The Past Part IX – The Halftime Show

The two teams had gone at it for over an entire half, and still, no one was the wiser as to which team would ultimately prove to be the winner, with the score tied at 50 apiece. After agreeing to go for another half to determine the winning team, and as Haruko called for a fifteen minute break before the start of the second half, Kiyota glared at Maki, the man who had singlehandedly kept his team in the game with 28 points.

"You know I'm better than you, Maki! Don't get too cocky. After all, I'm the one who will bring Kainan the championship it never won under your leadership …"

Just then, Sakuragi stepped in front of Kiyota and head-butted him with enough force to send him crashing to the ground in a heap, moaning about the unfairness of having a red-haired monkey for a teammate, and no bananas to bribe him with.

Sakuragi then glanced over at Maki. "I did it for my own benefit, Old Man, because his jabbering was giving me a headache, but you know that he's right. You could never win the big game, unlike our team! Nyahahahahahah!"

As Sakuragi wandered off for a drink on his sideline, followed by an angry Kiyota yelling at him about his own monkey-like tendencies, Maki reflected on both Kiyota's and Sakuragi's words. They may be right, thought Maki. After all, I never did win a National championship with Kainan … am I not good enough? Will my university career be as grim?

Akagi, seeing Maki thinking over what his opponents had been saying, slapped him on the back. "Don't worry about what those dumbasses say. They're just trying to irritate you!"

Maki shrugged, and then laughed. "You're right, Akagi. Let's show them who the winners are on this court!"

On the other side of the court, Jin was sitting on the ground talking with Fujima, and Rukawa was shooting some practice shots, while Sendoh had stretched out on the ground, watching the clouds in the sky. As he saw Youhei step away from where he had been talking with Haruko in order to let her call both teams back onto the court for the second half tip-off, he sat up.

"Yo! Sakuragi's cheerleader!"

A bemused Youhei turned to look at Sendoh. "Eh?"

Sendoh quickly stood up and wandered over to where Youhei was standing. "What is the deal with Sakuragi? I know Coach thinks he's a freak, a lucky amateur, but I am always amazed at his ability to control the mood of the game, of Shohoku. Is he always like this? The energy? The desire? Where does it come from?"

Youhei smiled, and then said, "What you see with him is what you get. He is always 'on' when he's happy, and it's only when he's 'off' that you need to worry. But, being with Haruko (he indicated over to where she was gesturing for Maki and Akai to join her at centre court) seems to have permanently pushed in that 'on' button. And, he likes challenges, and basketball for him has always been a challenge, one of measuring himself against stars like yourself and Maki, and eventually, to overcome you ..."

At this point, Youhei broke off, and stared off into the distance for a moment. Sendoh, intrigued at what might come next, waited patiently for him to continue. Then, Youhei continued … "He wasn't always like this, though. He was an angry guy when he was younger, and his dad dying didn't help things. But, in basketball, he found an outlet for his rage and passions, and by measuring himself against players like you, like Rukawa, like Akagi, he found himself wanting, and dedicated himself to becoming a better person, not just a better player. His back injury in his first year was actually a blessing in disguise in this regard, as he discovered a strength in himself that we, his friends, could never give him. It also gave him the courage necessary to ask Haruko out, and to go through Gori to do it."

At this point, Youhei flashed a wry grin at Sendoh, and said, "But, I sound like some pachinko addict explaining the ins and outs of his obsession! The lug is my friend, and it's been a wild ride seeing and helping him become a better person. All the better that the gang and I got to help him improve his shot."

Sendoh flashed an amused smile at Youhei. "I can only imagine how tough that must have been!"

Youhei looked directly at Sendoh. "But, watch out, Sendoh."

Sendoh gazed blankly at Youhei. "Eh?"

Youhei grinned. "He still measures himself against Rukawa and Akagi on a daily basis, but ultimately, you are the one he feels he needs to overcome to be the best player he thinks he can be. In fact, he told me that he sees Rukawa every day on the courts, but you're the one he sees in his nightmares, the ones where he can never be the best. He's motivated to beat you, and he won't stop until he achieves his goal."

Sendoh laughed. "It can't be helped! I'll be ready not if that day comes, but when it comes, but until then …." Sendoh held out his hand, and Youhei reached out to shake it. As Youhei turned around, Sendoh said, "Hey. Cheerleader. You have a way with words. Be careful, or I might ask you to be my manager!"

As Sendoh sprinted off to centre court, Youhei thought about what Sendoh had just said. A manager? Hmm. He was a good talker … maybe ….

Akagi and Sakuragi faced each other in the circle, and Haruko blew her whistle as she threw the ball up into the air. Soaring high, Sakuragi batted the ball back to Jin, who then quickly threw a snap pass to Kiyota. As Kiyota ran into a block by Maki, he turned off him and palmed the ball off to Sendoh. Closely marked by Rukawa, with nowhere to run, Sendoh instead passed the ball through a gap in Rukawa's defense into the waiting hands of Sakuragi, alone in the key with Akagi.

Time seemed to slow for Sakuragi as he began pushing at Akagi for a better position. Akagi, unwilling to be muscled out of his defensive position, stood his ground, and a frustrated Sakuragi elevated for a jump-shot over Akagi which promptly clanged off the rim and into the waiting hands of Fujima.

Fujima indicated to Rukawa that he wanted him on his right, and then began sprinting down the court. Sendoh, though, had read the play, and backpedalled through the gap between Fujima and Rukawa. As he did so, he reached into Fujima's dribble, stripped him off the ball, pivoted on his left heel to turn his body sideways, and then flicked a one-handed bounce pass over to Jin. Jin, just outside the three point arc, saw Maki rushing at him defensively and wasted no time in shooting the ball straight through the hoop with a crisp swish.

53 to 50, Sendoh thought to himself as Sakuragi and Kiyota bumped fists and then slapped Jin on the back. We can do this ….

50 to 53, though Maki, as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. We can do this, but we need to buckle down as a team ...

50 to 53, thought Rukawa to himself. I can do this ….