Chapter Summaries

Ryota Kudo, Eiji Sawakita, Hiroshi Morishige, and the other players completed a day of ability tests, impressing the coaches with their distinct strengths. After the exhausted players finished, Wang Zhizhi pointed out that Hiroshi Morishige was still practicing alone.

• Ryota Kudo excelled across shooting, post play, defense, and scrimmages, while Eiji Sawakita stood out as a scorer, Wang Zhizhi demonstrated polished post skills, and Hiroshi Morishige showed exceptional physical strength.
• Gong Xiaobin and the coaches praised Kudo's all-around skills, Sawakita's scoring, and Morishige's potential as a dominant center if he improved his technique.
• The coaches recognized the three Japanese players as major prospects and discussed how strong China's young players would need to be in future Asian competitions.
• After the tests left Ryota Kudo and Wang Zhizhi exhausted, Wang noticed Hiroshi Morishige continuing to practice on the empty court.

Ryota Kudo and Wang Zhizhi discussed Hiroshi Morishige’s extra practice and Wang warned that the powerful Bateer would join the camp the next day. Bateer arrived during morning training, declared himself the camp’s strongest center, and drew challenging looks from Wang and Morishige.

• Ryota Kudo watched Hiroshi Morishige practice and said Wang Zhizhi’s skills had shown Morishige his shortcomings.
• Wang Zhizhi told Kudo about Bateer, a powerful center from Inner Mongolia who was scheduled to arrive the next day.
• Bateer entered the gym during morning training and introduced himself to the players.
• Bateer declared that he was the strongest center in the training camp.
• Wang Zhizhi met Bateer’s claim with a cold, competitive smile, while Hiroshi Morishige eagerly focused on the new challenger.

Bateer’s arrival sparked a rivalry among the camp’s top post players, and Ryota Kudo observed his strength and solid fundamentals. In a three-on-three scrimmage, Bateer blocked Hiroshi Morishige’s post move and overpowered him on offense, but Morishige’s athleticism produced a defensive rebound that led to Ryota Kudo’s fast-break dunk for a 2-0 lead.

• Bateer’s arrival intensified competition with Wang Zhizhi and Hiroshi Morishige during training.
• Ryota Kudo studied Bateer and recognized his strong fundamentals, rebounding instincts, and overwhelming strength.
• Ryota Kudo, Eiji Sawakita, and Hiroshi Morishige faced Bateer’s team in a three-on-three scrimmage.
• Hiroshi Morishige failed to move Bateer in the post, and Bateer blocked his hook shot out of bounds.
• Bateer backed Morishige down and attempted a floater, but Morishige tipped the ball off course and grabbed the offensive rebound.
• Morishige passed to Ryota Kudo, who raced downcourt and dunked to give his team a 2-0 lead.

Ryota Kudo led his team to defeat Bateer’s team and established himself as the Asian U18 training camp’s standout player. The camp ended without its planned final tournament, and Kudo and Wang Zhizhi parted with a promise to meet in the NBA.

• Ryota Kudo and Eiji Sawakita used their speed, shooting, and passing to help defeat Bateer’s team 15-9, while Hiroshi Morishige and Bateer each revealed strengths and weaknesses.
• As the training camp progressed, Ryota Kudo’s skill, adaptability, and leadership impressed the players and coaches, and Eiji Sawakita admitted Kudo was better at influencing a team’s play.
• Gong Xiaobin and the other coaches canceled the final five-on-five round-robin tournament, deciding to evaluate players based on the camp instead.
• Ryota Kudo, Eiji Sawakita, and Hiroshi Morishige prepared to leave for Japan, disappointed that they would not play another game before departing.
• Wang Zhizhi saw Ryota Kudo off and said he hoped to develop in China’s CBA before pursuing the NBA.
• Ryota Kudo told Wang Zhizhi that the NBA was his own ultimate goal, and the two promised to meet there.