Three days later, Kanagawa Prefectural Gymnasium.
The arena buzzed with voices, every seat filled.
The annual high school basketball prefectural qualifiers officially began.
Teams from all over the prefecture, each carrying their own dreams and ambitions, had gathered here.
Among them, Shohoku High School was undoubtedly the one drawing the most attention.
When the Shohoku Players emerged from the players' tunnel in their bright red uniforms, every gaze in the gymnasium instantly focused on them.
"Look! It's Shohoku!"
"That white-haired guy is Shirakawa, right? The one who said in the magazine that he'd dominate the nation?"
"He doesn't look like much. Tall and skinny, more like a model."
"Shh! Keep it down! I heard he's a monster! He led Shohoku to a forty-five-point win over Ryonan!"
The stands erupted with endless discussion.
Meanwhile, scouts from other teams, such as Ryonan's Hikoichi Aida, held their notebooks with grave expressions, ready to record every detail about Shohoku.
"Big Sis, what kind of game do you think Shohoku will play today?" Hikoichi quietly asked Yayoi Aida beside him.
Yayoi Aida did not answer. She merely gripped her camera tightly, her burning gaze fixed on that white-haired figure.
Shirakawa's outrageously arrogant declaration from that night still echoed in her ears.
She had a powerful premonition that today, she would witness the beginning of a new era!
Shohoku's opponent today was Miuradai High School.
The Miuradai players stood at the other end of the court, glaring at the Shohoku Players with hostile expressions.
"Hmph, a bunch of country bumpkins, and they dare talk about dominating the nation? What a joke."
"Especially that white-haired brat. He looks like a girl. Just wait until I teach him a lesson!"
"Captain, let's show them what real basketball is today!"
Miuradai's captain, Kengo Murase, listened to his teammates' clamor