Attack on Titan (A basketball Au)

Chapter 30 : Shifting Tides

Jean acted accordingly, predicting the way which Farlan wanted to go.

"That's the thing, I'm too predictable "

It was a fake. Farlan passed the ball back to his left hand from behind his back and blew past Jean.

The trainees on the benches all had their mouths agape as Farlan got through Jean. Both Hanji and Isabel were impressed by the play.

He's improved so much since then, despite him not playing for years now. Isabel smiled. It makes me happy thinking about it.

"The hell are you smiling for? Take a look at Jean."

Finn's voice brought her out of her thoughts.

It all occurred at a slow but yet remarkable speed. Jean had caught up with Farlan, and softly taken the ball away from his hand.

"Wh-What the!?"

"The hell!?"

"No way!"

All except Eren and Finn, the eyes of everyone present on the court widened with shock.

"B-but, that's impossible! He has already moved past him, so when did he?"

"No, that's wrong," Connie said, with his eyes still wide open. "He never got past Jean. Think back, he was still within the range of Jean's arms!"

He crossed over to his right hand, then back to his left in an instant, and ran past him. But when, when exactly did Jean reach him?

Isabel opened her mouth in realization. That's right. Her thoughts zoomed in on the memory frame that showed Farlan getting through Jean. I see it! His hand, Farlan was still within his immediate reach! He only got past his torso but his arm was well within range!

"But how!?" Isabel exclaimed. "How did he do it? His arms are not long enough to make that kind of reach!"

"You're right, his arms are not long enough." Marco said, his arms were folded on his lap and his eyes held some kind of stoic yet amazed emotion in them. The players on the benches and the coaches all looked at him.

"It doesn't seem to be plausible but it is possible. I don't think you've noticed but the only player on this court able to have that kind of reach would be Reiner."

Even Finn looked interested in this assertion made by Marco.

"Ho? Not that I am disagreeing with you, but how do you figure?"

Marco remained silent before speaking up. "As team captain, I tried to gather up all the statistics of our team players to determine our strengths and weaknesses. Well, it was on my mind for a while now but it's Armin who encouraged me to go on with it."

"And?" Connie probed.

"As you all know, statistics in basketball not only includes wins and losses, or rebound and points. It also entails things like height, wingspan, speed, and the likes. Plus, measurements heavily influence performance. With the help of Hanji, Coach Shadis, and Anna, we got the measurements and accurate stats of almost everyone."

"Almost everyone?" Thomas asked.

"Yes," Marco replied. "Exactly as I said, but I'll talk about that later. Right now, from the data, Reiner has the longest arms among any of us in the team, even more so than Bertholdt."

This revelation caught them all by surprise, except for Hanji.

"But it still doesn't make any sense, if Reiner's arms are the longest, then why was Jean's wingspan the same size?" Isabel asked.