Slam Dunk:Starting with perfect copy

During the first half, while Kiyota was struggling to defend against Kenichi Uesugi, Maki was observing Uesugi's every move carefully, analyzing his various unique shooting abilities. Maki felt confident that he might be able to counter Uesugi's plays. If he could neutralize this threat, he believed that Ryonan would soon falter.

Determined, Maki decided it was time to step up.

The game continued, and Kainan quickly mounted an attack. Maki weaved through Uesugi's defense and surged toward the basket. As Yuzumi prepared to block him, Maki made a smooth layup, sending the ball through the hoop. After scoring, he turned to look at Uesugi and gestured for a one-on-one challenge.

"Wow! Maki's calling out Uesugi for a duel!" the crowd erupted in excitement.

From the audience, Shohoku's captain, Fujima, who knew Maki well, commented, "Maki's getting serious now. If Uesugi and Ryonan can't handle his attack, this game could be decided before halftime!"

Back on the court, Ryonan attacked again. Uesugi received the ball from Uekusa, but Maki swiftly closed in on him, ready for the challenge.

"It's happening now! Maki is going to guard Uesugi himself!" the crowd murmured with anticipation.

"Can Maki really stop Uesugi? He's the Kanagawa MVP for two years running!" another voice added.

On the Ryonan bench, Tanaka Shigeichi wiped sweat from his brow. While he knew Uesugi had the talent to carry the team, Maki was a top-tier player, one who had proven himself time and again. Would Uesugi's strength hold up against him?

On the court, Uesugi dribbled the ball, as if undeterred by Maki's close defense. He crouched, preparing for a shot.

"Not again!" Kiyota, still recovering from his previous encounters with Uesugi's move, muttered under his breath.

From the stands, Rukawa Kaede, who had experienced the frustration of Uesugi's move firsthand, whispered, "Can Maki really deal with this?"

Maki was determined not to make the same mistake Kiyota did. As Uesugi began his squat, Maki carefully observed, bending his knees slightly while keeping his center of gravity low to simulate squatting. When Uesugi leapt to shoot, Maki sprang into the air, ready to block.

The crowd gasped in disbelief. "Maki jumped! He didn't freeze like Kiyota!"

"It's over now! Maki is going to block Uesugi!" they

all thought, as the tension in the arena grew.

From the Ryonan bench, Tanaka held his breath. Could Maki stop Uesugi?

But as Maki reached for the ball, something incredible happened. Uesugi, instead of continuing his vertical jump, shifted his body backward mid-air, launching a fade-away shot.

"What? How did he do that?" Maki thought in shock.

Uesugi's shot sailed smoothly through the air and swished into the net.

"41:39, Ryonan leads!" the scoreboard flashed.

The arena erupted in confusion. "Did Uesugi just avoid Maki's block? How did he do that?"

"Was that a fade-away shot? But he jumped straight up first!" the fans wondered aloud.

Even Coach Anzai, who had been watching intently, smiled knowingly. "So, you were setting him up all along."

Indeed, Uesugi had purposely misled Maki, pretending to follow his usual pattern. Once airborne, Uesugi executed Hyuga Junpei's "inviolable shot," seamlessly avoiding Maki's block.

As Uesugi returned to defense, he approached Maki and said with a grin, "You're strong. You saw through my move, but it's no use. I've got more tricks."

Maki, still processing the encounter, looked at Uesugi's retreating form. "I see now. Sendoh was right—this guy is truly on another level. I might not be able to stop him."

On the sidelines, Tanaka, who had feared Maki would be unable to block Uesugi, exhaled in relief. "Uesugi didn't let me down. If he'd been stopped, I wouldn't have known how Ryonan would handle the game."

Opposite him, Coach Gaotou Riki, who had been watching carefully, could feel the weight of the moment. He stared at Uesugi with a serious expression, sensing the growing danger.

Even though Uesugi had scored in front of Maki, Gaotou Riki couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was brewing. The game wasn't over yet—Uesugi was showing just how dangerous he could be.