Chapter Summaries

Kawamoto Kazuki hauled a net holding more than three hundred kilos of skipjack tuna onto the boat, astonishing Rudy Tomjanovich with his strength. Afterward, Rudy learned Kawamoto played high school basketball and decided to visit his game in Yokohama, though he only said he would try to attend.

• Matsusaka and Kobayashi struggled to lift the heavy net, so Rudy joined them, but they still could not raise it onto the boat.
• Kawamoto took over and hauled the netful of skipjack tuna onto the deck by himself, leaving the others stunned.
• Rudy was impressed by Kawamoto's strength and decided he had to see the boy play basketball at the prefectural gymnasium in Yokohama.
• At lunch, Matsusaka thanked Kawamoto and offered to pay him whenever he joined the fishing trips.
• Rudy asked about Kawamoto's next game, learned it was on May nineteenth at nine in the morning, and said he would try to attend.

After returning from a successful fishing trip, Kawamoto Kazuki delivered seafood to people who had helped him and visited Hanamichi Sakuragi. Learning that Sakuragi lived alone, Kazuko offered to make him a nutritious boxed lunch each morning.

• Rudy Tomjanovich grew to respect Kawamoto Kazuki's steady diligence during two days at sea.
• Boss Matsusaka paid Kawamoto extra wages and gave him three boxes of fresh seafood, which Kawamoto and Kazuko sorted into gifts for their friends and employers.
• Kawamoto brought seafood to Sakuragi and learned that Sakuragi's father had died and his mother had been absent since he was little.
• Kawamoto told Kazuko about Sakuragi's circumstances, and she offered to prepare an extra nutritious boxed lunch for him every morning.

Shohoku prepared to face Miuradai in the first round of the prefectural tournament, but Coach Anzai surprised everyone by starting Kawamoto Kazuki alongside four reserves and leaving the team’s stars on the bench. Kawamoto promised to try to end the game in the first half as the opening tip-off approached.

• Kawamoto praised Mitsui’s practice shot, then declined Mitsui’s invitation to play before warming up.
• Akagi warned Shohoku that Miuradai had reached the quarterfinals the previous year, while Sakuragi misunderstood Shohoku’s past finish as a respectable result.
• Kawamoto gave Sakuragi a homemade bento, and Sakuragi loved it so much that he asked to be treated like Kawamoto’s little brother.
• At the tournament gym, Miuradai’s Murasame mocked Shohoku, while Ryonan’s players and the spectators questioned Shohoku’s unusual lineup.
• Coach Anzai named Kogure, Yasuda, Shiozaki, Kakuta, and Kawamoto as starters, told them to pass to Kawamoto whenever possible, and gave him permission to shoot freely.
• Kawamoto remained calm as Shohoku and Miuradai took the court for the opening tip, with the crowd expecting Miuradai to dominate.

Kawamoto Kazuki dominated the opening of Shohoku’s game against Miuradai, scoring three consecutive three-pointers in the first thirty seconds. After Miuradai fell behind 9-0, Kengo Murasame angrily announced that he would guard Kawamoto himself.

• Kawamoto Kazuki won the tip-in sequence, caught Kiminobu Kogure’s pass, and scored a three-pointer five seconds into the game.
• Kawamoto stole Kazuo Araki’s dribble and made another three-pointer to give Shohoku a 6-0 lead.
• Kawamoto stopped Araki’s drive, blocked his jump shot, chased down the ball, and scored his third three-pointer for a 9-0 lead.
• Ryota Miyagi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Ryonan’s players reacted in disbelief to Kawamoto’s explosive start.
• Kengo Murasame shouted at Miuradai to switch defenders and declared that he would guard Kawamoto himself.

Kawamoto dominated Miuradai with steals, blocks, a rebound, and three-pointers as Shohoku raced to a 15-0 lead. Murasame tried to rally his team and defend Kawamoto, but Kawamoto fooled him into jumping again.

