The Legend Coach: Slam Dunk

At the end of the first half, the spectators in the stands were buzzing with excitement!

"Shoyo is so strong—they've actually been leading Hainan the entire half!" one spectator exclaimed.

"Shoyo's success is largely thanks to that Sugiyama Shota."

"That's right! I didn't expect him to score 28 points against Hainan in just one half!" another spectator marveled. "Most players can't even score that much in a full game, let alone against Hainan!"

"It looks like he's surpassed Hainan's Okabe and can now be called the number one center in Kanagawa!"

"Shoyo's performance is something we haven't seen in the last ten years. It seems Kanagawa is entering an era of dual rivalry!"

Coach Takaoka reflected on Sugiyama's performance, resolving to find a player like him in the future. Even if they didn't have Sugiyama's current strength, they needed someone with the potential to reach his level.

Halftime Break

The first half ended, and the teams retreated to their locker rooms for a 10-minute break. Inside Shoyo's locker room, Kudo addressed the players:

"You've played well so far, and I'm satisfied. But in the second half, you'll need to perform even better. Hainan becomes even more dangerous in the second half."

"What?!" someone exclaimed. "Are you saying Hainan didn't use their full strength in the first half?"

"How is that possible?!" others chimed in.

"No, Hainan did use their full strength against you in the first half," Kudo explained. "The reason I say they're more dangerous in the second half is because of their stamina. Hainan's physical training is among the top three in the nation. In previous years, some teams could compete with Hainan in the first half, but they often collapsed in the second half due to exhaustion. You need to be prepared for that."

Kudo paused, then continued, "Although I've increased your physical training, it's still not enough. You also had a tough match against Musashi yesterday, while Hainan rested most of their starters against East Toyoko. The next 20 minutes will be grueling, so we're making adjustments."

"Shota, you played exceptionally well in the first half, but Hainan will likely tighten their defense on you in the second half. If you continue at the same intensity, your stamina might not hold up. So, you'll take a step back for now and conserve your energy for the final moments of the game." Kudo knew Sugiyama was exhausted but couldn't afford to rest him entirely. Shoyo's momentum relied on his presence, even if he wasn't the primary scorer for now.

"Nakamura, you won't be guarding Otsu in the second half. Your offense and defense need to remain sharp, and you can't afford to burn out."

"But what about Otsu? We can't just leave him unguarded!" Nakamura protested.

"Saionji, take a break," Kudo ordered.

"Yes!"

"Hosokawa, you're starting the second half. Your only task is to defend Otsu. Just like with Miyamoto, focus on reducing his scoring efficiency." Kudo continued, "Nakamura, you'll take over as point guard. I want you freed from defensive duties so you can focus on orchestrating our offense. You'll be the core of our attack for the rest of the game."

Nakamura's ability to temporarily play point guard was thanks to Shoyo's former coach, Otake, who trained all the wing players in ball-handling and passing.

"Finally, in these 20 minutes, you'll need to work twice as hard to secure the win!" Kudo emphasized. He knew Shoyo's only chance was to settle the game within regulation. If Hainan dragged them into overtime, Shoyo's stamina would likely give out.

"Understood!!!" the Shoyo team shouted.

Hainan's Locker Room

Meanwhile, in Hainan's locker room, Coach Takato was roaring at his players.

"How many points are you going to let that new kid score before you're satisfied?!" Takato shouted. "In the first half alone, Sugiyama scored 28 points! Do you want him to drop 60 on us by the end of the game?!"

"Coach, I'm sorry!" Okabe apologized. He had given his all to defend Sugiyama, but it wasn't enough. As Hainan's best interior defender, he was already stretched thin, especially with Shoyo's other players posing threats.

"Coach, it's not entirely Okabe's fault. He did his best," Otsu interjected, standing up for his teammate.

"In the second half, tighten your defense. Don't let Sugiyama score so easily. Watanabe, focus on shutting down Ikeda's three-pointers," Takato ordered. "Otsu, you need to go all out. No holding back. We'll speed up the pace in the second half. Shoyo's stamina can't match ours, especially with two big men on the court. Wear them down!"

"Yes!!!" the Hainan team responded.

"Otsu, play more inside in the second half. And Okabe, you'd better start scoring against Sugiyama. Can you do that?"

"Of course!" Okabe retorted.

"Good. Make more physical contact with him. Otsu, you too. If we can get Sugiyama into foul trouble—or even foul him out—we'll win for sure!"

"Understood!!!" Otsu and Okabe replied.

Second Half Begins

Amidst the cheers of the fans, the second half began. Sugiyama won the jump ball again, tapping it to Nakamura.

The crowd was stunned to see Shoyo's lineup. They hadn't expected a player nearly 190 cm tall to take over as point guard.

"Replacing Saionji with Hosokawa and having Nakamura play point guard…" Takato mused, observing the court. "Trying to free Nakamura from defensive duties by having Hosokawa guard Otsu? It seems Sugiyama is struggling with stamina. Letting Nakamura orchestrate the offense? Kudo-kun, you're young, but you've got a good mind for the game. Still, this adjustment exposes Shoyo's weaknesses. You're talented, but you've still got a lot to learn!"

With that, Takato instructed Otsu to defend Nakamura, knowing Hainan's point guards couldn't match Nakamura's skill.