As the game raged on, Momoharu's excitement fueled Meikō's aggressive attack. They relentlessly pressured the Genius Twins, who appeared visibly exhausted.
Recognising the strain on their star players, Kamata West's coach wisely decided to bench them temporarily. Injuries from over exertion could be disastrous.
Ryouta, ever the opportunist, saw this as a chance. He called for an all-out assault, knowing that the absence of the Genius Twins was their opening to dominate.
From the sidelines, Makiyama noticed the shift, but welcomed it. He wore a contented smile, fully supporting this change in strategy.
This abrupt shift in strategy left Kamata West in disarray. They were utterly helpless in the face of Meikō's aggressive onslaught.
The absence of the Genius Twins hurt Kamata West's defense and crippled their own attack. Masahiko, a defensive powerhouse, made sure of that.
From the sidelines, the Genius Twins could only clench their teeth in frustration. Their burning desire to win clashed with the reality that their young bodies couldn't withstand the relentless pressure.
With the score gap widening, Kamata West seemed on the verge of giving up in rhetorical face of Meikō's relentless offense. At llast, the referee blew the whistle, marking the end of the third quarter.
Seated on the bench, Makiyama observed their opponents with a contemplative gaze.
"Hmm, they are unlikely to put the twins back in with their condition..."
"...just maintaining this momentum should secure our victory," he reclected quietly, studying the determined expressions on his players' faces.
Seeing their excitement and determination, Makiyama nodded to himself. "I suppose there's nothing I need to alter in this current situation."
However, Ryouta had a different perspective. He spoke up, saying, "Assistant Coach, let's bring Watanabe back in."
"Hmm, we're going back to the start, huh?"
Makiyama pondered for a moment, his thoughts audible. Given their current situation, he believed there was no need for any changes.
Yet, having observed Ryouta's flawless decision-making thus far, Makiyama trusted the new Captain's judgement.
Ryouta shook his head, offering a clarification. "Not a complete reset. We'll replace Takaheshi with Momoharu on the bench instead.
"What!?" Momoharu exclaimed. "Seriously? I was paying attention for once, and now you want to bench me?"
Momoharu was baffled. He had eagerly anticipated the last stage to decide the winner of the game, so getting out of it would not be fun for him.
Takaheshi, on the other hand, was taken aback. While he was happy and relieved to be getting some playing time, he couldn't help but wonder why Ryouta had made the decision to sub Momoharu, the team's ace, out for him?
Ryouta offered a reassuring smile. "No need to fret, Momoharu. It's just a temporary break for you."
Ryouta then turned to Takaheshi and explained, "Now, I need you to switch positions with me. I'll be taking over Momoharu's role for a while."
Despite Ryouta saying he would fill Momoharu's role, his style of play introduced boundless opportunities and possibilities for Meikō. Ryouta was not only skilled at scoring, but he mainly excelled in orchestrating plays and passing the ball effectively to create scoring opportunities.
In fact, Makiyama would argue that Ryouta could be considered the best point guard as he was the most complete, and his skill in facilitating his team and his exceptional passing ability was probably unmatched in the middle school and possibly even high school basketball scene.
