Chapter Summaries

Ryonan’s players watched Sannoh Industrial High School face Jinbao University Affiliated High School, with most spectators expecting an easy Sannoh victory. As the teams warmed up, Chi Tong agreed Sannoh would win, while Sendoh said an upset would be interesting.

• Chi Tong led the Ryonan group into the packed arena, where spectators recognized them and discussed the teams’ chances.
• Yueye Hongming predicted Sannoh would defeat Jinbao University easily, while Shishang Liang'er questioned whether Jinbao might pull off an upset.
• Sannoh and Jinbao entered the court to overwhelming cheers for Sannoh, and Sendoh watched with anticipation.
• Both teams warmed up as the Ryonan group observed their play.
• Sendoh asked Chi Tong who would win, and Chi Tong answered Sannoh; Sendoh said it would be interesting if the favorites lost.

Sannoh Industrial High School dominated Shenbao University Affiliated High School from the opening tip, scoring and stealing with ease. Sannoh continued to overwhelm Shenbao on both ends of the court as the game went on.

• Sannoh's center won the tip-off and passed the ball to a teammate.
• Sannoh's players moved the ball rapidly downcourt, and their shooting guard scored the opening basket in under five seconds.
• Sannoh's point guard stole the ball from Shenbao's point guard and passed ahead to Sawakita Eiji.
• Sawakita Eiji evaded three defenders and scored with a driving shot.
• Sannoh's players continued to dominate with accurate passing, scoring, rebounds, steals, and blocks, leaving Shenbao unable to mount an effective attack.

Sannoh dominated Jinbao University, while Chi Tong explained to the Ryonan players how Sannoh’s skill and teamwork had disrupted their opponents. He recognized three Sannoh players as Uncrowned King-level talents but remained confident in Ryonan’s prospects as the first half neared its end.

• Sannoh overwhelmed Jinbao University on offense, defense, and the boards, widening the score until Jinbao’s players began to despair.
• Ryonan’s players questioned why Jinbao looked so helpless, and Chi Tong explained that Sannoh’s defensive pressure and coordinated play had thrown off their rhythm.
• Chi Tong compared Sannoh’s core players to the Uncrowned Kings and judged that the team had three players with that level of ability.
• Chi Tong remained unconcerned, believing Sendoh and his own Miracle-level talent could stand up to Sannoh.
• As the first half drew to a close, everyone looked toward the electronic scoreboard.

Sannoh dominated Jinbao University Affiliated High School 66–12, convincing Chi Tong that he had seen enough and leaving Sawakita Eiji unsettled by a powerful gaze from the stands. Chi Tong left with Ryonan and insisted he could defeat Sannoh alone.

• Sannoh led Jinbao 66–12, while the Ryonan players recognized the scale of Sannoh’s strength and wondered whether the team had more tactics in reserve.
• A voice in Chi Tong’s mind warned that Ryonan could not stop Sannoh without him and Sendoh, and that Chi Tong could not carry both offense and defense alone.
• Chi Tong dismissed the warning, stood up, and told the Ryonan players to leave because Jinbao could not resist Sannoh.
• The first half ended, and Sawakita Eiji searched the stands for the source of a sharp, pressuring gaze that had unsettled him during the game.
• As he walked through the dim passageway, Chi Tong told the voice in his mind that he alone was enough, no matter who the opponent was.

Ryonan watched Hainan widen its lead over Puan Commercial High School and discussed the national tournament’s likely semifinalists, including Sannoh, Shohoku, and themselves. After the second half began, Hainan quickly countered Puan’s effort to shut down its perimeter game.

• Ryonan arrived at Basketball Gym No. 2 and saw Hainan leading Puan Commercial High School 42-21.
• Yueye Hongming, Shandao Ryoji, Uekusa Tomoyuki, Xiangtian Yanyi, and Uozumi discussed Hainan’s likely semifinal berth and its potential matchup with Sannoh.
• Yueye Hongming raised concerns about Shohoku facing Hakata Commercial High School, while Sento and Ikegami Ryoji backed Shohoku’s chances.
• Xiangtian Yanyi chose to stay with Ryonan rather than watch Shohoku’s game, and the team took seats in the stands.
• The second half began, and Puan Commercial High School assigned a defender to Jin Soichiro to limit Hainan’s perimeter offense.
• Maki Shinichi evaded a defender with a fake and passed to Takasago Kazuma inside.

