Chapter 6: Starting for a Weak Team.
[Crossover: LV2 → LV3]
[Ball Control: 63-65]
[Speed: 59-61]
[Your explosive power has reached the required level and is now displayed on your personal dashboard.]
Immediately, Kogure opened his dashboard.
Name: Kogure Konobu.
Age: 15.
Height: 173cm.
Wingspan: 178cm.
Weight: 57kg.
Physical Fitness: Strength: 51, Speed: 61, Stamina: 66, Flexibility: 74, Reflexes: Max, Injury Resistance: Max, Explosive Power: 50.
Offensive Skills: Ball Control: 63, Passing: 58, Layups: 75, Close Shots: 62, Mid-Range Shots: 59, Three-Point Shots: 70, Free Throws: 72, Positioning: 63.
Defensive Skills: Steals: 55, One-on-One Defense: 57, Defensive Rebounds: 50.
Skills: Crossover LV3 (0/500).
Status: Exhausted.
Rating: Starting for a Weak Team.
Note: Attributes below 50 are not displayed!
With the Crossover advancing again, Kogure's ball control and speed improved further, and he even unlocked his explosive power attribute.
"Could upgrading the crossover step actually improve explosive power?"
Kogure wondered to himself. But on second thought, it made sense; the crossover step did require significant explosive power.
Furthermore, Kogure's reputation had shifted, rising from a reserve player to a starting player for a weaker team, a qualitative leap in his strength.
"Not enough! I need to work even harder!"
Kogure quickly calmed his excitement. To lead Shohoku further, relying solely on starting for a weaker team wasn't enough.
Forget starting for a weaker team. Even if he started for a stronger team, if he wasn't lucky enough to be drawn against a strong team, he could still be eliminated in the first round.
Huh~
Kogure took a few deep breaths and stopped training because his condition had shifted to fatigue.
Fatigue is not a good sign for strenuous exercise; it's not only prone to injury, but also significantly reduces training efficiency.
Fatigue indicates a decline in all aspects of the body's function, including the function of certain organs, such as the lungs and heart. Continuing to exercise would increase the cardiopulmonary load, leading to varying degrees of heart and lung failure, and even myocardial ischemia and hypoxia, leading to sudden death.
Furthermore, to further upgrade the crossover step, a full 500 proficiency points were required.
Even if the crossover speed increased again, it would still take five or six hours.
"Eat first!"
After his heart rate returned to normal, Mugure sat in the shade and pulled his lunch box from his backpack.
The lunch box was well insulated, and the food inside was still warm.
"If I want to get stronger quickly, the easiest way is to acquire more skills!"
Mugure thought as he ate. Coach Anzai was being irresponsible at this stage, constantly away from the basketball gym, and he might not be around.
In this situation, he had to find a replacement.
"I've decided on you!"
Mugure clapped his hands, having a suitable candidate in mind.
Given their passion for basketball and age, there was a good chance they had the skills.
The question was, what right did they have to teach him?
"How can I know if I don't try!"
Mugure decided to give it a try; it wouldn't hurt him anyway.
After dinner, Mugure didn't continue training, but instead headed towards the shopping street.
Soon, Mugure arrived at a shoe store.
It was a sneaker store, and the window displayed various brands, including Nike, Adidas, Reebok, and Converse.
Among them, the AJ7 that his father gave him was from this shoe store.
When Murasakibara pushed open the door, a fresh fragrance mixed with the smell of leather hit his nose.
"Welcome!"
The middle-aged boss with a mustache showed his signature smile and warmly entertained Murasakibara.
Yes, he was the mustache store manager.
As the owner of the shoe store, the mustache store manager noticed the AJ7 on Murasakibara's feet at the first time.
"If nothing unexpected happens, you should be the son of the customer last night. Is it that the sneakers don't fit? Or do you want to change a style?"
The mustache store manager obviously still remembered the scene when Murasakibara's father chose sneakers for him.
Murasakibara shook his head and said, "This pair of sneakers fits well, I like it very much."
Upon hearing this, the mustache store manager's smile on his face became even brighter.
"That's good, this pair of sneakers is the most popular style in our store, very suitable for young people like you."
Muguro felt the sincerity of the mustache-faced store manager.