• Kawamoto stole Murasame’s pass and scored his fourth three-pointer, putting Shohoku ahead 12-0.
• Kawamoto blocked Kawasaki’s shot, then used a Shammgod move to get Murasame airborne and hit another three for a 15-0 lead.
• Murasame switched defensive assignments with Araki, then called for Miyamoto’s screen and missed a midrange shot.
• Kawamoto grabbed the rebound over Kawasaki and Kakuta, started a fast break with Yasuda, and received the ball back.
• Kawamoto repeated his shooting fake, and Murasame jumped desperately to block him.

Kawamoto Kazuki scored his sixth three-pointer to give Shohoku an 18-0 lead over Miuradai, prompting a timeout. As his teammates reckoned with his skill, Kawamoto encouraged the upperclassmen to take open shots if Miuradai began double-teaming him, and play resumed.

• Kawamoto pump-faked Murasame into the air again and sank a three, making the score 18-0 and forcing Miuradai to call a timeout.
• The Ryonan players criticized Murasame's defense while Akira Sendoh wondered whether Miuradai was truly as weak as the game suggested.
• Ryota Miyagi, Takenori Akagi, Hisashi Mitsui, and Kaede Rukawa each considered how Kawamoto's defense, rebounding, and scoring compared with their own abilities.
• Hanamichi Sakuragi celebrated Kawamoto's performance, and Kawamoto accepted Ayako's towel and checked in with Coach Anzai.
• Kawamoto warned Kogure, Yasuda, Shiozaki, and Kakuta that Miuradai might double- or triple-team him, and urged them to shoot immediately when he passed to them.
• Kogure, Yasuda, Shiozaki, and Kakuta agreed to trust Kawamoto's passes and help with shooting and rebounding as play resumed.

Kawamoto Kazuki dismantled Miuradai’s defense and offense, helping Shohoku build a 26-0 lead in less than five minutes. Miuradai’s players lost their composure, and their coach called his final first-half timeout with over thirty-five minutes still on the clock.

• Miuradai’s Murasame, Miyamoto, and Takatsu trapped Kawamoto, but he passed between Miyamoto’s legs to Shiozaki, then battled for rebounds after Shiozaki and Kogure missed shots.
• Kogure made his third open attempt after Kawamoto secured two offensive rebounds, putting Shohoku ahead 20-0.
• Kawamoto stole the ball from Araki and scored his seventh three-pointer, extending the lead to 23-0.
• Takatsu stopped running, and Murasame and Araki panicked while passing the ball between them until Kogure stole it and passed ahead to Kawamoto.
• Kawamoto caught Kogure’s pass and scored his eighth three-pointer, making it 26-0; Miuradai’s coach called a timeout as his players lost their fighting spirit.

Miuradai's coach gave up on the game and warned his players to face the realities awaiting them after graduation, leaving them too distracted to resist Shohoku's starters. Coach Anzai then asked Kawamoto about his future, and Kawamoto chose to stay in Japan for his mother's sake while pursuing his dream; Anzai promised to help him become Japan's number one.

• Miuradai's coach told Murasame and his teammates they could not beat the leading teams and urged them to prepare for life after graduation.
• Kawamoto asked Coach Anzai to substitute him, and Shohoku sent Akagi, Rukawa, Miyagi, Mitsui, and Sakuragi onto the court.
• Miuradai's players barely defended and shared stories of their families' struggles, while Mitsui scored an uncontested three-pointer.
• Coach Anzai told Kawamoto that Kanagawa's league was no longer enough for his ability and asked whether he dreamed of going to the United States.
• Kawamoto said he would remain in Japan to care for his recovering mother, improve his skills, and save money before seeking an opportunity abroad.
• Coach Anzai promised to help Kawamoto become Japan's number one, and Kawamoto vowed to give it everything he had.

Kawamoto Kazuki led Shohoku to a crushing victory over Miuradai, while Rudy Tomjanovich arrived too late to see his remarkable performance. After the game, Kawamoto's respectful words helped Miuradai captain Kengo Murasame regain some resolve, beginning an unexpected friendship.

