Chapter Summaries

Sendoh tried to score against Morishige Hiroshi with fakes and a contested jumper, but the ball rolled off the rim. As Morishige relaxed to catch the rebound, Sendoh darted behind him.

• Sendoh faced Morishige Hiroshi beneath the basket and used a leftward fake before switching the ball and attempting a turnaround jumper.
• Morishige Hiroshi reacted quickly, rose above Sendoh, and forced him to abandon the shot with a convincing fake and step back.
• Sendoh kept changing direction under Morishige Hiroshi's close defense, but his stamina began to fade.
• Sendoh drove into Morishige Hiroshi and forced up a shot that struck the backboard, circled the rim three times, and rolled off.
• Morishige Hiroshi relaxed and prepared to catch the ball, but Sendoh darted behind him as soon as he landed.

Sendoh's quick putback brought Ryonan closer, but Mingpeng Industrial answered with a fast attack that put Uozumi under pressure as Morishige established position in the paint. Yamagishi then exploited a defensive misdirection and began a pass over Yueye Hongming, leaving the play unresolved.

• Sendoh grabbed his own rebound and scored, making the score Ryonan 7, Mingpeng Industrial 16, and catching Sun Zhongkuan's interest.
• Mingpeng Industrial moved the ball rapidly up the court as Sun Zhongkuan charged toward Ryonan's paint.
• Morishige Hiroshi called for the ball, and Uozumi tried but failed to push him away from the passing lane.
• Yamagishi Toru used Fukuda Kentai's position to draw Koshino Hiroaki off balance, then flicked the ball over Yueye Hongming as Yueye lunged to stop him.

Morishige Hiroshi overwhelmed Uozumi with repeated dunks, turning Mingpeng Industrial’s offense into a showcase of his strength. After Morishige knocked Uozumi to the floor again, Uozumi grew furious and demanded the ball.

• Hong Ming was shocked when Koshino passed the ball over his head to Morishige Hiroshi.
• Morishige Hiroshi overpowered Uozumi and dunked, then received a technical foul for hanging on the rim.
• Mingpeng Industrial repeatedly fed Morishige Hiroshi in the paint, where he scored more dunks and pushed past Ryonan’s defenders.
• Morishige Hiroshi knocked Uozumi to the floor before dunking again.
• Uozumi, enraged by Morishige Hiroshi’s repeated suppression, demanded that his teammates pass him the ball.

Chi Tong recognized Yu Zhu’s complacency but let him learn through the matchup, as Ryonan’s center was repeatedly overwhelmed by Morishige Hiroshi and Sun Zhongkuan. With Ryonan trailing Meipeng Industrial High School 24–39, Yu Zhu was left exhausted and bitter over his helplessness.

• Chi Tong noticed Yu Zhu’s complacency and chose not to intervene, then drove past Takeuchi Yusi and passed to Yu Zhu.
• Yu Zhu’s first attempt at the rim was blocked by Morishige Hiroshi.
• Yu Zhu tried backing Morishige Hiroshi down, but Sun Zhongkuan stopped him and blocked his shot out of bounds.
• Morishige Hiroshi blocked Yu Zhu’s dunk attempt, sending him stumbling to the floor and shocking the players and spectators.
• Chi Tong checked the scoreboard and saw Ryonan trailing 24–39 as Yu Zhu struggled to recover from being dominated in the paint.

Yu Zhu recognized the gap between himself and Sun Zhongkuan, calmed down, and apologized to Ryonan for playing recklessly. Chi Tong then took over on offense and burst past Takeuchi Yusi, charging toward Mingpeng Industrial’s paint.

• Yu Zhu reflected on how Sun Zhongkuan’s talent and strength had overwhelmed him despite their similar builds.
• Sendoh told Yu Zhu he had calmed down and warned him that his reckless play could cause problems, prompting Yu Zhu to worry about Chi Tong’s reaction.
• Yu Zhu apologized to Ryonan for his impulsiveness, and Yueye Hong Ming and Fukuda Kicchou showed they did not blame him.
• Chi Tong told Yu Zhu he had better stay calm, then brought the ball across midcourt as Ryonan went on offense.
• Takeuchi Yusi tried to stop Chi Tong, but he accelerated past her in an instant and charged toward Mingpeng Industrial’s paint.

Chi Tong helped Ryonan score by breaking past Nakamura Yashi and setting up Sento, then expanded the defense with Eye of Heaven. Morishige Hiroshi began charging toward Ryonan’s basket, and Chi Tong stepped in front of him as the chapter ended with Morishige accelerating his dribble.

