Chapter Summaries

Sannoh and Ryonan traded blocks, steals, and fast breaks through nearly five minutes of scoreless play. Fukatsu Kazunari and Sawakita Eiji then broke through Ryonan’s defense with a coordinated play, leaving Fukatsu screening Sendoh as Sawakita prepared to attack.

• Sawakita Eiji blocked Sendoh’s shot, and Fukatsu Kazunari collected the rebound to start Sannoh’s counterattack.
• Sendoh anticipated Sawakita Eiji’s drive and blocked his attempted dunk.
• Both teams repeatedly shut down each other’s attacks, keeping the score at 0:0 for nearly five minutes.
• Fukatsu Kazunari and Sawakita Eiji used a feint and a stopped cut to get past Chi Tong, while their misdirection drew Xiangtian Yanyi away from the play.
• Fukatsu Kazunari screened Sendoh and signaled Sawakita Eiji as Sannoh’s attack reached Ryonan’s defense.

Sawakita Eiji scored Sannoh’s first basket, but Chi Tong’s plan set up Sendoh to answer with a spectacular dunk and tie the game. The opening stalemate broke into an exchange of attacks as Chi Tong and Fukatsu Kazunari locked eyes.

• Sawakita Eiji evaded Yu Zhu’s block and scored the game’s first basket, putting Sannoh ahead 2–0.
• Xiangtian Yanyi apologized for missing her defensive assignment, and Sento reassured her.
• Chi Tong instructed Xiangtian Yanyi to send any ball she received into the air above Sannoh’s paint, and Sendoh agreed to make use of it.
• Chi Tong broke past Fukatsu Kazunari and passed to Xiangtian Yanyi, who batted the ball toward the paint.
• Sendoh caught Xiangtian Yanyi’s pass in midair and dunked, tying the score at 2–2.
• Fukatsu Kazunari and Chi Tong met each other’s gaze as the game opened into a fast exchange of attacks.

Ryonan and Sannoh traded attacks in a frantic, evenly matched National Tournament final, with Chi Tong and Xiangtian Yanyi’s coordination helping Ryonan answer Sannoh’s disciplined offense. More than halfway through the first half, the score remained tied at 20–20 as the game reached a fever pitch.

• Fukatsu’s precise offense and Sannoh’s screens repeatedly defeated Chi Tong’s attempts to disrupt their plays, while Ryonan answered with its own multi-point attack.
• Chi Tong guided Xiangtian Yanyi’s cuts with passes sent ahead of her movement, allowing her to slip past Matsumoto Minoru and create chances for Ryonan’s scorers.
• Ryonan and Sannoh intensified their run-and-gun battle, with both teams’ defenses making every basket difficult.
• The scoreboard showed 20–20 after more than half of the first half, and spectators watched in disbelief as Ryonan stood toe-to-toe with Sannoh.

Ryonan stayed even with Sannoh in a high-speed shootout, impressing Domoto Goro and drawing praise from Sannoh's players. Sannoh then substituted Ichinokura Satoshi, and Fukatsu ordered him to guard Ryonan's number fourteen.

• Domoto Goro recognized that Chi Tong's passing, defense, and playmaking were the key to Ryonan matching Sannoh.
• Fukatsu and Masashi Kawata acknowledged Ryonan's strength, while Nobe Masahiro and Sawakita Eiji provoked Ryonan's players.
• Fukatsu called for a substitution, and Ichinokura Satoshi replaced Nobe Masahiro.
• Sendoh recognized Ichinokura as a defensive specialist and wondered who Sannoh planned to target.
• Fukatsu told Ichinokura to focus solely on Ryonan's number fourteen.

Ichinokura Satoshi shut down Xiangtian Yanyi and stole the ball, turning her failed attempt to support Ryonan into a Sannoh fast break. He crossed midcourt and used a rapid crossover to get past Fukuda Kicchou.

• Ichinokura Satoshi shadowed Xiangtian Yanyi, preventing her Gaze Induction from creating openings for Ryonan.
• Xiangtian Yanyi cut toward an open spot and tried to redirect Sendoh's pass, but Ichinokura Satoshi anticipated the play and stole the ball.
• Ichinokura Satoshi evaded Xiangtian Yanyi's attempt to recover the ball and sprinted toward Ryonan's half.
• Fukuda Kicchou blocked Ichinokura Satoshi after he crossed midcourt, but Ichinokura Satoshi used a fast crossover to get past him.

