Chapter Summaries

Sendoh scored on a fast break, then Chi Tong intercepted Zhu Xingda’s pass and led Ryonan’s counterattack. Chi Tong passed the ball through Aiwa Academy’s retreating defenders to Yueye Hongming, leaving the fast break poised to continue.

• Sawakita Eiji defended Chi Tong and Sendoh’s passing chemistry as more than a coincidence.
• Sendoh drove past Koizumi Chun and scored, putting Lingnan ahead 51–46 against Aiwa Academy.
• Zhu Xingda and Nakajima Tsugito coordinated Aiwa Academy’s attack while Lei Tian Zhenglun moved around the perimeter.
• Chi Tong read Zhu Xingda’s feint and intercepted his pass intended for Lei Tianzhenglun.
• Chi Tong raced into Aiwa Academy’s half and passed through the retreating defenders to Yueye Hongming on the perimeter.

Ryonan widened its lead over Aiwa Academy after Fukuda Kicchou scored off a rebound and then finished a fast break. Aiwa’s offense struggled against Chi Tong and Sendoh before Tanabe Kenichi called for an interior attack, and the chapter ended with Aiwa carefully moving the ball around Ryonan’s half.

• Yueye Hongming missed an open three, but Fukuda Kicchou grabbed the rebound and scored to put Ryonan ahead 53–46.
• Chi Tong and Sendoh repeatedly shut down Zhu Xingda and Lei Tianzhenglun, disrupting Aiwa Academy’s offense and forcing turnovers.
• Tanabe Kenichi urged Aiwa Academy to attack inside, and Zhu Xingda changed the team’s approach.
• Koizumi Chun tried to drive toward the hoop, but Yu Zhu blocked his path and Fukuda Kicchou secured the loose rebound.
• Fukuda Kicchou passed to Sendoh, who launched a fast break and set up Fukuda for a dunk that made the score 55–46.
• Aiwa Academy slowed its attack and passed the ball around Ryonan’s half, searching for an opening.

Aiwa Academy struggled to score against Ryonan’s tight defense as Chi Tong, Sendoh, Yu Zhu, and Nakajima Tsugito shut down their key attackers. Long Zeduo briefly scored, but Aiwa remained behind as the chapter ended with Fukuda Kicchou and Nakajima Tsugito locked in a stalemate.

• Long Zeduo exploited Yueye Hongming’s defense, drove into the paint, and scored to make the score Ryonan 55, Aiwa Academy 48.
• Chi Tong stopped Zhu Xingda’s drive, and Sendoh pressured Lei Tianzhenglun into losing a badly delivered pass out of bounds.
• Yu Zhu kept Xiao Quanquan pinned away from the basket and blocked his attempt to leave the paint and set screens.
• Nakajima Tsugito repeatedly disrupted Fukuda Kicchou’s cuts and shots, while neither player gained an advantage.

Ryonan’s defense and fast-break offense wore down Aiwa Academy, while Chi Tong and Sendoh shut down Zhu Xingda and Lei Tianzhenglun. As Aiwa’s players struggled to score and stamina faded, coach Tanabe Kenichi finally noticed that something was wrong.

• Fukuda Kicchou and Nakajima Tsugito repeatedly denied each other rebounds and disrupted each other’s play.
• Chi Tong intercepted Zhu Xingda’s pass and sent the ball ahead to Sendoh for a fast-break score.
• Ryonan’s coordinated offense and defense grew stronger as Aiwa Academy’s players tired and began making mistakes.
• Sendoh contained Lei Tianzhenglun, while Chi Tong’s anticipation and defense left Zhu Xingda unable to find a reliable scoring option.
• Chi Tong and Sendoh blocked or altered Aiwa’s late shots, and coach Tanabe Kenichi finally noticed the team’s trouble.

Tanabe Kenichi analyzed how Chi Tong’s hub positioning and coordination with Sendoh had shut down Aiwa Academy’s two perimeter scorers. He called a timeout to regroup, though he feared Ryonan’s defense would be difficult to overcome.

