Extra Basket-Chapter 47 - 34: Ethan vs Miho (2)

Ethan’s POV

I stood on the court, eyes locked onto Miho, who casually dribbled the ball in front of me, a cocky smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Be ready," Miho said, his voice playful, but I could feel the sharpness behind it. Like a blade wrapped in silk.

I narrowed my eyes, watching his every movement like a hawk. My knees were bent slightly, hands loose and ready.

I thought to myself,

(I may not have the Absolute Mimicry ability like Lucas... but I don’t need it. I have the best weapon—The Basketball System.)

Then Miho made his move.

He crossed over to the left—

But I didn’t bite.

"(Fake.)"

I mirrored his shift, staying in front of him. My body moved with clarity, like I had already seen the motion before it even happened.

Miho raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.

"Hmm... you think you can lock me down?"

He stepped back a little, regaining his rhythm, dribbling smoothly again.

"You might’ve locked down Alec Storm," he added with a chuckle, "but you had teammates then. This? This is one-on-one."

His tone was sharper this time, more serious.

Then without warning, he sidestepped lightning fast to his right, planted, and rose up for a shot.

I lunged forward with a hand, but I was a split-second too late

Swish.

The ball sailed clean through the net.

Miho landed gracefully, brushing a strand of hair from his face with one hand.

"When it comes to 1v1," he said, confidence radiating off him, "I’m the best."

I clenched my jaw slightly, not angry but focused.

Across the court, Lucas stood among our teammates, eyes wide with awe.

"That was amazing..." Lucas whispered under his breath, watching Miho’s flawless movement, the way he created space like a veteran.

Even Brandon, still sore from earlier, let out a low whistle.

"He really is fast..."

But I wasn’t shaken.

Not even close.

(The faster he is... the clearer his rhythm. And the clearer his rhythm, the easier I can break it.)

I got the ball now. My turn.

I glanced at Miho and smirked.

"Hope you’re ready, ’best’ 1v1 player."

This was only the beginning.

......

[Flashback – The Day After the Orlando Hoops Victory]

Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, towel around his neck, still feeling the burn in his legs from the previous game. The roar of the crowd and the adrenaline of victory still echoed in his head.

Then—

[DING!]

A notification echoed in his mind.

System Reward: Victory against Orlando Hoops – Unexpected Outcome

You have received: 100 Upgrade Points (UP), 300 Shop Points (SP)

Ethan’s eyes widened.

"Perfect timing," he whispered.

He mentally opened his basketball system.

[Basketball Power System]

Name: Ethan Albarado

Level: Rookie

Upgrade Points (UP): 100

Shop Points (SP): 600

....

[Core Attributes]

[Offensive Attributes:]

Shooting Accuracy: 11

Layup Skill: 4

Dunk Skill: 3

Dribbling Skill: 14

Passing Skill: 5

[Defensive Attributes:]

Defense: 3

Blocking Ability: 3

Steal Skill: 4

[Physical Attributes:]

Stamina: 8 freewёbnoνel.com

Endurance: 4

Speed: 9 (Base 4 +5 upgraded)

[Skills:]

Basic Power Shot

Basic Precision Pass

Basic Dribble

Magic Johnson Passing Vision (Intermediate)

Playmaker’s Vision (Advanced)

Ethan leaned back, deep in thought.

"Now’s the time to grow. I’m not like Lucas—I can’t copy moves. But I’ve got this system. This is my way to reach the top."

He considered the balance between offense, defense, and physical endurance. Then—he made his decision.

...

🔷 Offensive Attributes (To score & create chances):

+4 Shooting Accuracy → (11 → 15) [8 UP]

+5 Layup Skill → (4 → 9) [10 UP]

+3 Dunk Skill → (3 → 6) [6 UP]

+3 Dribbling Skill → (14 → 17) [6 UP]

Defensive Attributes (Don’t get cooked):

+4 Steal Skill → (4 → 8) [8 UP]

+3 Defense → (3 → 6) [6 UP]

Physical Attributes (Stay fresh):

+3 Stamina → (8→ 14) [6 UP]

Total: 100 UP used

"I decided with this..." Ethan whispered, feeling the subtle surge of power ripple through his limbs.

