshita's shot went clean through the net, extending Machida Sansho's lead.

Off the court, Coach Kitagawa couldn't hide his smile. "That's it. The game's just begun."

On the Ryonan bench, Hikoichi was still in disbelief. "What was that move? It looks so weird!"

"It's streetball," Uesugi Kenichi explained with a wry grin. "But it's not just about showing off. He's taunting us, trying to provoke us. He came here to challenge us, but it's not going to be that easy for him."

Sendoh, sitting next to Uesugi, shared a look with him, both understanding the underlying challenge. It wasn't just about streetball tricks—it was about respect.

On the court, although Yuzumi continued to play well, Machida Sansho's Jiro Inoshita was taking control. He repeatedly embarrassed Ryonan's defense, even fooling Ikegami, Ryonan's best defender.

Under Inoshita's leadership, the other Machida Sansho players found their rhythm, and soon Ryonan was losing ground. After another successful play by Inoshita, the score climbed to 12-26.

Looking at the scoreboard, Taoka Moichi wasn't surprised. After all, Machida Sansho was no pushover. They had been one of the top 16 teams in the national competition last year, and even without Kenichi Uesugi and Sendoh on the court, Ryonan was holding their own.

Back on the court, Inoshita, feeling confident after his recent success, taunted Ryonan's bench. "So, the Kanagawa champions are struggling? Thought you'd be stronger!" he jeered.

Taoka Moichi narrowed his eyes, silently preparing for what was to come. This game was far from over.