• Tanabe Kenichi struggled to understand why Zhu Xingda and Lei Tianzhenglun could not find chances against Ryonan’s defense.
• Tanabe Kenichi studied Chi Tong’s movements and realized his hub position let him restrain both guards and connect Ryonan’s perimeter defense.
• Tanabe Kenichi recognized that Chi Tong and Sendoh’s coordinated pressure had trapped Aiwa Academy’s offense in a cycle of hesitation and missed opportunities.
• Tanabe Kenichi called a timeout despite Li Zhi’s warning that it might not change the game’s direction.
• Tanabe Kenichi watched his exhausted players and remained troubled by the wordless coordination between Chi Tong and Sendoh.

Aiwa Academy changed its tactics to attack the paint and disrupt Ryonan’s defense, while Chi Tong stayed composed against a double-team. Aiwa’s first possession unsettled Ryonan’s interior defense and ended with Long Zeduo passing to Moroboshi Dai as he cut toward the basket.

• Tanabe Kenichi told Aiwa Academy to abandon perimeter offense, assign Zhu Xingda to guard Ryonan’s number 7, and double-team Chi Tong to disrupt his connection with his teammates.
• Nakajima Tsugito and Lei Tianzhenglun closed in on Chi Tong, but Chi Tong remained calm and signaled Sendoh to hold his position.
• Zhu Xingda drove forward, drew Sendoh with a fake, and passed to an unguarded Lei Tianzhenglun.
• Lei Tianzhenglun passed to Long Zeduo beneath the basket, where Long Zeduo faked past Yueye Hongming and drew Yu Zhu away from Koizumi.
• Long Zeduo abandoned his shot and sent the ball behind him to Moroboshi Dai, who was cutting in from the outside.

Zhu Xingda scored for Aiwa Academy with help from Xiao Quanquan, but Sendoh drew the defense and assisted Fukuda Kicchou on a quick counterattack. Ryonan extended its lead to 75–57 as Tanabe Kenichi recognized the cost of his double-team tactic.

• Zhu Xingda received Long Zeduo's pass and scored after Xiao Quanquan screened Uozumi, narrowing the score to 73–57.
• Zhu Xingda urged Aiwa Academy to keep up its rhythm, then exchanged a provocative glance with Sento.
• Chi Tong stayed back to draw Nakajima Tsugito and Lei Tianzhenglun's attention while Sendoh advanced with the ball.
• Sendoh drove past Zhu Xingda, drew a double-team from Zhu Xingda and Xiao Quanquan, then passed away from Yueye Hongming toward Fukuda Kicchou.
• Fukuda Kicchou caught Sendoh's pass and dunked, putting Ryonan ahead 75–57.
• Tanabe Kenichi watched the counterattack and acknowledged that his plan to double-team Chi Tong left other openings.

Ryonan kept its lead over Aiwa Academy as Aiwa’s double-team denied Chi Tong the ball but left its defense vulnerable elsewhere. With more than half the second half gone, Ryonan led 92:77 and Aiwa still faced a fifteen-point deficit.

• Sendoh fooled Lei Tian Zhenglun with a jab step, passed to Fukuda Kicchou, and Fukuda scored a layup.
• Zhu Xingda drove past Sendoh and passed to Long Zeduo, who evaded Yueye Hongming and scored inside.
• Aiwa Academy double-teamed Chi Tong and shifted its offense toward the paint, slowing the widening score gap but leaving its perimeter without a shooting threat.
• Chi Tong’s positioning kept Nakajima Tsugito and Lei Tianzhenglun occupied, making them hesitate on help defense and fall behind Ryonan’s plays.
• Sendoh passed through the defense to Yu Zhu, who found Yueye Hongming open on the wing, and Yueye made a three-pointer.
• The scoreboard showed Ryonan leading Aiwa Academy 92:77 with more than half the second half played.