Hainan overwhelmed Puan Commercial High School with Mu Shenyi directing the offense and the team dominating on both ends of the court. As the score gap widened, Chi Tong judged that Hainan would struggle to defeat Sannoh if Mu Shenyi were contained.

• Takasago Kazuma broke through Puan Commercial High School’s defense, and Mu Shenyi then orchestrated Hainan’s one-sided attack.
• Jin Soichiro hit three-pointers while Takasago Kazuma dominated inside, and Hainan repeatedly stopped Puan Commercial High School’s counterattacks.
• Aota Nobunaga broke through a double-team and dunked, drawing cheers from Hainan’s supporters and teasing from Ikegami Ryoji toward Yueye Hongming.
• Muto Tadashi secured rebounds and fed Hainan’s fast breaks, helping the team widen its lead despite Puan Commercial High School’s occasional scores.
• Chi Tong compared Hainan with Sannoh and concluded that Hainan’s chances would be small if Sannoh contained Mu Shenyi.

Hainan defeated Puan Commercial High School 108-56 to reach the final four, while Sannoh crushed Jinbao University Affiliated High School 205-35. With the morning games over, spectators and reporters returned for the afternoon matchups, including Ryonan’s game.

• Hainan’s reserves finished off Puan Commercial High School as the game ended in a 108-56 victory, sending Hainan into the final four.
• Chi Tong led Ryonan out of the arena after discussing Hainan’s strength and the importance of their own afternoon game.
• Sannoh ended its game against Jinbao University Affiliated High School with a staggering 205-35 score, a 170-point margin that stunned the crowd and reporters.
• Spectators and reporters waited for the afternoon games, which featured Lin Nan High School against Meipeng Industrial High School and Hakata Shogyo University-affiliated High School against Shohoku High School.
• The afternoon-session doors opened, and the crowds filled Basketball Gyms No. 3 and No. 4, with Gym No. 3 especially lively.

Ryonan and Meihou Industrial drew a packed crowd as Sannoh and Hainan arrived to watch their semifinal. While spectators debated whether Ryonan could stop Morishige Hiroshi, Meihou Industrial's locker-room talk revealed a gap between Coach Nomoto Risan's casual confidence and his earlier warnings about Chi Tong.

• Sannoh Industrial High School and Hainan arrived and took seats to watch Ryonan face Meihou Industrial.
• Kiyota Nobunaga complained that Ryonan had lasted this long, while Jin Soichiro asked Maki Shinichi who he thought would win.
• Maki Shinichi warned that Morishige Hiroshi's size and strength could overwhelm Ryonan's center and challenge the team inside.
• Sannoh's players debated the matchup, but Sawakita Eiji predicted Ryonan would win because Chi Tong controlled the game's rhythm and strengthened his teammates.
• Nomoto Risan told Meihou Industrial's players that Ryonan was weak, and Sun Zhongkuan pointed out that the coach had previously warned them to watch Chi Tong.

Ryonan and Meihou Industrial High School prepared for their quarterfinal matchup, with both teams recognizing the stakes of a place in the National Tournament final four. As the gym filled, the press crew finished setting up to capture the players’ entrance.

• Meihou’s players challenged Yeben Lisan’s claim that Ryonan would be easy to beat, and he said he had only been trying to ease their nerves.
• Tiangang Maoyi rallied Ryonan, urging the team to attack at full strength from the start and reminding them they had already beaten Hainan.
• Chi Tong advised Ryonan to avoid Meihou’s strength in the paint, exploit their slower speed, and follow his changes in tempo.
• The crowd filled Basketball Gym No. 3 as Mukai Minsheng directed Nakamura Taizao to prepare the camera for the players’ entrance and key stars.

Ryonan and Mingpeng Industrial entered the arena and began their game amid loud cheers and displays of intimidation. The chapter ended as Yu Zhu and Morishige Hiroshi faced off at center court and Takeuchi Yusi studied Ryonan captain Chi Tong.

• Ryonan and Mingpeng Industrial entered the arena, faced each other, and went to their benches as their supporters cheered.
• Morishige Hiroshi repeatedly dunked during warm-ups, shaking the rim and unsettling Ryonan's players, while Chi Tong continued his passing drills.
• The referee announced both teams' starting lineups and started the game with a jump ball.
• Yu Zhu and Morishige Hiroshi confronted each other at center court, and Yu Zhu told him he would soon learn the difference between him and his previous opponents.
• Takeuchi Yusi examined Ryonan's players and wondered whether first-year captain Chi Tong was the player everyone had been talking about.