• Rudy Tomjanovich arrived late, saw Shohoku leading Miuradai 68-0, and left without seeing Kawamoto Kazuki play.
• Shohoku finished the game with an even more lopsided score, and the teams lined up to exchange acknowledgments.
• Kengo Murasame angrily accused Kawamoto of mocking Miuradai when Kawamoto offered him a handshake.
• Kawamoto praised Miuradai's early confidence and determination, explaining that he respected their desire to win.
• Murasame accepted Kawamoto's handshake and found some relief from the humiliation of the loss.

After Shohoku’s lopsided win over Miuradai, Kawamoto Kazuki demonstrated his shot fake to Hisashi Mitsui and challenged the starters to prove themselves against Kakuno. Shohoku won 180-16, and Kawamoto began assessing the team’s weaknesses, starting with Takenori Akagi’s limited scoring range.

• Shinichi Maki told Nobunaga Kiyota and Soichiro Jin that Miuradai had treated its game against Shohoku like a joke, so the 102-0 result revealed little about Shohoku’s strength.
• Hisashi Mitsui asked Kawamoto Kazuki how he had fooled Murasame with a shot fake, and Kawamoto demonstrated the technique until Mitsui understood its key movements and went off to practice.
• Kawamoto told Akagi, Miyagi, Mitsui, Rukawa, and Sakuragi to show their full ability against Kakuno so he could identify weaknesses in their play.
• Three days later, Shohoku’s starters dominated Kakuno, with Mitsui using the new fake to create three-point shots, and won 180-16.
• Toru Hanagata watched Shohoku’s victory with Jun Uozumi and claimed Shoyo would beat Shohoku by at least twenty points.
• Kawamoto praised Shohoku’s offense but told Takenori Akagi to expand his scoring range and try bank shots, noting that his current offense relied on a small area beneath the basket.

Kawamoto advised Shohoku’s players on improving their games before the match against Takahata High. On the way to school, Mitsui tried to enlist Kawamoto’s help after seeing Tetsuo chased by bikers, but Kawamoto took his appeal literally and left Mitsui to save him alone.

• Kawamoto recommended bank shots to Akagi, jump shots and floaters to Miyagi, better passing decisions to Rukawa, and fearlessness in trying new skills to Sakuragi.
• Three days before Shohoku’s game against Takahata High, Kawamoto met Mitsui on the way to the station and explained that convincing fakes depended on a threatening three-point shot.
• Mitsui and Kawamoto saw several bikers chasing Tetsuo, and Mitsui decided he could not leave his brother in trouble.
• Mitsui gave Kawamoto an emotional speech meant to persuade him to help rescue Tetsuo, but Kawamoto agreed only to pass on Mitsui’s message.
• Kawamoto urged Mitsui to go save Tetsuo while he explained the situation to the team, leaving Mitsui stunned.

Kawamoto Kazuki reconsidered his refusal to help Mitsui and arrived in the alley just as Ryu threatened to cripple Mitsui’s hands. Kawamoto rescued Mitsui and confronted Ryu, ending with a chilling threat to hunt him down and beat him until he left Hiratsuka.

• Mitsui ran toward the alley to save Tetsuo after Kawamoto refused to help, and Kawamoto followed because he feared Mitsui’s basketball future would be ruined.
• Kawamoto found Tetsuo unconscious and bloodied while two thugs pinned Mitsui down and Ryu threatened him with a steel pipe.
• Kawamoto knocked out the two thugs, bent Ryu’s steel pipe, and punched a helmeted attacker unconscious.
• Ryu threatened to report Kawamoto to Shohoku, but Kawamoto dismissed the threat and warned that he would pursue and beat Ryu until he left Hiratsuka.