Aiwa Academy mounted a fierce rally behind Zhu Xingda, cutting Ryonan’s lead to 10 points and pressing for a basket that would bring the deficit into single digits. Zhu Xingda beat Yu Zhu with a convincing fake, but Chi Tong appeared to block his layup, leaving Aiwa’s players stunned.

• Zhu Xingda scored a three-pointer against Sento and then assisted Long Zeduo on a fast break, helping Aiwa Academy cut the deficit to 10 points.
• Lei Tianzhenglun, Nakajima Tsugito, and Xiao Quanquan increased their pressure and movement, while Ryonan struggled with fatigue, fouls, and Aiwa Academy’s defense.
• Tanabe Kenichi urged Aiwa Academy to keep pulling back the score as Zhu Xingda prepared another attack.
• Zhu Xingda drove past Ryonan’s defenders and used a shot fake to make Yu Zhu jump, then moved around him for a layup.
• Chi Tong rushed in and cleanly blocked Zhu Xingda’s shot, stunning Aiwa Academy and silencing the arena.

Chi Tong and Sento turned Chi Tong’s block into a fast break, using a backboard pass to score and put Ryonan ahead 102–90. Ai He Academy’s chance to cut the deficit to single digits was gone as the chapter left their players reeling at the pair’s wordless coordination.

• Chi Tong blocked Ai He Academy’s shot, and Sento recovered the ball and sprinted toward the open half-court.
• Zhu Xingda, Nakajima Tsugito, and Lei Tianzhenglun raced back to stop Sento’s fast break.
• Chi Tong arrived ahead of Sento and tossed the ball off the backboard, sending it over Ai He Academy’s defenders.
• Chi Tong caught the rebound behind the defenders and made the shot, giving Ryonan a 102–90 lead.
• Lei Tianzhenglun clenched his fists in frustration, while Nakajima Shijin remarked on the pair’s wordless chemistry.

Zhu Xingda tried to break up Ryonan’s connection between Sendoh and Chi Tong, creating an opening for a three-pointer. Chi Tong escaped Lei Tianzhenglun’s defense and blocked the shot, leaving Fukuda Kicchou racing toward Aiwa Academy’s basket with the ball.

• Zhu Xingda told Nakajima Tsugito and Lei Tianzhenglun to mark Sendoh and Chi Tong so he could attack Ryonan’s weakened defense.
• Zhu Xingda reached the three-point line unguarded and began shooting while his teammates held Sendoh and Chi Tong back.
• Chi Tong burst past Lei Tianzhenglun and blocked Zhu Xingda’s shot, sending the ball away from the hoop.
• Fukuda Kicchou outran Aiwa Academy’s retreating players, recovered the loose ball, and drove toward their basket.

Ryonan widened its lead over Aiwa Gakuin after Fukuda Kicchou scored, then Chi Tong’s sudden speed let him steal the ball from Zhu Xingda and set up Sendoh’s dunk. Sannoh Industrial High School’s players recognized Chi Tong as a serious opponent, while Sawakita Eiji looked forward to facing him.

• Fukuda Kicchou scored an uncontested layup, putting Ryonan ahead 104–90 with less than eight minutes left.
• Zhu Xingda took Long Zeduo’s inbound pass and charged toward Ryonan’s three-point line.
• Chi Tong closed the gap in an instant and knocked the ball out of Zhu Xingda’s hands as he tried to pass.
• Sendoh used Chi Tong’s steal to get free of Nakajima Tsugito, then raced downcourt and dunked one-handed.
• Sannoh Industrial High School’s players compared Chi Tong’s first-step speed to Sawakita Eiji’s, and Sawakita welcomed him as a worthy opponent.

Ryonan led Aiwa Academy 106–90 as Chi Tong and Sendoh continued to frustrate Aiwa’s offense. Chi Tong sent Xiangtian Yanyi onto the court, and Ryonan immediately disrupted Zhu Xingda’s attack, leaving him stunned when the ball vanished from his dribbling hand.