Only then did he have time to truly observe the shoe store.
The walls were covered with posters of numerous NBA players, primarily Jordan, but also featuring the four great centers, Magic Johnson, "King of Force," Flying Pig, the Postman, the Glider, and the General.
In a prominent position, he spotted a group photo of the Minowa High School basketball team, with a certificate of honor hanging next to it.
In the photo, the young mustache-faced store manager, wearing the number 6 jersey, stood next to the coach.
Judging from his position, the mustache-faced captain held a high position within the team, perhaps the star player or perhaps the second-in-command.
Muguro then glanced at the certificate of honor again.
"Runner-up in the Kanagawa Prefectural High School Tournament!"
"Fifteen years ago, our Minowa High School lost to Kainan Affiliated High School by one point in the prefectural tournament!"
The mustache-faced store manager's voice echoed from the side, his voice thick with regret.
That year, he had taken the final shot.
Alas, he missed!
This haunted him, a source of deep regret. It was the closest he had ever come to winning the prefectural tournament.
"That year also marked the beginning of Hainan High School's dominance in the prefectural tournament, winning it for 15 consecutive years and earning them the nickname, 'King of Hainan!'"
The mustache-wearing shop manager reminisced about those youthful days.
And, coincidentally, in his memories, there was a Hainan High School player who bore a striking resemblance to Maki Shinichi.
Case solved! Sakuragi was right; Maki Shinichi was actually a middle-aged man!
"Manager, you must have participated in the national tournament, right?"
Since Minowa High School took second place in the prefectural tournament, it's possible that the mustache-wearing shop manager participated in that year's national tournament.
Of course, the national tournament system 15 years ago might have been different, and Kanagawa Prefecture might not have had two berths like it does now.
"Well, it's a shame we only made it to the top 16. Minowa High School was unlucky to run into that year's champions, Hakata University of Commerce Affiliated School!"
The mustache-wearing shop manager couldn't help but sigh.
Had it not been for Hakata University of Commerce Affiliated School, the team might have advanced even further.
Hakata University of Commerce Affiliated School holds one of the most national championship titles.
Meanwhile, Hakata Shodai Affiliated School is also the team most likely to win the national championship in the plot year.
Of course, Takehiko Inoue didn't specify which team, only stating that the champion hasn't appeared in the manga, nor has it been described in any way.
Given that Kainan High School finished second in the national championship, the championship went to a team from the right side of the matchup table.
Three teams are most likely to win the championship: Daiei Gakuin, Meiho Gakuin, and Hakata Shodai Affiliated School.
Daiei is not much stronger than Touou, roughly at the national top four level, making it highly unlikely to win.
As for Meiho Kogyo, Takehiko Inoue refuted the rumor in an interview, stating that Meiho Kogyo wouldn't be the national champion and that he would be upset if they did, as they rely solely on player talent, not the image of a champion he envisions.
First, judging by the matchup chart, Hakata Shodai Affiliated School is seeded like Sanno, and was the runner-up last year.
Second, Hakata Shodai Affiliated School is from Fukuoka Prefecture and is modeled after Fukuoka University Affiliated School Ohori, a traditional powerhouse in Japanese high school basketball. During the SD series, this team defeated Noshiro Industries, the prototype of Sanno, to win the national championship. Inoue Takehiko likely drew inspiration from this experience.
This explains why the Hakata University of Commerce Affiliated Club is the team most likely to win the national championship in the plot year.
Of course, a basketball is round, so a dark horse like Shohoku might emerge from the right side, or Daiei Gakuin might pull off an upset victory.
At this point, Murasakibara feigned admiration and said, "You must be really good, then!"
"No, no! That was all in the past." The mustachioed store manager rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but he couldn't hide his smile.
"Do you still play basketball now?"
"Alas, since graduating from university, I've been so busy with work that I rarely touch a ball."
The mustachioed store manager looked a little disappointed.
"But if you're free someday, we can play together!"
Looking at Murasakibara's basketball, the mustachioed store manager couldn't help but look eager, as if he was itching to try.
"Can we do it now?"
Mu Mu couldn't wait to see the strength of the mustache store manager and see if he had mastered the skills that matched the learning mechanism.
(End of this chapter)