• Chi Tong dribbled past Nakamura Yashi and passed to Sento, who scored to make the score Ryonan 26, Mingpeng Industrial High School 39.
• Mingpeng Industrial answered with Morishige Hiroshi scoring, then Chi Tong activated Eye of Heaven and disrupted their offense.
• Fukuda Kentai passed to Morishige Hiroshi, who charged toward Ryonan’s basket with Yu Zhu preparing to defend.
• Chi Tong moved ahead of Yu Zhu and stood in Morishige Hiroshi’s path, but Morishige accelerated his dribble and continued toward him.

Chi Tong activated the Eye of Heaven to read Morishige Hiroshi’s movements, stole the ball during his drive, and scored on a fast break for Ryonan. His counterattack stunned the court and left Ryonan trailing Meihou Industrial 28–39 as the players prepared to resume play.

• Morishige Hiroshi drove toward Chi Tong, intending to use his strength to force his way to the basket.
• Chi Tong activated the Eye of Heaven, anticipated Morishige Hiroshi’s movements, and stole the ball as he charged.
• Chi Tong raced down the court and scored an uncontested layup, bringing the score to Ryonan 28, Meihou Industrial 39.
• Spectators reacted in disbelief to Chi Tong’s steal, while Mukai Minsheng photographed his counterattack.
• Mukai Yayo praised Chi Tong’s play, and Shendai Liufei concluded that his precise anticipation had made the steal inevitable.

Chi Tong disrupted Meipeng Industrial High School’s offense with a steal and a calculated defensive feint that set up Sendoh’s interception. Takeuchi Yusi realized Chi Tong might be controlling the court through carefully engineered traps as Sendoh raced toward the basket.

• Mori Zhongkuan felt furious and defiant after Chi Tong cleanly stole the ball from his post attack.
• Takeuchi Yusi advanced with the ball, but Chi Tong cut off her route and pressured her into passing to Fukuda Kentai.
• Sendoh intercepted Takeuchi Yusi’s pass before Fukuda Kentai could catch it.
• Takeuchi Yusi suspected Chi Tong had deliberately created an illusion of an open Fukuda and used her instinctive retreat to hide Sendoh from her view.
• Sendoh took the ball and charged toward Meipeng Industrial High School’s basket while Takeuchi Yusi hurried back, unsettled by Chi Tong’s tactics.

Sendoh passed to Chi Tong rather than challenging Morishige Hiroshi at the basket. Chi Tong activated the Eye of Heaven and made Morishige lose his balance and crash to the floor, leaving the court stunned.

• Sendoh confronted Morishige Hiroshi, then passed the ball to Chi Tong at the three-point line.
• Chi Tong caught the pass and drove into Mingpeng Industrial's paint as Morishige turned to stop him.
• Morishige charged Chi Tong with overwhelming force, but Chi Tong activated the Eye of Heaven and read his movements.
• Chi Tong's two quick dribbles disrupted Morishige's balance, causing him to fall heavily onto the court.
• Morishige sat on the floor in confusion while the spectators and reporters stared in shock.

Chi Tong used Ankle Breaker to send Mori Zhongkuan to the floor and score, cutting Mingpeng Industrial’s lead over Ryonan to nine points. With three minutes left in the first half, Yeben Lisan called a timeout and began adjusting Mingpeng’s defensive assignments.

• Chi Tong sent Mori Zhongkuan tumbling with Ankle Breaker, then scored to make the score 30-39.
• Yeben Lisan realized Ryonan’s comeback was gaining momentum and called a timeout.
• Yeben Lisan assigned Yamagishi Toru and Fukuda Kentai to double-team Sento Zhang and restrict his passing and shooting lanes.
• Yeben Lisan told Mori Zhongkuan to conserve energy against Yu Zhu and disrupt his balance rather than contesting strength with strength.
• Yeben Lisan warned his players to watch Fukuda for his ability to exploit space.

Meipeng Industrial High School’s coach, Yeben Lisan, planned a defense focused on containing Chi Tong and warned his players to avoid turnovers. At Ryonan’s bench, Chi Tong predicted the same strategy, identifying Takeuchi Yusi as the likely primary defender and two others as help defenders.

