For a moment, silence fell across the gym.
Then, like a wave crashing over a breakwater, the entire place erupted into thunderous noise.
Everyone was on their feet—cheering, gasping, and shouting in stunned excitement, their words tumbling out incoherently.
"Whoa! That was insane—he actually dunked with a switch-handed slam!"
"He's only 177 centimeters tall, and he pulled off a dunk? That's unreal!"
"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. Absolutely incredible!"
"This feels like we're playing against an NBA-level pro. I'm losing my mind here!"
…
Watching Shoichi's performance, even Kuwata and the others couldn't contain their excitement.
Even someone as composed as Rukawa blurted out, "That was one hell of a play."
"This guy… can actually dunk!"
Akagi stood frozen, staring at Shoichi with wide eyes, unable to believe what he'd just witnessed.
Kogure, beside him, looked both frustrated and envious. "I'm taller than Shoichi by a full centimeter, and I can barely touch the backboard. This is seriously crushing."
"His jumping ability makes no sense… it's completely over the top."
Miyagi was equally in awe, murmuring internally,
"If I had that kind of bounce… could I dunk too? Damn, his talent is insane."
Outside the court…
"Th-that guy… he just dunked?!"
Ayako stared at Shoichi from the sidelines, her face flushed with shock. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
The impact of Shoichi's dunk had hit her like a freight train.
Beside her, Haruko's eyes were also wide with surprise. "That player doesn't even look like he's 180 centimeters, and yet he managed to dunk… that's incredible."
"Who would've thought a player like him would show up this year for Shohoku's team? Looks like my brother's dream might actually come true."
"Man, that exchange student is amazing—he just dunked!"
"His vertical leap might even be better than Sakuragi's."
"Nah, maybe not his bounce, but his basketball fundamentals? Sakuragi's nowhere near this guy's level."
"Comparing Sakuragi to him? That's not even funny—it's just sad."
Watching Shoichi's jaw-dropping performance, Oba and his crew couldn't resist throwing a few jabs Sakuragi's way.
Hearing them diss him again, Sakuragi lost his temper and spun around, yelling at them,
"Hey! You guys shut the hell up and stop distracting us!"
Seeing Sakuragi about to blow his top, Oba and the others stifled their laughter and wisely decided not to provoke him any further.
Even Coach Anzai, with his years of experience and calm demeanor, couldn't stay seated.
He stood up, visibly moved.
"Shoichi's talent for basketball… even in the NBA, it would be considered exceptional."
"He's only fifteen this year. If he keeps improving at this rate, his future is limitless."
"Can you see this? There's a true prodigy here—one with even more potential than you had."
The more Anzai watched, the more fired up he became. His gaze toward Shoichi grew increasingly intense.
But perhaps the most excited person in the gym… was Ryonan's freshman reporter: Aida Hikoichi.
"Amazing! Unbelievable! This trip was so worth it!"
With trembling hands, Hikoichi scribbled down every detail of Shoichi's performance, not wanting to miss a thing.
After thoroughly recording Shoichi's profile and abilities, Hikoichi hesitated for a moment—then quickly pulled out his phone.
"No. I need to call the coach. Right now."
Shohoku had a super rookie, and Hikoichi wasn't going to keep it to himself.
He was even stronger than Rukawa Kaede.
He quietly stepped out of the gym and dialed the number for Ryonan's coach.
"Hello, this is Taoka Moichi speaking."
A deep, calm male voice came through the receiver.
Hearing Coach Taoka's voice, Hikoichi could barely contain his excitement.
"Coach! I've made a huge discovery! Shohoku's basketball team has a super strong new player!"
"Oh? You mean Rukawa Kaede from Tomigaoka Middle School? So you made it to Shohoku after all?"
"Yes! No—wait, no, not Rukawa. His name is Shoichi. He's an exchange student—and he's ridiculously strong!"
"…Hikoichi, what are you talking about? An exchange student? What do you mean?"
"Coach, Shohoku has a foreign player named Shoichi. He's only 177 centimeters, but he just pulled off a switch-handed dunk!"
"…What? A 177-centimeter kid… dunked?"
"Yes! It was insane! And from what I've heard, he's still a beginner!"
"A beginner?"
"Coach, I'm heading back right now. I'll explain everything in detail as soon as I get there!"
"Alright. Get back immediately."
After hanging up, Aida Hikoichi didn't waste a second. He took off running, heading straight for Ryonan High.