• Aiwa Academy called a timeout, and Tanabe Kenichi struggled to find a way to counter Chi Tong and Sendoh.
• Tiangang Maoyi praised Ryonan’s play and urged the team to stay focused despite its sixteen-point lead.
• Chi Tong asked Tiangang Maoyi to substitute Xiangtian Yanyi for Tsukino so Ryonan could end the game decisively.
• Aiwa Academy resumed its attack with Zhu Xingda driving forward while Nakajima Tsugito and Lei Tianzhenglun tried to block Chi Tong and Sendoh.
• Chi Tong and Sendoh evaded their markers, closed in on Zhu Xingda, and crossed in front of him to block his passing lanes.
• Zhu Xingda looked down and discovered that the ball had disappeared from his dribbling hand.

Ryonan extended its lead over Aiwa Academy after Xiangtian Yanyi entered the game and helped set up a powerful dunk. Tanabe Kenichi realized Aiwa had overlooked Ryonan’s substitute, while Sannoh’s players took notice of her passing.

• Chi Tong stole the ball from Zhu Xingda, advanced toward Aiwa Academy’s basket, and passed toward Sendoh.
• Xiangtian Yanyi intercepted Chi Tong’s pass before Zhu Xingda could reach Sendoh, then sent the ball to Yu Zhu beneath the basket.
• Yu Zhu caught the pass and dunked, bringing the score to Ryonan 108, Aiwa Academy 90.
• Tanabe Kenichi recognized that Ryonan’s late substitution had caught Aiwa off guard and believed the game was likely lost.
• Mukai Minsheng photographed Aida Hikohiko, while Sannoh Industrial High School’s players watched the substitute’s remarkable pass.

Ryonan’s unusual passing and defensive pressure disrupted Ai He Academy’s offense, and Chi Tong used Zhu Xingda’s caution to set up a steal. Xiangtian Yanyi intercepted Zhu Xingda’s pass, leaving him to realize Chi Tong had planned the trap.

• A Sannoh Industrial player marveled at Xiangtian Yanyi’s direction-changing pass, and the team’s lead boy decided Ryonan deserved closer investigation.
• Zhu Xingda slowed Ai He Academy’s offense by carefully watching Chi Tong, Ryonan, and Xiangtian Yanyi, while his teammates’ openings went unused.
• Chi Tong used the Eye of Heaven to read Zhu Xingda’s movements and charged at him to pressure him into passing.
• Zhu Xingda passed toward Nakajima Tsugito, but Xiangtian Yanyi slipped into the passing lane and slapped the ball away.
• Zhu Xingda recognized that Chi Tong had deliberately forced his pass and arranged the interception in advance.

Ryonan defeated Aiwa Academy 125–99 to advance to the quarterfinals, while Xiangtian Yanyi’s Gaze Induction drew attention across the basketball world. At the same time, Shohoku was closing in on a decisive win over Oyama North.

• Fukuda Kicchou caught Xiangtian Yanyi’s redirected ball and scored a layup, putting Ryonan ahead 110–90 with less than three minutes left.
• Zhu Xingda kept fighting for Aiwa Academy, but Chi Tong, Sendoh, and Xiangtian Yanyi shut down its attacks.
• Ryonan beat Aiwa Academy 125–99 and advanced to the quarterfinals.
• Reporters spread news of Ryonan’s victory, and Xiangtian Yanyi gained attention for using Gaze Induction in an official match.
• Shohoku dominated Oyama North, with Sakuragi Hanamichi, Rukawa, Akagi, Mitsui Hisashi, and Ryota Miyagi helping build a 92–68 lead with just over a minute remaining.

Shohoku defeated Oyama North 100–70 to reach the National Tournament quarterfinals, where eight teams remained and half of last year’s quarterfinalists had been eliminated. Ryonan prepared to face Meipeng Industrial the next afternoon as Aida Hikohiko reviewed their opponents’ strengths.