Ryonan and Mingpeng Industrial began their game, and Morishige Hiroshi beat Uozumi in the opening jump ball with a striking display of explosive power. His performance caught the attention of players from Sannoh and Hainan as Mingpeng took the first possession.

• Takeuchi Yusi recognized Chi Tong's exceptional passing and court awareness, while Fukuda Kentai focused on Sendoh and wondered whether the celebrated prodigy lived up to his reputation.
• The referee started the game, and Morishige Hiroshi outjumped Uozumi by half a head to tip the ball into Mingpeng Industrial's half.
• Ryonan's bench reacted with shock as Xiangtian Yanyi, Tiangang Maoyi, Uekusa, and Shishang Liang'er considered the scale of Uozumi's defeat.
• Sannoh's players, including Sawakita Eiji, recognized Morishige Hiroshi as a talented first-year whose explosive power stood out.
• Hainan's Takasago Kazuma was alarmed by the physical gap Morishige Hiroshi had shown against Uozumi.

Meipeng Industrial opened the game with Takeuchi Yusi and Shan Anche setting up a deceptive attack that let Mori Zhongkuan dunk for the first basket. Ryonan’s offense then stalled when Mori blocked Uozumi’s attempted dunk, and the ball flew loose as Mori raced after it.

• Mori Zhongkuan’s explosive tip gave Meipeng Industrial possession to start the game.
• Takeuchi Yusi passed to Shan Anche, whose shot attempt was a setup for a pass to Mori Zhongkuan, who dunked to put Meipeng Industrial ahead 2–0.
• Chi Tong, Fukuda Kicchou, and Koshino Hiroaki moved the ball to Uozumi inside Meipeng’s paint.
• Uozumi tried to dunk, but Mori Zhongkuan blocked the ball with enough force to knock it free.
• Mori Zhongkuan sprinted toward the loose ball as it flew upward.

Mingpeng Industrial High School built an early lead with a fast-break dunk, while Chi Tong and Sendoh tried to answer with a quick attack. Sendoh’s shot was blocked and Yamagishi Toru intercepted the ensuing pass, leaving Takeuchi Yusi with the ball at midcourt as Ryonan’s players were still stranded in the opposing half.

• Morishige Hiroshi grabbed the blocked shot and passed ahead to Takeuchi Yusi, who launched a fast break.
• Takeuchi Yusi passed to Nakamura Yashi, who charged into Ryonan’s paint and dunked to put Mingpeng Industrial ahead 4–0.
• Chi Tong feinted past Takeuchi Yusi and passed to Sendoh, who raced toward the basket.
• Fukuda Kentai blocked Sendoh’s layup attempt, and Sendoh redirected the ball toward Fukuda Kicchou.
• Yamagishi Toru intercepted Sendoh’s pass and hurled the ball to Takeuchi Yusi at midcourt while Ryonan’s players were still in Mingpeng Industrial’s half.

Mingpeng Industrial High School turned a steal into a four-point play, taking an 8-0 lead over Ryonan. Ryonan began its next attack with Chi Tong passing to Fukuda Kicchou, who found Yueye Hongming open in the corner.

• Takeuchi Yusi passed back to Nakamura Masashi, who fed Yamagishi Toru for a made shot; Yueye Hongming fouled him, and the basket counted.
• Yamagishi Toru made the extra free throw, extending Mingpeng Industrial High School's lead to 8-0.
• Sento admired Mingpeng Industrial High School's play, while Yueye Hongming worried and Uozumi hesitated over whether to help defend Morishige Hiroshi.
• Chi Tong evaded Takeuchi Yusi and sent a long pass to Fukuda Kicchou.
• Nakamura Masashi blocked Fukuda Kicchou's path into the paint, so Fukuda Kicchou looked for a teammate and spotted Yueye Hongming open in the corner.

Mingpeng Industrial opened the game with a dominant run, capped by Morishige Hiroshi’s dunk over Fukuda Kicchou, while Ryonan’s bench panicked over the team’s struggles. Taoka Moichi chose not to call a timeout, trusting Chi Tong to find a solution, and Chi Tong took the ball to begin Ryonan’s response.