Ichinokura Satoshi shut down Xiangtian Yanyi and helped Sannoh Industrial High School exploit Ryonan’s weakened offense. Sannoh widened its lead to 36–28 as Sendoh remained Ryonan’s only reliable scorer.

• Ichinokura Satoshi drove past Fukuda Kicchou and passed to Sawakita Eiji, who dunked over Uozumi to put Sannoh ahead 22–20.
• Ichinokura Satoshi intercepted Xiangtian Yanyi’s attempted pass again, then dribbled past her and set up Masashi Kawata for a reverse dunk that made the score 24–20.
• Ichinokura Satoshi repeatedly anticipated Xiangtian Yanyi’s movements and shut down her Gaze Induction and Ghost Cut.
• Chi Tong tried to create chances through his own drives and passes to Yu Zhu, but Sannoh’s defense contained Ryonan’s other offensive options.
• Sendoh continued scoring with drives, but Sannoh’s balanced attack steadily extended its lead until the score reached 36–28.

Ryonan called a timeout while trailing Sannoh by eight points, and Chi Tong replaced the struggling Xiangtian Yanyi with Yueye Hongming to shift the offense to the perimeter. After play resumed, Yueye Hongming created a brief opening against Ichinokura Satoshi and received Chi Tong’s pass.

• Sendoh warned Chi Tong that Sannoh had disrupted Ryonan’s offense, and Chi Tong decided to call a timeout.
• Chi Tong substituted Yueye Hongming for Xiangtian Yanyi and redirected Ryonan’s attack toward perimeter play and outside shooting.
• Fukatsu Kazunari recognized Chi Tong’s tactical change but questioned whether Ryonan could threaten Sannoh without Xiangtian Yanyi.
• After Ryonan inbounded, Chi Tong dribbled beyond the three-point line as Yueye Hongming moved against Ichinokura Satoshi’s defense.
• Yueye Hongming used a crossover to open a gap, and Chi Tong passed the ball into his hands.

Ryonan used Yueye Hongming’s outside threat and Chi Tong’s playmaking to revive its offense against Sannoh, but Fukatsu Kazunari kept directing attacks that answered each scoring run. The teams remained locked in a fast, hard-fought contest as Chi Tong and Fukatsu battled for control.

• Yueye Hongming made a three-pointer to cut Ryonan’s deficit to five points, bringing the score to Ryonan 31, Sannoh Industrial High School 36.
• Chi Tong used Yueye Hongming’s movement and passes to free Sendoh Akira, Fukuda Kicchou, and Yu Zhu for more varied attacks.
• Fukatsu Kazunari adjusted Sannoh’s defense while Sawakita Eiji, Kawata Masashi, and their teammates continued to score through drives, inside plays, threes, and fast breaks.
• Yueye Hongming repeatedly hit threes, while Sendoh Akira and Yu Zhu found other openings when Sannoh focused on the perimeter.
• Chi Tong and Fukatsu Kazunari traded tactical plays, with Chi Tong exploiting small gaps and Fukatsu repeatedly finding passes through Ryonan’s pressure.

Sannoh kept Ryonan at bay through Fukatsu Kazunari’s playmaking and Masashi Kawata and Sawakita Eiji’s scoring, ending the first half ahead 51–45. As Ryonan’s players regrouped, Uozumi and Yu Zhu reflected on how thoroughly Kawata had outmatched them.

• Fukatsu Kazunari orchestrated passes and drives that led to baskets by Sawakita Eiji, Masashi Kawata, and Matsumoto Minoru as Sannoh maintained a narrow lead.
• Chi Tong led Ryonan on a 4–0 run, but Fukatsu changed the tempo and set up Kawata Masashi to restore Sannoh’s six-point advantage.
• The first half ended with Ryonan trailing Sannoh Industrial High School 45–51.
• Yueye Hongming and Ryonan’s other players rested, exhausted by Sannoh’s relentless defense and pace.
• Uozumi and Yu Zhu considered how Kawata had used superior positioning and experience to suppress them inside.

Ryonan regrouped at halftime after falling behind Sannoh, as Chi Tong demanded that the team raise its level in the second half. The players recognized Sannoh’s strength and Chi Tong’s unusual displeasure, while Sento worried that Sawakita had held back much of his ability.

