Chapter 65

Why are there no rebounds?

Because the rebounds were all snatched away by that guy Murasakibara!

People's gazes toward Tiandao Jingyan at this moment have all changed.

Before the match, quite a few people criticized Tiandao Jingyan for playing too recklessly, but now those same people actually hope that Kaicheng Middle School's ace, Ikezawa Hayato, can also toughen up just like Tiandao Jingyan.

Tiandao Jingyan turned his reputation around in just one quarter.

The "reasonable basketball" in the mouths of those experts was ruthlessly trampled underfoot by Tiandao Jingyan's barrage of attacks.

"Basketball, at the end of the day, is still a sport about who scores more points!" Baijin Kozo is not as rigid as the head coach of Kaicheng Middle School.

A long playing career has made him realize that some players simply cannot be viewed through conventional logic.

Ordinary players only pursue "reasonableness," using scientific basketball to cover up their own incompetence.

True geniuses all possess the ability to turn the tide of a match single-handedly.

Even LeBron, when he charges, is completely unreasonable; he can score even with people hanging off him. Is that reasonable?

"Little Tiandao is so amazing!"

At the coffee shop where Tiandao usually works, several women were already dancing with excitement.

"Not bad, he didn't lose face for our coffee shop; this kid isn't just all looks and no substance!" The proprietress was also full of pride.

When she found out Tiandao Jingyan was a basketball player, she even specially gifted him a pair of A-Chasers.

The others in the shop also noticed Tiandao Jingyan on the television at this moment.

They never imagined that the handsome hunk who was always striking poses in the coffee shop was actually so formidable at basketball.

One person even looked down, discovered they couldn't see their own toes, then proudly lifted their head, fixing their gaze on Tiandao Jingyan on the screen.

She thought to herself, only someone with ball skills as superb as Tiandao's could control his own balls so well!

Ikezawa Hayato walked off the court in frustration.

He had already given his all in the first quarter, but it was completely useless.

He had no way to break through Tiandao Jingyan's tight defense; all four attempts ended in failure.

He was even left doubting himself and lost his confidence due to Tiandao Jingyan's steals.

He was very confident in his own strength; even if he wasn't one of the strongest in the country, he was at the level of the National Tournament.

But Tiandao Jingyan was a creature from another dimension!

During the timeout, the Kaicheng Middle School head coach was furious, "What on earth are you doing? Why can he still score as he pleases with two people defending him!?"

"Use your bodies, use physical contact! Don't let him shoot comfortably. Do you want to be eliminated in the first round?"

He absolutely had reason to be angry.

That a "bad kid" in his eyes like Tiandao Jingyan could put up such a highlight performance was a trampling of his basketball philosophy.

"Coach, we've already defended him very well, but there's just no way."

"What do you mean 'no way'?! There is no such thing as 'no way' on the basketball court. Do you think he's Jordan? Or Kobe or LeBron?"

"Foul! Use fouls to interrupt him, be a bit rougher. This is a battlefield, this is a war! Be tougher!"

The Kaicheng head coach was hoarse with desperation, but Ikezawa Hayato couldn't bring himself to do such a thing.

Because Tiandao Jingyan's defense was truly too elegant, and his movements were so clean that he felt if he used such rough defense against Tiandao Jingyan, it would ruin this sacred battle.

This was entirely him overthinking it.

Tiandao is stronger than him, so of course he can be elegant and composed.

What if you replaced him with Aomine?

Tiandao Jingyan wouldn't give a damn about elegance; defense that can actually stop someone is what's called defense!

If you can't stop them, you're a sieve!

Only the stronger side is entitled to be elegant!

Since retiring, Hara Zawakede practiced for two and a half years before becoming the head coach of Too Academy.

Coming from a professional background, combined with his experience of being selected for the national team, he possessed an outstanding eye for talent.

This outstanding eye, coupled with Too's "nouveau riche" style of not lacking money, allowed Too Academy to very rapidly become a powerhouse in the high school basketball scene for the National Tournament.

The National Tournaments for junior high and high school are not held at the same time; the high school tournament starts later, but it had also reached the tense preparation stage.

The reason Hara Zawakede came here was, on one hand, to relax from the recent tension, and on the other, to see if he could unearth one or two more genius players.

The competition in the high school basketball scene is several times more brutal than in junior high.

Setting aside their new powerhouse, Too, there are still other strong teams like the Three Kings of Tokyo.

And once you leave Tokyo, there are even more competitors.

Every region has at least one old-school powerhouse.

Among them, the one that makes him—or rather, all high schools in the country—most wary is that champion team, Rakuzan High School!

This is a massive mountain that every team attempting to win the National Tournament must cross.

Hara Zawakede knew clearly that with their current roster, it would be very difficult to defeat Rakuzan.

Compared to a true powerhouse like Rakuzan, their Too is at most an upstart.

The foundation is worlds apart!

Rakuzan just stands there and geniuses come to join them; their status is maxed out.

Too?

They can only offer various generous conditions to attract excellent players.

Even then, it's not like they can spend money whenever they want; they have to find players good enough to have a place to spend that money.

Compared to a new army like Too, geniuses trust traditional powerhouses more.

This time, Hara Zawakede came with only one goal: the Teikou captain, Nijimura Shuzo.

This active national number-one power forward is the player countless head coaches dream of.

He is also the important puzzle piece that Hara Zawakede believes can help Too take down the hegemon, Rakuzan!

But instead, he saw this monster, Tiandao Jingyan!

For a full quarter of the match, his radiance overshadowed everyone, including Nijimura Shuzo.

From Hara Zawakede's perspective, this kid, only in his first year of junior high, already possessed the strength to start on a high school team.

That suffocating defensive ability and the ability to score like slicing through melons and vegetables made him almost reach a climax on the spot!

Because this little brat not only had outstanding strength, but his playing style was also excessively elegant!

Anyone who has watched Kuroko's Basketball knows that this guy Hara Zawakede is absolutely the most elegant and handsome of all the head coaches.

Therefore, he took a liking to Tiandao Jingyan at first sight.

Because they are equally handsome, equally elegant, and equally outstanding!