Rebirth In KurokoNoBasket

After one day of rest, teams of Block-B returned to the stadium to play the two games of Day-4.

The second day for all the teams started with a slow and strategic Round-3 game, and the day ended with the brutal semi-finals game.

Tokiwadai was in their designated locker room, discussing and finalizing their strategy for the Round-3 game.

The players were sitting on the benches laid around the locker room.

The coach pulled a chair in the room and sat on it.

Coach: "Hmm... the Round-3 game is a game in which we need to preserve our stamina for the semi-finals."

He let his eyes roam around the room and said.

Coach: "There might be one problem that we might face."

Mibuchi raised his eyebrows and asked.

Mibuchi: "What kind of problem?"

The coach sighed and explained the situation.

Coach: "The problem is our reputation. It might sound like a brag, but we are a strong team, and our opponent might go all out, and that in turn might tire us out."

Shun nodded and chimed in.

Shun: "Coach has a point. Our team is strong, and the other team might think that they can't proceed to the next round and go all out against us."

Coach nodded and presented his solution.

Coach: "My solution is simple; we use substitution extensively. Just like the last game, we will start with starting five, and then substitute throughout the game.

Now, we have seven members between, so I need two players who are willing to stay on the court full-time, who wants in."

All of them raised their hands.

Coach laughed and decided on his own.

Coach: "Shun and Kaitani, you two will stay on the court full time."

The coach picked up a clipboard and wrote the players' names on the court by each quarter.

He passed the clipboard around the room.

It looked something like this.

First-Quarter:

Kageyama, Aone, Mibuchi, Kurumatani, Kaitani.

Second-Quarter:

Kageyama, Aone, Mibuchi, Yuki, Kaitani.

Third-Quarter:

Kageyama, Hyakuzawa, Mibuchi, Yuki, Kaitani.

Fouth-Quarter:

Kageyama, Hyakuzawa, Kurumatani, Yuki, Kaitani.

Coach: "Our opponent in Round-3 is Samezuka Middle School, they are a balanced team, but they neither have the height nor the skills to elevate them to a level that might be a threat to us."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Tokiwadai made their way to the designated court and started their warm-up on their side of the court.

Yuki and Shun were talking while they did their warmups.

Shun: "Yuki, what do you do in your free time."

Yuki thought for a while and answered.

Yuki: "I watch historical dramas."

Shun smiled and said.

Shun: "Hee, which one is your favorite?"

Yuki once again thought for a while and replied.

Yuki: "JIN."

Shun had heard of the drama.

Shun: "Isn't JIN based on a manga series?"

Yuki nodded and replied.

Yuki: "It is an adaptation of the series Jin by Motoka Murakami."

Shun asked about the drama.

Shun: "What is the plot?"

Yuki perked up and explained the plot with a smile.

Yuki: "It's about a brain surgeon, who accidentally ends up in the Edo period, from there, he tries to make his way back to the future while helping people along the way."

Shun liked time-travel to the past stories, so he said.

Shun: "A time-travel to the past, huh. That sounds interesting. I will watch that. Then we will talk about that."

Yuki liked the idea, so he agreed.

Yuki: "That would be great."

That was when Sora came and said.

Sora: "Senpai, I heard a really hilarious joke. Do you want to hear it?"

Shun chuckled and said.

Shun: "Sure, why not."

Sora smiled and started.

Sora: "I don't trust the stairs. Do you know why?"

Yuki shook his head and asked.

Yuki: "Why?"

Sora smiled and said.

Sora: "They're always up to something."

Yuki and Shun laughed, and Shun said between his laughs.

Shun: "Pfft...That was so bad that it made me laugh."

Yuki patted Sora's back and said.

Yuki: "Keep telling us jokes when you hear new ones."

Sora goofily grinned and said.

Sora: "Okay."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Coach called for the last huddle and said.

Coach: "I will not be taking part in this. You guys handle this huddle on your own."

With that, he got up and went away, sat on a chair and pulled out a thermos flask, and poured himself tea.

He looked at the team and said.

Coach: "What are you guys looking at me for, you guys don't have all the time in the world, the game is going to start soon. Quickly discuss whatever you want."

With that, he once again looked forward and sipped tea from the bottle cap of the flask.

The team was stunned for a while before Mibuchi took over.

Mibuchi: "That was sudden."

Everybody nodded, and Mibuchi continued.

Mibuchi: "We already know when each of us is going to be on the court. So, that is not a problem.

Now, what should be our play style for this game."

He looked at Shun and asked him.

Mibuchi: "Kageyama-chan, what do you think we should play like in this game."

Shun thought about a while and gave his thoughts.

Shun: "Hmm... we need to save our stamina for the semi-finals, so I suggest we move the ball around and tire out Samezaki's players."

Shun looked at everyone and declared.

Shun: "Nothing creates more forward the defense than movement.

I need all of you on the move. It doesn't need to be fast, but move around the court."

Shun stopped for a second and said.

Shun: "Actually, we can do one thing."

Shun grabbed the basketball-court board and moved the player-tiles away from each other.

Shun: "If you can, move away from each other, so that your defenders follow you, and thus making the area to defend larger."

He looked at Aone and Hyakuzawa.

Shun: "Centers should remain in the post, but others should move around and away from each other."

He looked at Mibuchi and spoke.

Shun: "Mibuchi-senpai, you don't have to come inside the three-point arc, if you don't want to, just mingle on the outside and take your defender, for a ride."

Shun patted Kaitani's and Sora's shoulders, who were sitting on either side of him.

Shun: "You two keep moving around. And, make sure that defense is wary of you."

Shun once again looked at Aone and Hyakuzawa.

Shun: "As you two are on the court for one-half each and are in the most stable position, I will be directing the ball to you guys for scoring.

Samezuka doesn't have the height factor, so it should be easier for you two score this game."

Shun finally turned to Yuki and said.

Shun: "Yuki, I need screens, off-ball or on-ball, just screen anybody near you to plant some chaos to confuse the defense."

Shun clapped his hands and said.

Shun: "It will be a slow game, so we won't be making that many fast breaks, so be ready to score with defenders around."

Shun nodded to Mibuchi, he nodded and took over.

Mibuchi: "As Shun explained, move around the ball, don't be selfish and pass the ball, if you see someone who might have an easier shot, got it?"

Everybody said in unison.

All: "Yes."

Mibuchi looked at everybody and said.

Mibuchi: "I didn't hear that. Got it!"

This time the voice that came out was much louder.

All: "YES!!!"

Mibuchi smiled and spoke.

Mibuchi: "That's the spirit, now let's head to the court."

Tokiwadai's Round-3 game was going to start, and there was a healthy crowd there to watch them.