• Yeben Lisan told Nakamura Yashi and Yamagishi Toru to guard Ryonan’s players closely and anticipate their drives.
• Yeben Lisan ordered Takeuchi Yusi to shadow Chi Tong, with Fukuda Kentai and Yamagishi Toru ready to double-team him, while A-Kuan and Nakamura Yashi watched for passes.
• Yeben Lisan warned his team to move the ball quickly, avoid risky dribbling, and reset the offense rather than risk a turnover to Chi Tong.
• Meipeng Industrial High School’s players agreed to the plan as Yeben Lisan considered their nine-point lead crucial to maintaining control.
• Chi Tong told his Ryonan teammates that Meipeng’s timeout was meant to interrupt their momentum and predicted that Takeuchi Yusi would guard him closely with two players helping from either side.

Chi Tong laid out Ryonan’s offensive and defensive adjustments for the next stretch of the game, anticipating how Mingpeng Industrial would respond. His precise plans left the team confident and impressed Taoka Moichi with how accurately he seemed to predict the opposition.

• Chi Tong explained how Sendoh could cut back for a three-point shot or pass to Uozumi if a defender contested him.
• Chi Tong told Uozumi to pass out to Koshino if Mingpeng Industrial double-teamed him, opening space for Fukuda to cut inside.
• Chi Tong instructed Fukuda to use a fake cut and retreat to create a shot or drive, and told Yueye to vary his routes and choose among shooting or passing.
• Chi Tong warned that Mingpeng Industrial would avoid his steals and told Ryonan to conserve energy while disrupting their opponents’ shots.
• Xiangtian Yanyi admired Chi Tong’s leadership, while Taoka Moichi marveled at the precision of his tactical predictions.

Meipeng Industrial used fast passing to get the ball to Morishige Hiroshi, who scored against Ryonan's defense. Ryonan responded with a coordinated play, and Yu Zhu passed to Yueye Hongming as the double-team closed in.

• Takeuchi Yusi evaded Chi Tong's pressure by passing quickly to Sagan Che, who moved the ball through Fukuda Kentai to Morishige Hiroshi.
• Morishige Hiroshi used his size to overpower Yu Zhu and dunk, putting Meipeng Industrial ahead 41–30.
• Chi Tong drew Takeuchi Yusi's close defense and signaled Fukuda Kicchou to fake a cut and pull back.
• Fukuda Kicchou received Chi Tong's pass and lobbed the ball to Yu Zhu beneath the basket.
• Mori Zhongkuan and Fukuda Kentai double-teamed Yu Zhu, who passed to Yueye Hongming near the three-point line.

Ryonan’s tactics, guided by Chi Tong’s predictions, helped Yueye Hongming score an open three-pointer and disrupted Mingpeng Industrial’s offense. After Yu Zhu grabbed a rebound, Chi Tong led a counterattack and drove toward the basket as Fukuda Kicchou drew away a defender.

• Yueye Hongming scored an uncontested three-pointer, bringing the score to Ryonan 33, Mingpeng Industrial 41.
• Xiangtian Yanyi and Tiangang Maoyi praised Chi Tong’s tactics, while Ye Ben Lisan suspected Ryonan had figured out Mingpeng Industrial’s defense.
• Takeuchi Yusi, Yamagishi Toru, and Fukuda Kentai moved the ball quickly, but Chi Tong’s positioning disrupted their passing rhythm.
• Yu Zhu and Fukuda Kicchou trapped Morishige Hiroshi, and Chi Tong pressured the outlet pass to Yamagishi Toru.
• Yamagishi Toru rushed a shot with three seconds left on the shot clock, and Yu Zhu secured the rebound.
• Yu Zhu passed to Chi Tong, who launched a counterattack as Fukuda Kicchou drew Nakamura toward the paint.

Fukuda Kicchou scored for Ryonan after Chi Tong set him up, and Mingpeng Industrial High School grew unsettled as its tactics repeatedly failed. Ryonan then intercepted a pass and Sendoh scored on a fast break, leaving the score 37–41.

• Fukuda Kicchou used a feint to create shooting space, caught Chi Tong's pass, and scored to make the score Ryonan 35, Meipeng Industrial High School 41.
• Nakamura Yashi grew frustrated, while Fukuda and coach Ye Ben Lisan wondered how Ryonan kept anticipating their tactics.
• Mingpeng Industrial changed its approach, with Takeuchi Yusi giving Chi Tong space to lure him into a trap.
• Chi Tong read the adjustment and guided Ryonan into position, leaving Mingpeng Industrial's unfamiliar tactics ineffective.
• Takeuchi Yusi tried to pass to Morishige Hiroshi, but Chi Tong intercepted the ball and sent it to Sendoh on a fast break.
• Sendoh beat two defenders and scored, bringing the score to Ryonan 37, Meipeng Industrial High School 41.

