The only second-year student was Eiji Sawakita, but he was going abroad.
In other words, Sannoh will be replacing its entire roster next year, and just patching up the holes will be a huge challenge for Goro Domoto. This year's Sannoh, Goro Domoto calls the "strongest Sannoh," is also the "last Sannoh." Judging from their performance in this year's national tournament, no one will dare to laugh next year.
Goro Domoto will be very busy during the off-season.
"Brother, I'm sorry, that big guy... he was pretty formidable."
Mikio Kawata walked to the sidelines with an innocent look on his face and immediately began to criticize himself, even though he had no idea what he had done wrong. Apologizing was as natural to him as breathing.
Those unaware of the situation might think that Masashi Kawata is usually unreasonable.
Okay, he really is unreasonable with his younger brother.
"Idiot, you wasted four excellent opportunities; there were three more times you could have done better defensively!"
"If you do that again, I'll beat you up."
Masashi Kawata raised his hand, Mikio shrank back, but instead of a slap, he received encouragement.
"It's alright overall. I'll treat you to something nice tonight."
It was rare for Masashi Kawata to smile at his younger brother. This match could be considered Mikio's masterpiece. After all, Uozumi isn't just anyone; he's a center with a name that everyone can recognize.
Mikio scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. Despite his brother's fierce demeanor, he really couldn't bear to be apart from him. He figured next year would be a rather awkward time.
"Well done, you're all great."
Moichi Taoka stood on the sidelines, patting each player on the shoulder. Each young man was his precious darling. When Uozumi came over, Moichi Taoka slapped his arm hard, opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.
Alright, let's leave it at that.
"Queue."
Uozumi beckoned to his teammates; this was probably the last time he would act as captain on the field. His teammates immediately lined up and followed Uozumi to the midfield. Goro Domoto also led the entire Sannoh team to greet them; Ryonan was a team he deserved to give a lot of face.
The two teams stood facing each other, with Goro Domoto Moichi Taoka shaking hands.
" Ryonan is great, let's meet again next year."
Goro Domoto spoke quite sincerely.
We've learned a lot this time, thank you for your guidance.
Moichi Taoka replied politely, but it wasn't just empty talk. The Ryonan kids had indeed improved in this game, especially Kaede Rukawa, who seemed to have shed a layer of skin. Moichi Taoka used to envy the Shohoku players' evolution in games, and this time, he had his moment.
"You played very well, but unfortunately, my opponent was me."
Looking at Sendoh and Kaede Rukawa, Eiji Sawakita Eiji's words, though rough, were true. The points he scored alone weren't much less than the combined total of the Twin Stars. Of course, there was the issue of tactical core, but regardless of Sendoh or Kaede Rukawa, they had to admit that Eiji Sawakita was indeed stronger than them.
The only one who can challenge him is Shirasawa.
"If you're going to be this arrogant in the next match, Kitazawa, I'll be waiting to see."
Sendoh laughed and threw back a retort. Sawakita's mouth hadn't stopped the whole time, so to say he didn't take it to heart would be pure nonsense. But Sendoh was the type to keep a straight face, deliberately picking a moment to poke you in the right direction.
Talking about the future is too vague; everyone knows Sawakita is about to go abroad. If nothing unexpected happens, it will be difficult to even see him again. So let's talk about the present situation— Sawakita, do you think you can leave with the title of "Number One in the Country"? I'm afraid that's unlikely.
"What a coincidence, I'm waiting too."
Kaede Rukawa replied expressionlessly, his mind focused on only one thing: Shirasawa would make it up to him. Sawakita was indeed ridiculously strong, but as the person who knew Shirasawa's background best, Kaede Rukawa Kaede's scales always tipped in his favor— Shirasawa was even tougher than Sawakita.
The next match will be a collision between Mars and Earth, no doubt about it.
"You guys are talking about Shirasawa?" Eiji Sawakita raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm quite looking forward to it too. It should be more interesting to watch than fight you guys." He paused, then looked at Sendoh. "By the way, my name is Sawakita, Eiji Sawakita."
Sendoh blinked and smiled faintly, "Okay, Kitazawa."
At this point, only two teams remained in the national competition.
Fifty-seven teams fell one after another, with Shohoku High School and Sannoh Industrial High School emerging victorious from the left and right halves of the bracket.
They will meet in the finals.
There are only two days left in the season. Tomorrow is the only rest day, allowing both teams to get into peak physical condition so they can go all out for the final game the day after. This competition doesn't need any hype; the buzz is already burning. They are the two hottest teams in the country this year, bar none.
They're not just competing for the national championship, but also for the title of "Number One High School Student in the Country."
Shohoku's story has long been known throughout the country, completely different from Sannoh's. Last year, Shohoku was eliminated in the first round of the prefectural tournament group stage. This year, however, they've defied the odds, advancing undefeated to the national finals. Phrases like "rebirth from the ashes" and "transformation from the cocoon" are used to describe them. They're just one step away from a spectacular comeback. This kind of story is far more captivating than Sannoh's path to victory. The clamor for Shohoku's championship is already subtly overshadowing Sannoh's.