• Yu Zhu and Fukuda Kicchou reflected on how Masashi Kawata and Ichinokura Satoshi had shut down their attacks in the first half.
• Sento told his teammates that Sawakita Eiji had grown stronger and might be impossible to stop in the second half.
• Chi Tong warned Ryonan that Sannoh would intensify its defense and criticized Yu Zhu for failing to establish himself in the paint.
• Chi Tong instructed Fukuda Kicchou to break free of Ichinokura Satoshi or focus on occupying him, and told Sendoh Akira to stop holding back.
• Uekusa Tomoyuki and Ikegami Ryoji quietly noted that Chi Tong seemed unusually unhappy despite keeping Ryonan within six points.

Ryonan and Sannoh prepared for the second half of the finals, with Sannoh warning against underestimating Ryonan and planning to shut down Chi Tong. The second half began with Yu Zhu and Masashi Kawata battling for the opening tip, and Kawata was shocked by Yu Zhu’s leap.

• Uekusa Tomoyuki reminded Ikegami Ryoji of Captain Chi Tong’s warning, leaving them worried about what it meant for Ryonan.
• Sannoh’s players discussed Ryonan’s first-half performance, while Fukatsu Kazunari and Domoto Goro warned them not to let their guard down.
• Domoto Goro told Sawakita Eiji to stop Chi Tong from performing, and Sawakita confidently agreed.
• Both teams returned to the court, and the referee began the second half with a jump ball between Yu Zhu and Masashi Kawata.
• Yu Zhu sprang toward the ball with overwhelming force, shocking Masashi Kawata as he reached for it.

Ryonan opened the second half by winning the jump ball and scoring a lightning-fast fast-break dunk against Sannoh. Domoto Goro recognized the danger in Sendoh and Chi Tong’s connection and considered breaking it up.

• Uozumi Jun beat Masashi Kawata to the opening tip, and Chi Tong collected the ball for Ryonan.
• Chi Tong passed ahead to Sendoh, who raced past Sannoh’s retreating defense and dunked to make the score 47:51.
• Masashi Kawata, Sawakita, Matsumoto Minoru, and Fukatsu Kazunari reacted with heightened seriousness to Ryonan’s sudden attack.
• Sawakita Eiji welcomed the challenge and focused on Sendoh.
• Domoto Goro studied Chi Tong’s precise pass and Sendoh’s cut, then decided Sannoh should disrupt their connection.

Ryonan’s Chi Tong used his Eye of Heaven to read Fukatsu Kazunari’s passing options and steal his behind-the-back pass. He launched a long pass toward Sannoh’s half as Sawakita Eiji recognized a familiar feeling from middle school.

• Domoto Goro ordered Sannoh to attack cautiously after Ryonan’s fast break threatened to disrupt the game.
• Fukatsu Kazunari dribbled past Chi Tong’s defense while Sannoh’s players rotated to create openings for Sawakita Eiji and Matsumoto Minoru.
• Chi Tong activated Eye of Heaven and anticipated Fukatsu Kazunari’s intended pass to Matsumoto Minoru.
• Fukatsu Kazunari evaded Chi Tong’s first steal attempt and improvised a behind-the-back pass, but Chi Tong intercepted it.
• Sawakita Eiji recognized a feeling from middle school as Chi Tong launched a long pass toward Sannoh’s half.

Sendoh activated Wildness to break past Sawakita Eiji and score a fadeaway, bringing Ryonan within two points of Sannoh. Sawakita then revealed a powerful birdlike aura, leaving Sendoh facing the full force of his strength.

• Sendoh activated Wildness to get past Sawakita Eiji's defense and charge into Sannoh's paint.
• Masashi Kawata tried to block Sendoh, but Sendoh scored a fadeaway jumper to make the score Ryonan 49, Sannoh 51.
• Fukatsu Issei warned Sawakita Eiji that Ryonan was catching up, and Sawakita dropped his carefree expression.
• Sawakita Eiji released a powerful aura that formed a huge birdlike phantom, while Sendoh felt its pressure and tightened his grip on the ball.
• A piercing screech rang through the arena as Sawakita's power became apparent to both teams.

Sawakita Eiji awakened Wildness in the form of a Golden Eagle, whose overwhelming pressure stunned Ryonan as he launched a fast break. Sendoh chased him down, and the two faced off in a rapid battle inside Ryonan’s paint.

• Sawakita Eiji revealed a Golden Eagle phantom, startling Sendoh and Chi Tong with its unusual form.
• The Golden Eagle’s oppressive aura overwhelmed Ryonan’s players, including Uozumi, Yueye Hongming, and Fukuda Kicchou.
• Sawakita Eiji raced toward Ryonan’s basket with the ball, while Sendoh pursued him and Uozumi called for the team to get back on defense.
• Sawakita Eiji and Sendoh reached the paint and began a high-speed contest of dribbling and defense.