Ryonan erased Mingpeng Industrial High School’s fifteen-point lead and tied the game at 41 with two steals and fast-break dunks in the final seconds of the first half. As the teams left the court, Mori Zhongkuan vowed to guard Chi Tong himself in the second half.

• Chi Tong stole Takeuchi Yusi’s pass, then helped Sendoh finish a fast break with a dunk that cut Ryonan’s deficit to two points.
• With four seconds left, Chi Tong stole the ball from Morishige Hiroshi and launched a long pass that Fukuda Kicchou caught and dunked to tie the score at 41.
• The first-half buzzer sounded as the stunned teams and spectators reacted to Ryonan’s comeback.
• Yeben Lisan told Sun Zhongkuan that Chi Tong had exploited his impatience and advised him to work more with his teammates.
• Sun Zhongkuan dismissed the advice and declared that he would guard Chi Tong himself in the second half.

Ryonan tied the score against Mingpeng Industrial just before halftime, and Chi Tong warned his teammates that the second half would be harder. He insisted the team must win through the efforts of all five players, not rely only on him and Sendoh.

• Yeben Lisan sent Sun Zhongkuan and the other Mingpeng Industrial players back to the locker room after the teams entered halftime tied.
• Taoka Moichi praised Ryonan, while Yueye Hongming and Sendoh credited Chi Tong's late steal and Fukuda Kicchou's dunk for the comeback.
• Chi Tong told Ryonan that Mingpeng Industrial had followed its tactics mechanically and would likely adjust in the second half.
• Chi Tong rejected a substitute's suggestion that he and Sendoh could carry the team, saying that would make the other players dispensable.
• Chi Tong reassured his silent teammates that he believed they would not reach that point.

Ryonan tied Mingpeng Industrial 41:41 at halftime after Chi Tong’s tactics helped the team erase a double-digit deficit. As the players left the court, Mori Zhongkuan’s hostility signaled a tougher second half, while observers weighed Ryonan’s strengths and weaknesses.

• Sendoh noticed Mori Zhongkuan glaring defiantly at Ryonan’s bench, and Chi Tong said the team should recover before worrying about the second half.
• Mukai Yayo was surprised by the 41:41 halftime score and recognized that Ryonan had anticipated Mingpeng Industrial’s tactics and taken control of the game’s rhythm.
• Shendai Liufei noted that Ryonan’s players besides Chi Tong and Sendoh were struggling and worried that Mingpeng Industrial would adjust after halftime.
• Sannoh Industrial High School’s players discussed the game, while Sawakita Eiji recognized Chi Tong’s tactical approach from their middle-school encounters and anticipated what she would do next.

At halftime of Ryonan’s close game against Mingpeng Industrial, spectators gathered as the teams’ performance drew new attention. Shohoku and Hainan players clashed over Shohoku’s upcoming game against Hakata Commercial High School, then Kogure defused the argument as the second half approached.

• Sawakita anticipated facing Ryonan and wondered whether Chi Tong’s tactics could withstand Sannoh’s pressure.
• Spectators discussed Ryonan’s comeback against Mingpeng Industrial and flocked to Basketball Gym No. 3 to watch the rest of the game.
• Kiyota Nobunaga mocked Shohoku’s chances against Hakata Commercial High School, provoking Sakuragi Hanamichi, Miyagi Ryota, and Mitsui Hisashi.
• Miyagi and Mitsui declared that Shohoku would advance, and Akagi reaffirmed the team’s goal of conquering the nation.
• Maki Shinichi rebuked Kiyota for mocking Shohoku, and Kogure urged both teams to focus on Ryonan’s second half as they headed into the passage.

Morishige Hiroshi dominated the opening of the second half against Ryonan, winning the jump ball and leading Mingpeng Industrial High School into a sudden, aggressive attack. His teammates’ unexpected pass and shot set him up to catch the ball above Ryonan’s paint, leaving their defense scrambling.

• Morishige Hiroshi leaped past Uozumi to win the jump ball and tip it to Takeuchi Yusi.
• Takeuchi Yusi advanced into Ryonan’s half and passed to Nakamura Yashi as Chi Tong moved to defend.
• Nakamura Yashi sent an unexpected high pass toward Ryonan’s paint instead of shooting at the basket.
• Morishige Hiroshi leaped beneath the basket and caught Nakamura Yashi’s pass in midair.