Kawamoto drove Ryu and his gang out of the alley, then helped Tetsuo consider a way to find work without relying on Mitsui’s family. As Mitsui and Kawamoto headed for the basketball game, Mitsui proposed taking a taxi and joked that he was a rich kid.

• Kawamoto threatened Ryu until he fled the alley, leaving his unconscious companions behind.
• Tetsuo told Mitsui he had struggled to find work and refused Mitsui’s offer to ask his father for help.
• Tetsuo thanked Kawamoto and said goodbye to Mitsui as he prepared to leave.
• Kawamoto suggested Tetsuo explore connecting skilled temporary workers with clients in Hiratsuka.
• Tetsuo thanked Kawamoto again, then rode away on his motorcycle with renewed hope.
• Mitsui suggested taking a taxi to the prefectural gymnasium, and Kawamoto called him a simple, down-to-earth rich kid.

Shohoku overwhelmed Takahata while Shoyo’s Kenji Fujima and Toru Hanagata watched and planned how to counter them. On the bench, Kawamoto Kazuki analyzed Shoyo and proposed that he start at point guard to exploit their guards’ disadvantages in size and strength.

• Coach Anzai told Kawamoto Kazuki to rest his injured hand during Shohoku’s game against Takahata and invited him to watch from the bench.
• Shohoku surged to a 15-2 lead, while Kenji Fujima and Toru Hanagata watched from the stands and assessed Shohoku’s players and weaknesses.
• Kawamoto reviewed Shoyo’s roster with Ayako and concluded that Shoyo relied chiefly on Kenji Fujima and Toru Hanagata.
• Kawamoto recommended that Takenori Akagi focus on defense and rebounding, while Shohoku used its other scorers to attack Shoyo.
• Kawamoto proposed starting at point guard against Shoyo, arguing that his height and strength would let him overwhelm Kenji Fujima or Taku Ito.

After Shohoku’s commanding win over Takahata, the team practiced with renewed intensity ahead of its game against Shoyo. Watching Kawamoto bring his teammates together made Akagi reflect on their bond and the limited time he had left with them before he rallied everyone to keep practicing.

• Shohoku defeated Takahata High School 128-36 and advanced to the final sixteen of the prefectural tournament.
• Kawamoto’s teammates were already practicing before the scheduled morning session, with Mitsui challenging Kogure, Sakuragi facing Akagi, and Miyagi seeking Rukawa’s advice.
• Mitsui challenged Kawamoto to defend him, but Kawamoto blocked his shot and Mitsui returned to practicing against Kogure.
• Kakuta, Shiozaki, Yasuda, Sasaoka, Ishii, and Kuwata asked Kawamoto for help, and he gave each of them specific advice.
• Akagi watched Kawamoto guide the team and reflected on their closeness, his dream of winning the national championship, and his regret that he had only a few months left with them.
• Akagi pushed aside his emotion, returned to the court, and urged everyone to make the most of practice before the Shoyo game.

Kawamoto invited Sakuragi to train with him, and the two met Takamiya and Haruko on their way to the court. After Haruko promised to cheer for Sakuragi at Shohoku’s next game, Kawamoto and Takamiya confronted him about his crush and his fifty failed confessions, leaving Sakuragi to explain why he was afraid to confess to Haruko.

• Kawamoto invited Sakuragi to train with him one-on-one and arranged to visit the next morning.
• On the way to the seaside court, Sakuragi and Kawamoto ran into Takamiya, who was out sampling breakfast.
• Haruko met them while jogging, praised Kawamoto and Sakuragi, and promised to cheer for Sakuragi when Shohoku played Shoyo.
• Kawamoto asked whether Sakuragi secretly liked Haruko, and Takamiya confirmed that he did.
• Takamiya revealed that Sakuragi had suffered fifty failed confessions in middle school, and Kawamoto asked why he still could not confess to Haruko.

Kawamoto Kazuki encouraged Sakuragi to channel his feelings for Haruko into improving his basketball, then trained him in off-ball movement. After practice, Kawamoto invited Sakuragi and Nozomi Takamiya to his home for lunch, where Mom Kazuko welcomed them and enjoyed the lively meal.

