Did Shoyo become "evil" or something? Not telling p

However, something did change. What did? Read on… for this is chapter 6…

Chapter 6: Somebody gonna get a hurt real bad…

Yasuda grabbed a whistle from Ayako and walked onto the courts, slightly miffed and stiffened. Even though he has had at least the benchwarmers' experience, he still couldn't help it because Shoyo's new players were still giants as ever compared to his 169cm stature. In his minds, he had thought that only someone like Miyagi could have literally dribbled through their defense, but unfortunately he's out because of Kanaga's freak ball-throw, which costed him a broken nose.

So that leaves the point guard position to Rukawa, who had not played PG for quite a while already. Not since All-Japan broke camp 3 months ago, in any case.

Starting V is as such:

Point Guard – Rukawa Kaede (11)

Small Guard – Shinichi Kawasaki (13)

Center – Goston Yamir (4)

Small Forward – Yukigawa Arashi (5)

Power Forward – Sakuragi Hanamichi (10)

"Today's match is an official friendly between Shohoku High School and Shoyo High School. Results of today's match will be entered into the Sports Association's information bank, however it will not play any part of…"

"The boring bits again," sighed Mai. That is the problem with official matters in Japan – long, and boring yet unimportant bits always fly around the place like flies around poo. Then, her mobile phone rang.

"Message from (unknown)

Information regarding Shoyo's players will be sent via fax. Please proceed to your general office to collect data. –A Ryonan informant.

PS: BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF SHOYO!"

Mai handed the phone over to Kanaga, and both sweat-dropped for no reason whatsoever.

"Play ball."

The ball sailed in the air, with Sakuragi in position to flick the ball backwards. However, what came about instead is an instantaneous ball-spike which caused the ball to fly inches off Sakuragi's head.

"Shoot," he cursed, landing with the feeling of being dealt a sucker blow.

The next thing he knew, Arashi had suddenly taken possession off a lanky Shoyo player's palms, and was setting himself up for a swift counter-attack.

"Watch out, he's coming from the right!"

With graceful athletics, he zipped past two unsuspecting Shoyo guards, forcing them to turn around quickly to return to defense from half-court.

"Arashi, pass!"

Shinichi was already on one side of the flank, ready to receive a pass at prime position to score the first basket. But Arashi had a different idea, stopping his run within dangerous territory, at 45 degrees right off the 3-point arc. At this point of time, one of the guards found Arashi right in front of him and had no time to avoid the static-positioned Arashi, which was…

"Just as I had thought it out to be!"

The ball flew into the air at a really sharp angle and Arashi was brought down to the floor a millisecond later, drawing the game's first foul as Yasuda blew the whistle.

The ball hit the rim hard, but bounced into the path of the backboard and then the net.

"Basket count, one throw!"

Arashi grinned, his oft-used street tactic working like a charm again. Who said that basketball is a divided sport, anyway?

"Aki, it's ok!" One of the Shoyo players shouted as the players positioned themselves for the free-throw. "It's just the start!"

The guard nodded, with no signs of wavering confidence.

Arashi took the throw with confidence, and Shohoku was up for an early 4-0 lead. Almost immediately the whistle was blown again.

"Player change!"

Arashi found number 5 raised up and in his place was a much weaker Yasuda, who was just as surprised at being called onto the court into a different role.

"Arashi, get onto the bench."

"Kanaga, what the heck was…"

"Just watch Yasuda play, and you'll know what I need now. That was absolutely street and, while it is an element of surprise, I don't want you to keep 'surprising' your opponents so soon. They'll nab you in place too soon and you'll be doing nothing since you are still in a persistent solo-playing stage. Remember that you are not Rukawa."

"Ok, sure, whatever my sister's lover says…"

"Hey, young man… in private you call me Kanaga or whatever you choose, but you're under my charge now. That will be Misano-sensei to you."

"O, yea, whatever…"

Meanwhile…

"Mai-chan," greeted the attendant at the general office. "This is the data you want, ne?"

"I think that'll be the information I'll need all right. Thank you…"

Mai strolled down the corridor as she looked through the pile of data she had gotten.

"'Tips and warnings on Beating the crap out of Shoyo', what a weird name to an official document… let's see… Chen Guang, Jang Soo, Denzel Maverack… foreign players, as I had thought… Koshiro Aoi… Aoi… hmm… tactics…"

To fast-forward a bit, to the 18th minute of the first half…

"1:59 left…" Sakuragi took a quick glance at the timer. "We're still drawing level here…"

The game had trudged on in a normal rhythm, with both sides scoring consistently and neither side gaining an absolute lead over the other as the lead changed hands multiple times. The only marked difference between the both sides was Shohoku relying on Goston and Sakuragi for defense and attacking in-the-paint, mostly with the help of Yasuda's refined passing, and Shoyo's counter-attack and multi-pronged approach.