His muscles felt stronger. His vision clearer. His reactions sharper.

He stood and grabbed his ball.

"Whoever’s next... I’m ready."

...

[Present – July 3, 2010 – Basketball Court]

Miho had just drained his first shot. The ball swished effortlessly through the net.

Ethan blinked, pulling himself out of his thoughts.

"Don’t be too dazed," Miho said coolly, spinning the ball on his finger. "Or it’s gonna get stolen."

Ethan stayed silent, focused.

Miho then added casually, "Anyway...first to 21. Ones and twos are the winner. Let’s settle this like real hoopers right."

Ethan nodded, his focus sharp as he locked eyes with Miho.

"Alright."

His mind was already racing. (How should I steal the ball from him?)

Ethan crouched into a defensive stance, watching Miho closely as he took a few dribbles. The tension in the air was thick—this was a battle of skill, speed, and strategy. He had to be smart. Miho had already shown that he was quick with his handles and shots.

As Ethan observed Miho’s every move, the other players were watching closely from the sidelines, including Ryan and Lucas.

Ryan, with his arms crossed, glanced over at Lucas, who was standing next to him, intently watching the game.

"Do you think Ethan’s gonna win?" Ryan asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Lucas didn’t look away from the game as he answered.

"He will."

Ryan raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you so sure? I mean, that’s Miho. You know Miho..."

Lucas’s response was simple and direct.

"No, I don’t."

Ryan’s eyes widened in disbelief.

"You don’t know who Miho is? Miho Park? The captain of the Eastgate Wildcats? He’s been known across the region as a Korean prodigy. He’s one of the top players in the area! You really don’t know him?"

Lucas shook his head.

"Yeah... I don’t know who he is."

Ryan’s eyes went wide with shock.

"This guy..." he muttered under his breath, clearly surprised by Lucas’s response.

Lucas, however, didn’t seem fazed. He glanced at Miho, who was performing a slick crossover dribble, then back at Ryan.

"Even if he is a Korean prodigy, he’s still gonna lose against Ethan."

Ryan gave him a confused look.

"Why do you have so much faith in him?"

Lucas didn’t hesitate.

"Because we played with Ethan."

Ryan looked at him for a moment, processing his words. "It’s just one game," he pointed out.

But Lucas’s voice was steady and full of conviction as he looked directly at Ryan.

"But that one game won us after losing so many times."

Ryan’s eyes widened slightly as the weight of Lucas’s words hit him. (He’s right, isn’t he? That game really did change everything. Ethan was the one who turned it around for us.)

Lucas continued.

"And because of Ethan, we won."

Ryan nodded slowly, still taking it in. But then he grinned, trying to lighten the mood.

"Nope, you also did your part... I mean, the skills you showed back then. You can mimic people’s abilities. You’re a monster too."

Lucas laughed awkwardly, a nervous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He scratched his head.

"Heh, well... hehehe."

Ryan chuckled, not pressing him further. He glanced back toward the game, where Miho was now setting up for his next move.

The game was about to get serious. "(This is gonna be one for the books.)" Ryan thought as he turned his attention back to Ethan, knowing that whatever happened, this match was going to test both of them in ways they hadn’t experienced before.

...

[Back to the Game]

Miho took a few dribbles, studying Ethan’s movements, and then with a sudden flick of his wrist, executed a smooth Shamgod dribble. The ball flew from one hand to the other in a swift motion, causing it to momentarily seem out of Ethan’s reach before Miho quickly snatched it back, using the dribble to throw off Ethan’s timing.

"I practice this technique against Alec Storm, but it looks like I’m gonna use it on you." Miho smirked, clearly pleased with himself.

