With Hikki leading the charge, Meikō completely turned the game around.
Hikki's mastwrful control of the game's pace was evident. He was a dribbling wizard, effortlessly navigating through Hibiya's defenses. Yet, he remained cool-headed, always choosing the highest percentage play over personal glory.
Whenever Hikki found a crack in Hibiya's defense, he didn't hesitate to seize the opportunity and put points on the board for Meikō.
However, there were moments when Hibiya's players, growing increasingly desperate, swarmed Hikki in an attempt to halt his progress. In response, Hikki pulled off unexpected passes that left Hibiya's defense floundering.
By the end of the second quarter, Meikō had racked up more points than Hibiya, completely reversing the game's momentum.
As the referee's whistle signalled halftime, both teams retreated to their respective changing rooms for a breather.
In Hibiya's locker room, Imayoshi clenched his jaw, grappling with a tough decision. Hemd heard rumors about Meikō's exceptionally talented freshmen, but facing one of them had proven to be even more challenging than anticipated.
"And there's more where that came from," he muttered, acknowledging that Meikō's rookies were phenomenal if they were as good as Hikki.
Hibiya's coach said, "Indeed, Meikō's freshmen are quite an exceptional batch. What's your take on this, Imayoshi?"
After careful consideration, Imayoshi settled on a plan.
"I think it's best to go for a double-team for now."
His gaze then shifted towards Hanamiya, who appeared disinterested with the game. Imayoshi's eyes sparkled with an idea.
"That sounds like a plan," Hibiya's Coach agreed, showing his approval.
"Alright," he added, addressing Imayoshi, "you have the freedom to guide your team as you see fit."
Hibiya's Coach exited the room, leaving Imayoshi to strategise. He turned his attention toward Hanamiya, who was known for his cunning plays.
"Hanamiya, I want you to go for a double-team on that freshman along with Takashima. You know what to do. We'll try it your way this time."
Hanamiya's face lit up with a sly grin upon hearing this. He signalled to his partner for the double-team and whispered something in his ear.
"Huh? Are you sure about that?" The teammate asked, surprised by Hanamiya's plan.
With a mischievous chuckle, Hanamiya reassured him, "Don't worry, his reactions are out of this world."
Meanwhile in Meikō's locker room, Assistant Coach Makiyama furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
"...Let's dial back our tempo a bit. We need to conserve our stamina," Makiyama advised after careful consideration.
While maintaining a fast pace could give them an immediate advantage regarding the score, Makiyama believed preserving their energy would be a smarter long-term strategy. They were only halfway through the game, after all.
This was particularly crucial for Hikigaya, who was the linchpin of their gameplay. Makiyama recognised that maintaining the same frenetic tempo as the second quarter would drain Hikki's stamina rapidly, which could harm their chances of winning.
Hikki nodded in agreement. Although his stamina was still in good shape, he acknowledged that it wouldn't be prudent to sustain their current pace in the third quarter.
Given the cunning nature of their opponents, having ample energy to counter any surprises they might spring up would be the wiser choice.
After a brief break, both teams returned to the court.
The game resumed, and Meikō wasted no time passing the ball to Hikki.
Hikki received the ball, his fingers gripping it firmly. He began to dribble it slowly, a calculated move to apply pressure to Hibiya's defense.
To his surprise, Hikki noticed that Imayoshi, who had been marking him, had backed off. Instead, standing before him were two of Hibiya's players, one of them being Hanamiya, one of Hibiya's formidable players.
Hikki muttered with a hint of uncertainyy, "I'm not sure what you're planning. Whether it's two players or more, it won't make a difference..."
But just as Ryouta prepared to make his move, a Hijiya player abruptly closed in on him, charging with his body as if he intended to obstuct Ryouta's advance forcefully.
Ryou's eyes widened in surprise. Luckily, his quick reflexes and agility came to his aid. He swiftly moved backwards, dribbling the ball from his right hand to his left.
"What the fuck?"
Kazama couldn't hold back a loud curse at the close call.
It was a narrow escape! If Hikki hadn't reacted as swiftly, his opponent's reckless move may have seriously injured the prodigal freshman.
At that moment, Hanamiya made his move, lunging forward in an attempt to steal the ball from Hikki. His timing was uncanny.
"Heh, gotcha, 'prodigal freshman' !"
Hanamiya taunted as he successfully swiped the ball from Ryou, capitalising on his momentary lapse. With the ball in his possession, Hanamiya sprinted ahead, aiming to score another point for his team.
"That was a low move, using it against us, Imayoshi," Kazama growled, fustration etched on his face as he tried to free himself from Imayoshi's tight marking.
Imayoshi however, never one to back down, shadowed Kazama's every step with skillful precision.
"Would you forgive me if I said I'm sorry?" Imayoshi retorted, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Kazama couldn't contain his anger. "You sly bastard!"
To be honest, even Imayoshi was taken aback. He typically relied on psychology rather than physical tactics, but there was no rooms for complaints now; they were in a tight spot after all.
"It's too late for that," Imayoshi muttered, glancing at Kazama who was racing back to provide support on defense.
Indeed, everyone from Meikō, except Hikigaya, had pushed deepninto Hibiya's defensive territory, their confidence in Ryou was unwavering.
But Hibiya's double team had something else in mind, something rather unhanded.
Back on the 'crime scene', as Hanamiya jumped up for a layup shot, Hikki was already there, blocking his path.
"You're quick on your feet, huh?"
Hanamiya muttered, fustration in his voice. He adjusted his position slightly and passed the ball to his double team partner.
With no-one to contest his shot, the Hibiya player had a clear shot, and he made it count, earning his team two points.
"...Hikigaya, are you okay?"
Kazama hurried over and inquired about Hikki's wellbeing. Ryou nodded, but his usual friendly smile had transformed into a deep frown if you looked closely.
It was an unexpected turn of events. Kazama had always been aware of Hanamiya's dirty tactics, but for a freshman, experiencing them firsthand, especially in middle school, could be tough to deal with.
This was why he had never liked facing a team such as this one.
Kazama had assumed that with Imayoshi as the captain, Hanamiya would tone down his underhanded tactics. Now he realised it was a naivety he was coming to regret.
"Don't worry, I'm alright..."
"It was quite crafty, I'll admit..." Hikki shook his head, and his expression reverted back to its usual nonchalant demeanour.
Besides Ryouta, a few of Meikō's players, Like Kazama, lingered in their defensive zone, ready to assist Hikki in case Hanamiya tried another sly trick.
However, Hibiya players, who were marking them closely, complicated the situation even further.
–––
TBC
