SLAM DUNK INTERHIGH: KANAGAWA'S BASKETBALL TEAMS

Chapter 4

Ryonan's Basketball team was running in the oval ground, lead by The Captain Sendoh Akira. Everyone was High spirited, Especially Koshino, who's running beside Dayani.

Dayani can keep up with the team's pace, she's pretty athletic for a woman. Some student was confused why, there's a girl running with the boy's basketball team. The blue haired girl doesn't pay much attention in her surroundings, all she have in her mind is basketball and that maybe this year, her dreams will become true.

All her life, all she want is to play for the boy's basketball team but, her past school won't let her. And yesterday, Coach Taoka offered Dayani her biggest dream.

A week after the first practice game of Dayani's team, The coach thought of having dayani joined the boy's basketball team.

"The girl has something and it will be a waste if, she will not experience something that will bring out her full talent" Taoka sensei thought.

he took a week break to do his job, Japan's basketball association was informed by Dayani's situation with the help of the Ryonan's coach. Taoka sensei caught the association's attention by showing the video of dayani's practice game a week ago. though the association has a bit doubt, they still approved the coach's request temporarily with terms.

Taoka sensei jumped with joy and wearing a victorious smile on his way home, seeing the approved appeal letters of transfer for dayani, Dayani just need to practice with the boys and if she can't keep up, the association will not approved the transfer.

She also need to win in a one-on-one game against the chosen player of the association at the end of the month, that's the terms. Coach Taoka was confident that dayani can fulfill the terms and play for his team so he continue his plan.

The morning practice started with a five on five practice game, Sendoh with Koshino, Sugidaira, Tamaki, and Hikoichi.

Team A

Sendoh 17, Third Year, Pf, 6'2"

Koshino 17, Third Year, Sf, 5'8"

Sugidaira 17, Third Year, C, 6'2"

Tamaki 15, First Year, Sg, 5'11"

Hikoichi 16, Second Year, Pg, 5'8"

Team B

Matsumoto 17, Third Year, Pf, 5'11"

Sakamoto 15, First Year, Sf, 6'0"

Fukuda 17, Third Year, C, 6'2"

Hironubo 16, Second Year, Sg, 5'9"

Uekusa 17, Third Year, Pg, 5'10"

Coach taoka was grinning when he saw the line up of the two teams "This is your chance to prove yourself, dayani matsumoto" the rest was confused when they saw their coach with a creepy grin.

The game started and the two center was already on their position for the tip-off. the referee throw the ball on the air and the two center jumped, Sugidaira won the tip off and hikoichi got the ball, Fukuda was a bit pissed so dayani smiled at fukuda and cheer their assigned center, Dayani's team run towards their rim for defense "calm down everyone, we need a solid defense, put your mind into it"  dayani said.
hikoichi's dribbling the ball and looking for a possible pass, he saw dayani's guarding the tensai sendoh. Hikoichi thought that dayani is nothing compared to their captain sendoh so, he throw the ball towards sendoh but, dayani saw the ball in coming her way. she jumped and she run fast when she landed after she took the ball in the mid air, the four guy can't react with dayani's fast movement, except sendoh, who's now running after dayani " She amazed me, demo (but) mada amay (too easy)" sendoh thought and speed up to set a good defense position, he's now in front of dayani, the blue haired dayani was not surprised when she saw that sendoh was already on the other side of the court and waiting for her offense. She saw Sendoh's smirking and that distract her a bit but, she's going to score and not even Sendoh's handsome face can stop her.
She keep her fast pace towards sendoh and when dayani's only a meter apart from him, she sigh and jumped. Sendoh was fast and jumped also but, he was surprised when he saw dayani laid her back a bit so that sendoh can't reach the ball when she shoot it. her initial stance is for an ordinary jump shot, even sendoh has no idea that dayani will do a fade away jump shot. The ball went in and dayani stumbled a bit but got her balance again and runs back for defense. Taoka sensei was amused by the girl's tenacity and how she control her athleticism. Dayani noticed that everyone was just staring at them and that annoys her, she stopped from running and heave a sigh “mina-san, we're aiming for sengguk (nationals) right? So give me something to sweat about, this isn't a practice if you will only look at me every time i shut your captain sendoh. I mean, come on! Don't let a girl beat your ass easily!” she said and clapped her hands thrice. That awakens the team's competitive spirit, dayani's team on defense riled up upon hearing her words, some was insulted and some was fired up because it sounds like, dayani was challenging the whole team's ability.
“yare yare mina! Matsumoto was right, let's give her something to sweat about” sendoh said with a straight face.
the porcupine head captain took the ball and throw a three point shot in the middle of the court. Koshino and the rest know that, sendoh was getting a bit serious after hearing that nasty statement from dayani.
The practice continued with Sendoh and Dayani exchanging points. Taoka sensei saw that dayani was evenly match with sendoh, the other players can't even intercept when the two players are facing each other. The shot clock was 6 seconds, dayani's team on defense, Sendoh's dribbling the ball behind the arc and dayani know what he has on his mind, and when he only have two  seconds, he jumped and attempt a three point shot. dayani's been on her defense stance jumped and blocked sendoh’s view of the basket.
The first quarter ended with a tie score 44-44, Dayani was a bit exhausted, so as sendoh and the rest. The rookie who's on the starting five managed to keep up with the seniors and they're obviously burned-out, though they're just hanging by a thread.
“how can you keep up with sendoh senpai, you're a monster dayani-san” kyohei sakamoto said, kyohei is a first year.  Dayani drank her sports drink before answering her kouhai (junior) “I was born with this talent, i practice hard kyohei-kun and resistance, since you're six feet tall, you should focus on your jumping and shooting” dayani said and tap her kouhai’s shoulder. After 5 minutes, the second half started with Sendoh's three point shot, dayani assured her team that they will get it back. She can still remember the half court shot of sendoh "I really hate how good sendoh is but, i adore it at the same time" dayani thought.
she can't just stand there without returning the favor, The captain's team was Already at the other side of the team for defense, no one expected that dayani will shoot a three point shot from the half court. “meterekuremasuka( did you see that) sendoh? I learned that from you” she said while smirking at sendoh, the captain just shook his head with disbelief and smiled back at her, dayani was distracted again and this time she was totally dazed by that smile, she was still playing at her best though, every time Sendoh's around her, she's running away from him to avoid any skin contact with sendoh, the guy noticed her avoiding him and he thought, dayani's avoiding a one-on-one with him. Sendoh doesn't let her and stick with dayani even more, the blue haired girl was blushing really hard and she's having a hard time breathing because of the captain's proximity with her. She's too distracted but her reflexes saved her  and managed to score against the ace player of ryonan. No one noticed her hesitation while playing against the handsome ace, even Taoka sensei was too amazed to notice her blushing face every time Sendoh's guarding her. The second quarter ended and Sendoh's team won by five points, nonetheless, dayani's performance was still great. Every practice game was recorded by the school news team. Taoka sensei will ask for a copy of the video and send it to the association later.
The three power house of kanagawa, Kainan, Shohoku and Ryonan was done with their morning schedule but, they don't know there's a storm coming.