• Morishige Hiroshi intercepted Fukuda Kicchou’s pass and started a fast break that ended with Sendoh blocking Yamagishi Toru’s shot.
• Morishige Hiroshi recovered the loose ball, knocked Fukuda Kicchou aside, and dunked to extend Mingpeng Industrial’s lead to ten points.
• Xiangtian Yanyi urged Tiangang Maoyi to call a timeout as Ryonan’s bench reacted in alarm.
• Taoka Moichi decided against a timeout after seeing Chi Tong remain calm and trusting him to turn the game around.
• Chi Tong called for the ball, and Yu Zhu passed it to him.

Chi Tong used an unseen pass to set up Yueye Hongming for Ryonan’s opening basket, but Meipeng Industrial answered with a quick passing sequence and an unexpected screen-assisted shot. Meipeng Industrial led 13–3 as Sendoh and the other Ryonan players reacted to the unfamiliar tactic.

• Chi Tong’s dribble concealed a pass to Yueye Hongming, who scored an uncontested three-pointer for Ryonan.
• Takeuchi Yusi struggled to understand how Chi Tong had passed the ball without her seeing it, then led Meipeng Industrial’s next possession.
• Takeuchi Yusi passed to Nakamura Yashi, who drove forward and sent the ball to Yamagishi Toru in open space.
• Nakamura Yashi immediately set a screen on Yueye Hongming, giving Yamagishi Toru room to score and extend Meipeng Industrial’s lead to 13–3.
• Sendoh and Ryonan’s players were surprised by Nakamura Yashi’s pass-and-screen play, while Chi Tong showed no reaction.

Ryonan launched a counterattack, and Yueye Hongming tried to drive past Yamagishi Toru using moves Chi Tong had taught him. Yamagishi stole the ball, but another player raced in and snatched it before he could claim possession, leaving him stunned.

• Chi Tong sent a cross-court pass to Yueye Hongming, who faced Yamagishi Toru near the sideline.
• Yueye Hongming feinted left, then crossed over to attack Yamagishi Toru's right side.
• Yamagishi Toru stopped Yueye Hongming's drive and knocked the ball away as Yueye prepared a behind-the-back dribble.
• Yamagishi Toru chased the loose ball, but a blur intercepted it just before he could scoop it up.

Sendoh drove at Morishige Hiroshi and scored a difficult floater despite Morishige’s block attempt, cutting Ryonan’s deficit to 5–13. Morishige acknowledged Sendoh’s ability, while Sendoh teased him about having underestimated him.

• Sendoh intercepted the ball and raced toward Mingpeng Industrial’s basket.
• Sendoh used a shot fake and spin move to try to get past Morishige Hiroshi, but Morishige blocked his path.
• Sendoh launched a floater over Morishige, whose fingertips grazed the ball and altered its course.
• The ball bounced off the backboard and rim before dropping in, making the score Ryonan 5, Meipeng Industrial High School 13.
• Morishige praised Sendoh for making the shot, and Sendoh lightly asked whether Morishige had thought he was weak.
• Morishige earnestly replied that he had not thought Sendoh was weak, just not especially good.

Sendoh sharpened his focus after Hiroshi Morishige nearly stopped him, while Mingpeng Industrial attacked Ryonan through Yamagishi Toru and Fukuda Kentai. Fukuda Kentai rose to shoot over Uozumi’s powerful contest, and the chapter ended before the shot’s outcome was known.

• Sendoh admitted that Hiroshi Morishige had underestimated him and focused more seriously on the game.
• Yamagishi Toru protected the ball from Yueye Hongming, then used a feint to pass to Fukuda Kentai cutting toward the paint.
• Fukuda Kentai drove toward the basket but stopped and gathered for a shot as Uozumi prepared to defend.
• Uozumi leapt to block Fukuda Kentai, disrupting his shooting form as Fukuda tried to adjust in midair.

Fukuda Kentai passed out of Yu Zhu’s defense, allowing Nakamura Yashi to score a step-back three and widen Meipeng Industrial High School’s lead over Ryonan. Chi Tong then started a fast break through Sendoh, who raced past defenders and carried the ball toward the basket as the chapter ended.

• Fukuda Kentai passed the ball to Nakamura Yashi after Yu Zhu blocked his shooting path.
• Nakamura Yashi stepped back beyond the three-point line and made a shot, putting Meipeng Industrial High School ahead 16–5.
• Nakamura Yashi taunted Fukuda Kicchou after scoring, while Chi Tong remained calm.
• Chi Tong passed to Sendoh after Takeuchi Yusi tried to intercept the ball.
• Sendoh sped past Nakamura Yashi and slipped between two converging defenders, switching the ball to his left hand.