Ethan immediately recognized the move and locked his gaze on the ball, trying to keep his feet quick. (A Shamgod... That’s a nasty move. )

Ethan’s mind raced as he analyzed the move in real-time. (The key to the Shamgod is the deception. It’s designed to make your defender lunge one way while you pull the ball back and go the other. If I overcommit, I’ll be stuck out of position.)

As Miho pulled off the move again, Ethan remained calm. He had been in situations where he was forced to adapt to skilled players, but Miho was definitely pushing him to his limits.

(Focus. Don’t bite on the fake.)

Ethan kept his feet planted, his eyes tracking Miho’s every motion, anticipating that Miho might try to use the Shamgod to break past him again.

Miho made another quick flick of the wrist with the ball, a blatant attempt to draw Ethan in. The ball was headed towards his left hand, then rapidly switched to his right. It was almost too quick to follow.

But Ethan, with the instincts he had built over countless games, resisted the temptation to jump for the steal or shift his weight too far in any direction. He stayed low, on his toes, watching Miho’s movements.

Miho then took a quick step back, sizing up the situation. He knew Ethan had read his move and wasn’t falling for it. He wasn’t going to get the easy breakaway he was hoping for, but this didn’t faze him.

With a smirk, Miho spoke up again.

"Not bad, Ethan. But I’m not just going to hand you this win. Let’s see how you handle this next move."

Miho’s confidence only fueled Ethan’s resolve. (Alright, Miho. You’ve got your tricks, but I’ve got my own.)

Ethan didn’t just need to stop Miho’s moves; he needed to outplay him, find a way to counter. (I can’t just react. I need to anticipate, get inside his head, and use the space.)

He didn’t know it yet, but this one-on-one game was quickly becoming a battle of willpower.

As Miho prepared for another move, Ethan’s mind drifted back to his previous life as Jonathan Brandit. He had spent countless hours studying basketball tactics, analyzing game footage, and memorizing every move that could give him an edge. While the Shamgod was an advanced technique, it wasn’t invincible.

Ethan’s mind raced as he replayed the footage of past games and the countless drills he’d watched in his previous life. He remembered something—the Shamgod was about creating an illusion of speed and breaking the defender’s balance. But there was a critical flaw that Miho was missing: the lack of control when transitioning from the dribble to the move.

Ethan’s eyes sharpened as Miho attempted another Shamgod. This time, Miho’s left hand flicked the ball behind him, aiming to pull it into the right. Ethan was ready.

(I see it now... He’s taking too much time to set up the move. The ball’s going from hand to hand, and that’s the opening I need.)

Ethan didn’t need to move first. Instead, he planted his feet, watching Miho’s wrist and hand movements. As Miho tried to set up the Shamgod, he overexerted himself, creating a brief moment of weakness. The ball wasn’t completely under his control during the transition. The shift from his left hand to right wasn’t as seamless as it appeared.

Ethan anticipated the exact moment Miho’s hand would disconnect from the ball to switch sides.

In one swift motion, Ethan lunged forward, reaching out to swipe the ball with his left hand, exploiting the very moment when Miho thought he had full control.

Miho’s eyes widened as Ethan snatched the ball cleanly from his hand. For a split second, Miho was caught off guard, unable to react fast enough. The timing was perfect.

Ethan, having studied the game so meticulously in his past life as Jonathan, was now able to use that knowledge to outsmart Miho, just as he had outsmarted opponents before. He knew how crucial timing and rhythm were in basketball. And now, it was working in his favor.

"Gotcha," Ethan said under his breath, barely able to contain his excitement.

He took a quick dribble and moved toward the hoop, ready to capitalize on the opening. The crowd, especially Lucas and Ryan and Evan, were watching with bated breath. Ethan had just cracked Miho’s technique, finding the flaw that even Miho hadn’t noticed.

Then Miho snapped out of his surprise, quickly trying to recover his positioning, but Ethan had already gained momentum. "What the... how..." Miho muttered under his breath, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Ethan didn’t waste any time responding. He grinned, his focus sharp as ever, not even looking back at Miho. "I’m Ethan, that’s how."

To be continue