The whistle shrieked, and the third quarter tipped off. The score:
Team L 43 – Team I 40.
Team L's starters returned:
PG: Koji Hayashi
SG: Takumi Endo
SF: Mio Sasaki
PF: Kaito Miyazaki
C: Yuji Saito
Meanwhile, Team I had their best five ready too—Renji Nakamoto now at the heart of their offense.
Early 3rd Quarter Action
First possession, Team I fed the ball to Renji on the wing. Koji and Mio immediately pressured, hedging hard.
Renji spun past the first defender, but Yuji stepped up strong.
Blocked!
The ball bounced off the glass—Kaito grabbed the board and fired the outlet pass.
Fastbreak. Koji sprinted down the middle, kicked it out to Takumi trailing behind the line.
Splash!
Three-pointer! The bench exploded.
46–40, Team L.
Renji's Retaliation
Renji, unfazed, came back with his own answer.
He called for an iso at the top of the key.
One hesitation, one powerful cross, and he soared inside.
And-1 layup.
He flexed slightly after the basket, sending a cold glare toward Team L's bench.
Free throw? Good.
46–43.
Coach Saito's First Substitution
After a sloppy turnover by Team L, Coach Saito quickly called out:
"Yuto! Keisuke! Get ready!"
At 7:21 left in the third, Yuto Nakamura and Keisuke Hasegawa checked in for Takumi and Mio.
Yuto's heart raced, but he took a deep breath and jogged in confidently.
Coach's words rang in his head:
"Move without the ball. Defend with your feet, not your hands."
Yuto's First Plays
His first touch came when Koji swung the ball to him on the perimeter.
A quick jab step, and Yuto zipped a pass to Kaito in the post, showing smart decision-making.
Kaito backed down, spun left—hook shot good!
48–43, Team L.
On defense, Yuto got switched onto Renji for one possession.
Renji smirked at the matchup.
"Fresh meat," he muttered.
Yuto stayed low, watching his hips. Renji tried a quick first step—Yuto didn't bite.
Forced into a tough mid-range jumper—missed!
Keisuke snagged the rebound.
Coach Saito nodded approvingly on the sideline.
Team I Rallies Back
Despite the energy from Team L, Team I wasn't folding.
Renji hit a tough step-back three over Keisuke.
Their center bullied inside for second-chance points.
3:32 left, timeout Team L.
The score now:
Team L 50 – Team I 49.
The game was getting heated. Every bucket felt like a battle.
During the Timeout
In the huddle, Koji clapped loudly.
"Stick to the plan! Communicate on switches!"
Coach Saito added, "Don't fall for their pace. We control the tempo. Yuto, be ready to cut hard if Koji gets trapped."
Yuto wiped sweat from his forehead.
"I can do this."
Back to Action
As the players broke from the timeout, the gym's energy was electric.
The crowd of coaches, scouts, and Project Yagi staff leaned in, taking notes.
Everyone knew:
This wasn't just a game anymore.
This was survival.
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...
