Slam dunk, hit 100% of the three-pointers at the beginning!

With Sendo's arrival, it was as if a spotlight shone directly on him.

"Sendo's here! Shōhoku's chances of winning just dropped significantly."

"I wonder if he'll play. That would be exciting."

"With Rukawa on one side and Sendo on the other, this match is going to be intense!"

The audience buzzed with excitement, and murmurs filled the gym as Sendo walked in.

Uozumi and the rest of Ryonan's team visibly relaxed at Sendo's appearance. Though Ryonan was one of Kanagawa's top four teams, having Sendo present made a world of difference.

On the Shōhoku side, all eyes were on Sendo.

Akagi's expression grew serious.

"Sendo… Will he be playing? He'll be a tough opponent."

Kogure adjusted his glasses, his face clouded with concern. "Sendo's finally here, huh?"

He recalled last year's game, where Sendo single-handedly led Ryonan to a crushing victory over Shōhoku, scoring 47 points. His scoring ability was among the best in Kanagawa.

Even Rukawa, usually stoic, seemed slightly affected by Sendo's arrival. Sendo was not only a skilled player but also a charismatic leader and the backbone of Ryonan's team—someone Rukawa had always aimed to surpass.

Ryu, on the other hand, immediately activated his scanning ability.

[Player Scanned: Sendo Akira]

Height: 190 cm

Weight: 79 kg

Stamina: A-

Speed: A-

Strength: B+

Jumping Ability: A-

Ryu took a deep breath after reading the data.

"No surprise. His stats are excellent—better than Rukawa's in every way. Truly deserving of the title 'The Uncrowned King.'"

Despite Sendo's impressive abilities, Ryu smirked.

"Well, this might actually be fun."

Sendo greeted the audience with a bright smile before strolling casually to Ryonan's bench. He picked a chair and sat down as if he had all the time in the world.

"Hmm? Is he not planning to play?"

"Looks like it. That takes away some of the excitement."

The crowd muttered in disappointment.

Coach Taoka frowned as he saw Sendo take a seat.

"Sendo, where have you been? Don't you know we're playing against Shōhoku today?" he scolded.

Unbothered, Sendo lazily scratched his ear and replied, "Sorry, Coach. Overslept. Want me to play?"

Taoka sighed, his initial anger fading. "You're unbelievable… Forget it. You don't need to play yet. Apart from Rukawa and Akagi, there's no one on Shōhoku worth worrying about."

Sendo leaned back, scanning Shōhoku's team. His eyes lingered on Ryu and Rukawa.

Ryu's calm, almost emotionless demeanor caught Sendo's attention. He seemed completely unfazed by the crowd, a trait Sendo found intriguing.

As for Rukawa, Sendo had heard plenty about the rising "Rookie of the Year" and was eager to see him in action.

With a sharp whistle, the game officially began.

The jump ball was between Ryonan's captain, Uozumi, and Shōhoku's Akagi.

Both teams took their positions, their faces tense with focus.

Ryu's matchup was Ryonan's starting power forward, Ikegami Ryōji, a formidable player at 183 cm tall. Known as Ryonan's vice-captain, Ikegami was a defensive specialist with a knack for mid-range shots, rebounds, and even dunks. Breaking through his defense was no easy task, even for elite players like Mitsui or Jin.

The referee tossed the ball into the air.

As the ball reached its highest point, both Uozumi and Akagi leaped with all their might, their arms outstretched to claim possession.

"Whap!"

Both players' hands connected with the ball simultaneously, resulting in a brief but intense struggle mid-air.

"Akagi, is that all you've got?" Uozumi taunted, smirking.

With a slight edge in strength, Uozumi slapped the ball toward Ryonan's point guard, Kikuda Tomoyuki.

"It's Ryonan's ball!" Ayako exclaimed, her hands clenched tightly in worry.

Kikuda caught the ball effortlessly and smirked at Kogure, who was guarding him.

"A team like Shōhoku, knocked out in the first round every year, has no business playing against us," he said mockingly.

Kogure frowned, but before he could respond—

"Whap!"

A shadow darted past, knocking the ball out of Kikuda's hands before he even realized what had happened.