Sawakita Eiji repeatedly outmaneuvered Sendoh, scoring for Sannoh Industrial High School and widening its lead over Ryonan. Sendoh met Sawakita’s challenge with renewed determination and vowed to defeat him.

• Sawakita Eiji feinted past Sendoh and scored, bringing the score to Ryonan 49, Sannoh Industrial High School 55.
• Sendoh drove toward Sannoh’s basket, but Sawakita Eiji anticipated his route and stopped his advance.
• Fukuda Kicchou set a screen to help Sendoh get around Sawakita, but Sawakita recovered and stole the ball.
• Sawakita Eiji raced down the court and scored over Sendoh, extending Sannoh’s lead to 57–49.
• Sendoh told Sawakita he would defeat him, and Sawakita challenged him to show what he could do.

Sendoh and Sawakita Eiji traded spectacular baskets and defensive plays until Sawakita stole the ball and scored over Ryonan’s defenders, extending Sannoh Industrial High School’s lead to 76–66. He then blocked Sendoh’s next shot, leaving the ball falling toward the boundary as Ryonan’s possession remained unresolved.

• Sendoh and Sawakita Eiji exchanged baskets and defensive stops as the score climbed during their fast-paced duel.
• Sawakita Eiji stole the ball from Sendoh and raced toward Ryonan’s basket.
• Yu Zhu, Fukuda Kicchou, and Sendoh converged to trap Sawakita Eiji, but he slipped past them and dunked to make the score 76–66.
• Sendoh advanced again with the help of screens, but Sawakita Eiji got in front of him and swatted his shot toward out of bounds.

Chi Tong scored for Ryonan, but Sannoh took control as Matsumoto Minoru repeatedly broke through and hit three-pointers, pushing the lead to fourteen. Just as Ryonan seemed overwhelmed, Sannoh requested a substitution, leaving everyone stunned.

• Chi Tong salvaged a loose ball and scored, bringing Ryonan to 68 against Sannoh Industrial High School's 76.
• Sawakita Eiji shut down Sento's attacks, while Masashi Kawata continued to overpower Yu Zhu under the basket.
• Matsumoto Minoru broke past Yueye Hongming and scored, extending Sannoh's lead to 79–68.
• Matsumoto Minoru repeatedly beat Yueye Hongming and Koshino, then made three consecutive three-pointers to put Sannoh ahead 88–74.
• Sannoh Industrial High School called for a substitution despite holding a fourteen-point lead, surprising everyone in the gym.

Sannoh Industrial High School brought in Nobe Masahiro to strengthen its rebounding and shut down Ryonan’s offense, leaving Taoka Moichi anxious about the widening deficit. Chi Tong broke through Sannoh’s defense with the Eye of Heaven and brought down Masashi Kawata and Nobe Masahiro, then released a shot at the open basket.

• Nobe Masahiro replaced Sannoh’s number 8, and Chi Tong recognized that Sannoh intended to protect the paint and extend its lead.
• Nobe Masahiro repeatedly intercepted passes to Fukuda Kicchou, cutting off Ryonan’s main scoring play and frustrating Fukuda.
• Chi Tong activated the Eye of Heaven, faked out Fukatsu Kazunari, and drove into Sannoh’s paint.
• Sento drew defenders away as Chi Tong used crossovers to knock Masashi Kawata and Nobe Masahiro off balance and onto the floor.
• With the basket open, Chi Tong raised the ball and sent his shot toward the rim.

Sawakita Eiji intercepted Sendoh Akira’s alley-oop, setting off a Sannoh fast break that ended with Matsumoto Minoru’s three-pointer and an 18-point lead. Ryonan called timeout, and Taoka ordered Koshino to shadow Sannoh’s number 6.

• Sawakita Eiji intercepted Sendoh Akira’s alley-oop and passed ahead to Fukatsu Kazunari.
• Fukatsu drove toward Ryonan’s basket as Sento, Chi Tong, and Sendoh chased him.
• Fukatsu passed backward to Matsumoto Minoru, who caught the ball beyond the three-point line and made the shot.
• Sannoh extended its lead to 100–82, prompting Tiangang Maoyi to call a timeout for Ryonan.
• Taoka Moichi berated Ryonan’s defense and ordered Koshino to stay close to Sannoh’s number 6.