42-44 with Shohoku trailing, Sakuragi takes the ball outside the paint and is immediately double-teamed. Goston was posting up fairly decently though he was getting shoved. Sakuragi thought it might be a good idea to pass him the ball, so he did. Little wonder why Shoyo is getting their way now…

Goston received a hard stomping on his toes just as he was about to turn around and shoot. He yelped in pain, dropping the ball and conceding possession.

"Foul!" Shouted Goston, but Kakuta, oblivious to the incident, waved "play on".

"Darn it…!"

So far Goston had only gotten around to doing simple shots under the basket instead of slamming it in, simply because he didn't want to injure anyone. But he felt that something was burning in his toes and cried out in pain as the pain became excruciating.

Kakuta paused the game and a team of medics hurriedly rush to Goston, who sat down with his legs outstretched under their basket.

At the same point of time…

"Beware, for Shoyo's new players are not shy to dirty tricks this year. They have allegedly injured many key players of other schools during their friendlies through either shoving or punching, though the referees had in separate cases, been unable to determine who actually injured the players. Kainan is in serious trouble with Kiyota, Jin injured. – Ryonan informant"

"Mai, how is Goston's injury?"

"Looking very bad there, Kanaga... His toenails are cracked and he has difficulty walking, and there is suspicion of internal bleeding."

"We can't outrightly accuse them…" Kanaga mumbled, but for some reason, Arashi did just that as he confronted the two alleged offenders.

"Why did you do that, the pair of you! Aren't you ashamed of using such cheap tactics!" Arashi bellowed at the pair, furious that one player went down in such an ugly fashion.

It was useless ranting though, for the pair only understands fragments of Japanese. One replied in Chinese while the other, in English, to which Arashi had no idea of.

"Forget it, Arashi," grunted Yasuda, just as pissed but resignedly. "I can't make out whatever the Chinese national said, but the other English or American guy denied all wrongdoing. Besides, we can't nab him because Kakuta didn't manage to see the incident. However, since the injury is obviously deliberate…"

"Technical foul, one free throw for Shohoku!"

Just then, Kenichi stood up, a grin drawing across his face inexplicably, and said, "Hey, referee, aren't you biased. My players are accused of fouling deliberately, yet you did not set a technical on the little hoodlum."

Kakuta was confused. The rulebook did say that any alleged but unproven accusations made by a player towards another player or players, can be considered a technical foul. However, Kakuta wasn't sure what to do at all, because the foul looked too deliberate to be an accusation…

"Murasame-kun, there can only be one technical foul running against one team at a time, and because Kakuta has awarded the throw to Shohoku first…"

Immediately the Shoyo coached frowned and sat down in absolute disgust while Kakuta heaved a huge sigh of relief. Lucky for him, Mai knows her rulebook well enough.

"Phew, lucky I mentioned that." Mai sweated furiously, as though she'd gone through three rounds of sauna. "He did the same accusation-returning twice against the two other teams Ryonan and Kainan."

"But, Mai," Ayako turned around in full seriousness, "If they did those against two teams, won't that mean…"

"Shoyo has changed from a squeaky-clean outfit to one with a lot of dirty linen…"

"That's kinda true…" Murmured Ayako.

"Hey, uhh, ladies…" Kanaga broke into the conversation suddenly, and without warning. "Now we need someone to take care of Goston while he rests in the changing room…"

"May I help in any way?" A voice popped behind them out of nowhere.

"Haruko-chan!" Squealed Ayako. "You're here!"

"Sumimasen… I was late because of lessons…"

"Daijobu desu, ne-chan," grinned the cheerful manageress. "Now, can you please help us by taking care of the injured player in the changing room? Help him change the ice packs whenever needed…"

"Who is injured? Saku.."

"Nope, not Hanamichi. It's the much taller guy."

"Goston-san?" Her face dropped suddenly, sounding terribly disappointed. "OK, I'll be on it…"

"Gee," Ayako rubbed her snout, covering her gleeful expression. "Has things finally turned around for the baka?"

However, Sakuragi had more important things occupying his head, as Goston limped off into the changing room. He wondered if there were anybody else in the team who could have replaced Goston's presence within the team, since only himself and Rukawa has a height above 190.

"Let me be the center."

The team turned around to find Uchiro changing into his battle gear.

"Uchiro, you're barely 180! How do you…"

"Do you trust me?"

The team hesitated. Uchiro being a loner, he didn't talk to them much and it didn't leave any impression that he would be able to contribute to the team.

"I trust you, that's for sure." Sakuragi announced, as if no one could hear him.

"That will be good enough. One is all I need."

"Oi, same here." Rukawa grunted. "Don't say I am not trying to help you, although I really can't do much if the team doesn't wanna."

"That's cool. OK, so where do we start returning their… little favors?"

TO BE CONTINUED…