I Died on the Court, Now I'm Back to Rule It

The days leading up to the tournament had grown more intense. Every training session was a gauntlet, a mix of endurance and precision. We began with brutal physical conditioning—laps, sprints, resistance work—before splitting into focused training groups tailored to each of our weaknesses.

For me, it was scoring. I spent hours drilling my shooting form and practicing finishes through contact. Layups, floaters, euro steps, pump fakes, and even reverse layups—I pushed through them all. Every day, I chased that perfect motion.

Rei had locked himself into playmaking and ball-handling drills. His dribbles grew tighter, faster. He practiced deceptive hesitations and no-look passes, sometimes staying after hours with a cone and a mirror just to refine his angles.

Hiroki paired with Aizawa, focusing on foundational work—footwork, off-ball movement, and defensive stances. Since the practice match, Aizawa had been dialed in. Something about that game must've lit a fire in him. Whatever had been bothering him before, it was gone—replaced by a silent, focused edge. Maybe it was his growing synchronization with Taiga that helped steady him.

Taiga had become a sponge, absorbing every defensive drill Coach Tsugawa threw at him. He worked with Rikuya daily, trying to match the center's footwork and interior defense. His fundamentals improved noticeably, and with Kaito's calm presence and textbook techniques, our frontcourt rotation was starting to feel like a wall.

Behind the scenes, Sayaka supported us in ways we never expected. She managed logistics, coordinated meal plans, and even designed custom Horizon gym jackets and matching training pants for us. We didn't have a sponsor, but somehow, she made us look like one of the big-name schools.

Takeshi-sensei would drop by sometimes, observing with a quiet smile, offering minor pointers like a proud uncle. Meanwhile, Coach Tsugawa had gone full throttle—his knowledge, experience, and strategic vision poured into each session. He wasn't just coaching us; he was building us.

And then, I used another Training Booster.

The result?

Physical: B- → B

Inside Scoring: C- → C