Heya! It takes quite long for me to update since I am quite a busy person. Although I was almost done with this entire fic, I have been uploading it little by little.

I am quite glad about the constantly increasing views in every chapter even though I dont get reviews, so yeah.. THANKS EVERYONE ^^

DISCLAIMER : Following the word itself "fanfiction", I do not own anything in this fiction and credits belong to the rightful creators of the manga: Inoue Takehiko, the publisher, the broadcasting company of the anime and etc.

"Phew! I thought you did not attend the match intentionally!" Mika sighed in relief. "You were just actually in reserve haha!"

"Yeah.. haha..." Sawakita chuckled. "That stupid Rukawa dude..."

They were standing by the door outside the locker room.

"Eh? Rukawa-kun? You still see him even after last month's match?" Mika confused, asked.

"Not really... Just this morning, he stopped me while I was on my way back to the gym, and that's why I got late..." Sawakita explained, shrugging. "That dude's got HUGE issues..."

"I see..." Mika nodded. "He doesn't seem to be that friendly to us either. He doesn't even talk or hangout with his teammates nor classmates other than the casual basketball and school matters..." She continued.

"ANYWAYS!" Diverting the convo... "My friend is here! I can intro her to you now!"

"So far our strategy is working." Doumoto sensei acknowledged the teams' job well done. "Well done, guys..."

"OU!" They answered back, despite breathless, still in high-spirits.

"Unexpectedly though, they were pretty good. Every now and then breaking through our defense, and even gave it a 6 point difference..." He added. "However, that only means, there wouldn't be any slacking around by the moment the second half starts..."

"That #4 Fujima guy was really good yo..." Fukatsu spoke still panting a bit. "After all, he wouldn't be a playing-coach for nothing... yo"

"It's not just that #4 but the rest of them..." Doumoto-sensei supposed. "Only that they rely the scores more on that #4..."

"Yeah, although the case might turn out that they had already seen right through our plan..." Masashi followed. "They might change sTrategies as well..."

"Whatever it is, it would be too late. They're quite used up, and we still had Sawakita and Minoru for reserve. If that's the case, we can also change strategies as well anyways..." Doumoto-sensei assured. "If so, most likely a Full Court Press would work."

"And speaking of Sawakita... he's gone again..." Nobe pointed out.

"Don't worry about him." Doumoto-sensei worry-free responded. "I already gave him and Minoru instructions before the Half-time Break started."

"Your friend?" Sawakita asked, confused not seeing anyone around with her. "Where?"

"E-EEEH!?" Startled not to see her friend anywhere, Mika looked around stammering. "B-but she walked together with me up to here just a few moments ago! Didn't you see her?!"

"Nope?" Sawakita raised a brow. "You were alone when you came here."

"Gah!" Mika groaned. "I think she still hates you about yesterday..."

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Once again, the loud shrill sound of the whistle echoed around the gym, signalling both Centers of the team to gather in the middle for the tip-off.

Both teams, marching up front... with determined faces and high spirits.

"We would increase the lead, and definitely win..." Fujima told himself before, yelling out to boost the team's morale. "SHOYOO!"

"FIGHT!"

"No more slacking around this time yo... Sawakita.. you're our ace yo. Live up to such expectations yo..." Fukatsu addressing to Sawakita.

"Sure..." With a smirk, Sawakita assured.

Then Fukatsu to the rest "We MUST definitely win, no matter what... yo"

"OU!"

The tip-off commenced with Hanagata tapping the ball to their side, making the first turn theirs. Hasting to get a score, Fujima went for a Fast-Break in which unexpectedly, he failed and this time they needed to go for the rebound wherein the #1 rebounder, Nobe gets the ball, passing it to Masashi. Before the clock ticks 30 seconds, Sannoh managed to get the first score for the second half.

"The revenge has started..." Maki who was actually watching the match from an unseen angle thought.

"No matter how strong Shoyo is, Sannoh is still Sannoh..." Kiyota along with Maki muttered. "Shohoku just got lucky against them.. tch!" He scoffed.

"Kiyota, didn't I always tell you not to underestimate the opponent?" Maki reminded Kiyota. "Next week wouold be our turn..."

"I know I know!" Kiyota wailed. "And seems like that red-head monkey was back from the rehab... So cheap of Sannoh not including them to the slot... pffft"

"I don't think it's a bad idea at all..." Jin from behind opposed. "It would be a pity if either of them loses only in a Practice Match... Save the best for last as they say..."

"JIN-SENPAI!? Even you on Shohoku's side!?" Kiyota protested wailing and jumping around like the usual hyper kid he is.

"GUUURL! Where the hell have you been!" Naomi asked Mika impatiently, who just finally got back to their place. "The match has just started!"

"I was supposed to ask you that! I told you a while ago to come with me cuz I will intro you to Eiji-kun, but youre nowhere to be found! Silly... so I just went to buy snacks anyways!"

"Well, I still hate him for making me wait... lost interest in getting to know him pffft" Naomi scoffed. "Thanks by the way!" Naomi then grinned while snatching a bag of chips from Mika's hands.

SLAAAAAP!

The sound of the ball hitting the hands from a hard pass.

"WWOAAAH! THERE HE IS! IT'S SAWAKITA'S TIME!"

The crowd went wild the moment the ball went to Sawakita's hands, dribbling it, passing it left and right alternately to his hands, under his legs whilst bouncing it down the floor.

Takano and Nagano came flying, rushing to guard Sawakita.

"2 of you huh?" Sawakita overflowing with confidence.

"Don't act too cocky..."

"Alrighty then...!" Sawakita in a blink of an eye turned to his side, swiftly turning around, then smoothly escaping from those two's defense effortlessly.

"SHIT!"

"HANAGATA!" Fujima blurted out, alerting Hanagata to watch out, while Sawakita was on his way to the goal, with Takano and Nagano chasing behind him who eventually caught up.

Sawakita, then jumped and raised his arms to shoot in front of Hanagata, Nagano and Takano who had formed a barricade in front of him, blocking every single way he could shoot the ball...

"Really huh?" Sawakita smirking, shifting his arms down then turning it around, throwing the ball to the side, bouncing it to the backboard.

SHOOT!

"W-WHAT THE!"

2nd HALF : 12 mins left

[Shoyo - 33 Sannoh Kogyo - 45]

"Within just 8 minutes... they managed to turn the tables around, now with them leading by 12 points..." Fujima, thought to himself trying to catch his breath...

"Dammit!"

"Th-that #9..." Naomi mumbled. "He's fucking good..."

"Why of course!" Mika confidently spoke out. "He wouldn't be the National MVP otherwise... haha!" She chuckled.

"GO EIJI-KUN!" Mika then yelled, grabbing some attention from the people on the court including Sawakita and his teammates. "GANBATTE!"

"Ou!" Sawakita throwing his fist in the air smiled back at her before running back to his post.

"S-say what?" Naomi befuddled by how Mika called the guy just now.

"AH! How could I forget to tell you..." Mika sheepishly smiled. "That #9 is Eiji-kun. My childhood friend..."

"EEEEEEEEEH!"

END OF CHAPTER 9