• Sakuragi told Kawamoto that Haruko felt different from the girls he had confessed to before and that rejection from her would devastate him.
• Kawamoto urged Sakuragi to perform well in the game against Shoyo and offered to create chances for him to show his abilities.
• Kawamoto trained Sakuragi in off-ball movement with Takamiya passing, and Sakuragi gradually learned to find space and shoot while moving.
• Kawamoto ended the training and invited Sakuragi and Takamiya to his home for Mom Kazuko's chanko hot pot.
• Sakuragi and Takamiya enthusiastically ate and bickered over the food, while Mom Kazuko felt glad to see her home lively and her son smiling.

Kawamoto Kazuko remembered how she lost her husband, struggled to raise Kazuki while battling heart disease, and asked Dr. Kitakura to hide her condition from her son. After hearing Kazuki say he would give up basketball for her, she told him her health had improved and she could stop taking her expensive medicine.

• Kazuko recalled how she married Kawamoto Shinsaku against her father's wishes and built a happy life with him and their son, Kazuki.
• After Shinsaku died in a project accident and the company blamed him, Kazuko's father rejected her when she returned to the Suzuki home for help.
• Kazuko raised Kazuki alone in Hiratsuka, took on exhausting odd jobs, and was diagnosed with left main coronary artery disease.
• Dr. Kitakura told Kazuko that Professor Minamino had performed successful bypass operations, but her surgery remained risky and unaffordable.
• Kazuko pleaded with Dr. Kitakura to tell Kazuki she had recovered if he asked about her condition, and he reluctantly agreed.
• After Kazuki said he would give up basketball for her, Kazuko told him her condition had stabilized and she could gradually stop taking her medicine.

After training with Kawamoto and Takamiya, Sakuragi looked forward to facing Tsukubu, while Akagi and Kogure encountered Tsukubu captain Tomokazu Godai, who boasted about a promising newcomer. Later, Sakuragi saw Haruko practicing and flew into a rage when a reckless rider impressed her with a dangerous dunk.

• Sakuragi and Takamiya helped Mom Kazuko clean up after dinner, then trained with Kawamoto until dusk; Kawamoto said he would take the next day off to spend time with Mom.
• On the train, Tomokazu Godai tried to rattle Akagi and Kogure before their game, boasting that Tsukubu had a powerful first-year newcomer named Nango.
• Akagi and Kogure stayed composed after Godai left, and Kogure said Shohoku would play at its own pace.
• Sakuragi and his friends spotted Haruko practicing at a street court, but she missed her shot when a speeding motorcycle startled her.
• The rider leaped off the moving motorcycle and dunked Haruko's rebounding ball, then called her cute as she hurried away.
• Sakuragi shouted angrily at the rider and climbed over the court's high wire fence to confront him.

Hanamichi Sakuragi clashed with Tsukubu’s Koichiro Nango, who challenged Shohoku and wagered that Haruko would be his if Tsukubu won. Meanwhile, reporter Sanae Nakagawa assessed the upcoming game and favored Tsukubu’s teamwork over Shohoku’s individual talent.

• Sakuragi headbutted Nango after the blond delinquent nearly hit Haruko, and the two traded headbutts over their rivalry for her.
• Sakuragi claimed he and Haruko were a perfect match, then Nango learned his identity and challenged Shohoku, wagering that Haruko would be his if Tsukubu won.
• Sakuragi rejected the wager but vowed to defeat Nango and lead Shohoku to victory as Nango rode away.
• Sanae Nakagawa interviewed Tsukubu coach Kazumi Kawasaki and argued that Shohoku’s weak coordination made Tsukubu the stronger contender.
• Kawasaki said Tsukubu was prepared for the game, while Sanae concluded that she still favored Tsukubu despite her concern about Kaede Rukawa’s scoring ability.