• Shohoku beat Oyama North by thirty points and advanced to the quarterfinals.
• The eight quarterfinalists were announced, including newcomers Lin Nan and Shohoku, while Ryonan’s run included victories over several teams from last year’s top eight.
• Tiangang Maoyi told the Ryonan players to rest, eat, and gather to discuss their next opponent, Meipeng Industrial.
• The Ryonan team met at White Egret Manor and studied player profiles ahead of their quarterfinal game.
• Aida Hikohiko described Nakamura Yachi’s rebounding and midrange scoring, Fukuda Jiantan’s drives and putbacks, and Shan Anche’s corner shooting and court vision.

Ryonan’s players and coaches discussed how to counter Meihou Industrial High School’s balanced lineup, and Chi Tong claimed he had identified its weaknesses. At Meihou’s hotel, Nomoto Risan asked his players to assess Ryonan after watching its game footage.

• Aida Hikohiko described Morishige Hiroshi’s size, strength, stamina, and record-setting performance as Meihou Industrial’s greatest threat.
• Xiangtian Yanyi outlined Meihou’s strengths, and Taoka Moichi asked Ryonan’s players to suggest strategies.
• Uekusa Tomoyuki and Ikegami Ryoji raised possible tactics, but Yueye Hongming warned that full-court pressure could leave Sha Anche open for threes.
• Ryonan’s players debated fast breaks, physical defense, and guarding Meihou’s shooters, while Taoka Moichi concluded none of the ideas addressed the team’s weakness.
• Taoka Moichi asked Chi Tong for his thoughts, and Chi Tong said he would first point out Meihou Industrial’s weaknesses.
• Nomoto Risan asked Meihou’s players to assess Ryonan, and Nakamura Masashi and Fukuda Kentai praised Ryonan’s strength and teamwork before Sagan Che cut Fukuda off.

Chi Tong analyzed Mingpeng Industrial’s weaknesses for Ryonan, identifying ways to disrupt Takeuchi Yusi and exploit Nakamura Masashi’s and Fukuda Kentai’s flaws. The team recognized that executing the plans against a national-level opponent would still be difficult.

• Takeuchi Yusi and Li Sansan discussed Ryonan’s strengths, while Sun Zhongkuan dismissed the team and claimed he could overpower its players.
• At White Egret Manor, Chi Tong advised Ryonan to deny Takeuchi Yusi the ball and disrupt her passing rhythm.
• Chi Tong identified Nakamura Masashi as slow in transitions and prone to mistakes when defensive pressure made him anxious.
• Yueye Hongming and Uekusa Tomoyuki reacted to Chi Tong’s analysis, but Ikegami Ryoji cautioned that defending Nakamura would still require strong play.
• Chi Tong pointed out that Fukuda Kentai lacked outside shooting and struggled against taller players, while remaining dangerous because of his speed and defensive pressure.

Chi Tong analyzed Meipeng Industrial High School’s weaknesses for the Ryonan players and warned them not to underestimate the team. The next morning, Ryonan headed to Hiroshima Central Gymnasium to watch the tournament games, arriving to find a huge crowd gathered outside.

• Chi Tong explained that Yamagishi Toru’s shots were easily affected by physical contact and that Morishige Hiroshi lacked experience and reliable midrange and long-range offense.
• Sento cautioned that stopping Morishige from getting inside would still be difficult, and Tiangang Maoyi reminded the team to adapt and stay alert against Meipeng Industrial.
• Tiangang Maoyi dismissed the players after telling them their next game was the following afternoon and that they could rest during the morning.
• The next morning, the Ryonan players gathered to watch Sannoh Industrial High School face Jinbao University Affiliated High School and Kainan University Affiliated High School face Puan Commercial High School.
• Chi Tong led Ryonan to Hiroshima Central Gymnasium, where they found a massive crowd filling the entrance.