The teams jogged into the locker rooms as the buzzer echoed through Building B's gym. Team L led 43–40 at the break, but nobody was satisfied yet—not with the way Nakamoto was heating up.
The locker room was buzzing with heavy breaths and squeaking sneakers. Coach Saito stood at the front, clipboard in hand. His voice was calm but firm.
"Good first half. But it's not enough. Team I is adjusting fast, and Nakamoto's starting to figure us out."
He looked across the room, making eye contact with each player.
"We have to answer first. Set the tone when the third starts. No excuses."
Game Plan Changes
Coach drew quickly on the whiteboard.
Defense: Hard hedges on Nakamoto. Force him inside where Yuji and Tetsuya can help at the rim.
Offense: Speed up ball movement. Less isolations, more screens for the shooters—especially Takumi and Mio.
Yuto's Role: Stay aggressive. Look for open space off the ball. "You're quicker than you think, Nakamura."
Yuto nodded silently, his fists lightly clenched on his lap. He could still feel the miss from earlier, but he refused to sulk. He needed to prove himself.
Player Talk
Koji stood up after Coach finished.
"Look, we've fought to get here. Don't let up now. Be first to the floor, first to the rebound, first to every loose ball. Win the dirty stuff, we win the game."
Mio added, "They're tired too. We just hide it better."
The whole team chuckled lightly, the tension cracking just a bit.
Even Keisuke, usually quiet, muttered under his breath, "Let's make 'em regret challenging us."
Yuto felt it—the shift. Team L was locked in now.
Meanwhile: Team I Locker Room
Renji Nakamoto was leaned back against the wall, towel around his neck.
His captain, a tall PF named Hiroshi Matsuda, barked,
"We're fine. Nakamoto's got the mismatch. Feed him. Play physical. They're one weak link away from folding."
Renji smiled slyly.
"They're scared of me now."
Returning to the Court
The buzzer blared again, signaling 3 minutes left before the third quarter began. Both teams filed back onto the court for warmups.
Yuto bounced lightly on his toes, glancing once at Renji across the gym.
No fear. No doubts.
It was time to earn everything.
YOU ARE READING
Project Yagi Volume 2
AdventureAfter a victorious debut, Yuto Nakamura and Team L find themselves facing their greatest challenge yet - Team I, led by the unstoppable Renji Nakamoto. As the battle between teams heats up, Yuto begins to carve his own path, hitting a clutch shot an...