That evening, at an izakaya (Japanese pub).
"Hehehe, I didn't interrupt your business, did I?"
"We can't afford to be late. Those kids made plans this morning; they won't leave until after Shohoku's game."
"Hehe, then you'll have to spend some money; guesthouses aren't cheap for a day."
"To be honest, the school was extremely satisfied with our results this time, and approved the funding very quickly. Otherwise, as the coach, I would have really disappointed everyone."
Two people sat facing each other at the small table. You could tell from their conversation that one was a senior and the other a junior. If a basketball fan happened to walk in, they would recognize them at a glance—Coach Anzai from Shohoku and Coach Taoka from Ryonan.
In the afternoon, Ryonan was supposed to go back to the guesthouse area to pack their luggage. As the last team eliminated from the national competition, they had already gotten a good deal on accommodation.
Back at the guesthouse, Moichi Taoka briefly summarized his thoughts, mainly encouraging everyone to look forward. With the season officially over, the team members, who had been on edge all season, finally relaxed. But this relaxation brought an overwhelming wave of fatigue. After all, Ryonan's training intensity was among the highest in the country. Now, these guys weren't just physically exhausted, but their minds were also too sluggish. Several team members even fell asleep while Moichi Taoka was speaking. Normally, they'd be doing a five-kilometer run. But today, Moichi Taoka just smiled and lowered his voice. What needed to be said still needed to be said; saying things at this moment carried more weight and would be remembered more firmly.
Moichi Taoka finished speaking, he was considering whether to ask the tournament organizers to let the team members rest a little longer. But then Uozumi gave everyone a surprise. He knew his teammates wanted to watch the finals, and as the captain, this was his final gift to everyone—two-day vouchers for the entire guesthouse area.
This was a considerable sum; the team's food and lodging for two days cost almost half of Moichi Taoka's monthly salary. But for Uozumi, it was manageable. Uozumi had discussed it with his family beforehand, explaining that he couldn't afford it on his own living expenses. Uozumi's parents readily agreed, not because their small sushi restaurant was booming, but because they knew this was their son's last act of care for his teammates, and basketball's final companionship to him.
Uozumi mentioned this, his teammates were overjoyed. However, it reminded Moichi Taoka —they could apply for funding from the school! They were now a top-four team in the nation, and the school's only task was to reach the national tournament. They had already exceeded expectations to an unprecedented degree; it was practically a miracle.
With Shohoku and Ryonan's performance this year, Kanagawa is definitely going to be upgraded to a basketball powerhouse. Next year's special funding will have to be several times greater. Two days of accommodation is nothing to worry about. So, Moichi Taoka picked up the phone and called the school.
Moichi Taoka a quick-witted and cunning man. As soon as the call connected, he adopted a debt-collecting stance, not a discussion, but a direct notification.
The school reacted incredibly quickly, agreeing readily. Not only did they approve the accommodation fees, but they also gave the boys extra money so they could eat their fill. After hanging up the phone, Moichi Taoka felt completely lightheaded.
Hmph, I guess I'm a renowned commander now, right? I can stand shoulder to shoulder with that old fox Riki Takato, can't I?
Uozumi's wallet was saved, but the team members had a clear conscience. They remembered this favor. They would be incredibly grateful if the next captain could be like Uozumi. So, everyone's eyes turned to Sendoh.
The problem is, Uozumi has mentioned many times before that this kid will be the next captain.
Everyone stared at Sendoh for a long time, and a thought popped into their minds.
Sendoh as captain? Is that reliable? If it were that guy, he'd probably be sitting on the beach with a fishing rod by now.
After settling into their accommodations, the entire Ryonan team marched off to Shohoku in the afternoon. Ostensibly, they were there to cheer them on, but in reality, they were there to unite against a common enemy and form a united front. The two teams got together and had a big get-together.
Coaches Anzai and Taoka, the two veteran coaches, simply let the younger generation have their fun. They went into an izakaya (Japanese pub) together, stealing a half-day of leisure. Moichi Taoka truly relaxed, enjoying his drinks immensely; while Anzai, on the other hand, held his glass, clearly preoccupied with many worries.
Actually, the idea of going out for drinks came from Coach Anzai. He wasn't doing it for himself; he wanted the players to clear their heads. Coach Anzai had noticed how nervous the players were. The Ryonan guys arrived just in time; otherwise, he would have had to go through the trouble of organizing a get-together for everyone.
In short, it all boils down to one thing—relax. The game is in two days, and if you keep the tension on, it's easy to break. In Coach Anzai's view, Shohoku's raw strength is no less than Sannoh Industrial High School's, but mentality is the key to victory.
Relaxation is fine, but we still need to figure out how to ignite their fighting spirit beforehand. Shohoku has always been a slow starter, which is their old problem. They usually rely on Shirasawa to set the pace, slowly build up their momentum, and then sweep the opponent away in one fell swoop.