NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Subtle Tricks on the Court
Shinji Hiro leaned into Houichi with his size advantage, forcing his way toward the paint. Suddenly, he noticed the resistance was gone.
"Hmph, gave up already?" Shinji glanced back and saw no sign of Houichi in his path.
He smirked to himself. Although he could overpower Houichi, the middle schooler's endurance had exceeded his expectations. Still, this was the perfect chance to end things with a slam dunk and teach the kid a lesson.
What Shinji didn't realize was that Houichi had purposefully stopped contesting head-on.
Big players often have weak ball-handling skills, relying instead on basic protection. Houichi had been watching closely and noticed the gap Shinji left while preparing to drive.
At the exact moment Shinji was about to leap for the dunk, Houichi struck.
Smack!
The ball flew out of Shinji's hand before he could secure it.
"What?!" Shinji froze, staring at the ball now rolling away. He hadn't even seen Houichi move into position.
The crowd gasped in surprise. Houichi calmly retrieved the ball and passed it back to the top of the key to reset. Shinji picked up the loose ball and shot him a disdainful look.
"Lucky steal," Shinji scoffed. "A fraction of a second slower, and it would've been my highlight reel."
Houichi, however, had already dissected Shinji's entire game. Now it was time to dismantle him in front of everyone.
It was Houichi's possession.
"Didn't expect you to pull off a steal," Shinji said, spreading his arms wide to block any drives. "But that was pure luck."
"Let me guess," Houichi said with an icy tone. "You don't get much court time at Miuradai, do you?"
Shinji's expression twisted for a moment before he forced a smile. "Trying to provoke me? Not going to work."
"Is that so?" Houichi let out a small sigh, his disappointment clear.
Truth stings deeper than lies, and the truth was Shinji's skillset was basic at best. His reliance on size to dominate streetball showed he had little technical ability.
Houichi adjusted his position, carefully maintaining a distance where Shinji couldn't properly contest his shot.
With a quick behind-the-back dribble, Houichi turned on the heat. He faked a drive, forcing Shinji to retreat a step to avoid being crossed up. But instead of driving further, Houichi stopped abruptly and rose for a jump shot.
"Not happening!" Shinji lunged forward to block Houichi's shot.
A novice might panic and get swatted, but Houichi wasn't fazed. He adjusted mid-air, pulling off a smooth fadeaway.
Shinji's aggressive block met only air, causing him to stumble on his landing.
The crowd watched, stunned.
Houichi released the ball at a sharp 45-degree angle. It arced high and cleanly through the air, silhouetted against the golden glow of the setting sun.
Swish!
The ball sliced through the net.
For a moment, there was silence. Then, cheers erupted.
"A middle schooler pulled off a fadeaway?"
"Shinji can't block that no matter how tall he is!"
"Did you see that hang time? He was in the air forever!"
Houichi's teammates let out sighs of relief, and Haruko cheered excitedly.
"Brother, I really did find a genius player for Shohoku! He might be just as good as Rukawa-kun!"
Houichi hadn't been sure he could make the shot—this was the first time he'd used a fadeaway in a real match. It was a risky move, but Shinji's aggressive defense had left him no other option.
Houichi didn't linger on his success. He quickly returned to his position beyond the three-point line.
From the edge of the court, a man in a green shirt and a baseball cap observed the match. This was Taoka Moichi, the coach of Ryonan High.
Taoka had come to the park to clear his mind after failing to recruit Miyagi Ryota to Ryonan. Seeing Shohoku, a team with no accolades, attract talented players had frustrated him.
What had begun as casual interest turned into sharp focus as he watched Houichi's play.
"That fadeaway... not something just anyone can pull off. His athleticism isn't bad, but if he struggles against big players, his potential might be limited," Taoka mused.
For the next possession, the entire court fell silent.
Shinji, now wary of Houichi's fadeaway, pressed up tightly on defense at the three-point line.
Thud, thud.
Houichi dribbled the ball with calm, measured bounces. He noted Shinji's shift in strategy: the taller player was attempting to pressure him out of shooting range, a mistake.
He's panicking, Houichi thought, spotting an opening.
With two sharp crossovers, Houichi faked Shinji left and then burst right, using his speed to blow past.
But just as he picked up momentum, Shinji's foot shot out, attempting to trip him.
Houichi stumbled but managed to leap over the outstretched foot. The ball slipped from his grasp, rolling toward the basket.
Shinji sneered. "What now, kid? Can't handle the pressure?"
Houichi didn't reply. His cold glare was enough to shut Shinji up. Jogging past him, Houichi retrieved the ball without a word.
From the sidelines, only a few people noticed Shinji's foul play. Most assumed Houichi had simply fumbled.
Taoka, however, frowned.
"If he'd forced that drive, he might've gotten seriously injured. Smart to avoid it," he thought. "But why didn't he call Shinji out? That's just giving him a free pass."
Houichi reset the play. His focus remained unwavering.
Shinji was already repeating the same tactic: leaning on his size to dominate. But Houichi now understood how to dismantle this one-dimensional strategy.
This time, it ends.