After the game, Sanae's thigh was throbbing, just like Sendoh after his game against Sannoh. However, Sanae played for a bit longer than Sendoh did, so it's understandable that she was in this state.
After the game, the two went to the locker room to wash up. Sanae's stamina was completely depleted, but she was still stubborn. Relying on her silver tongue, she managed to get an extra point with Shirasawa to decide the winner. In the end Sanae knelt down and admitted defeat, foaming at the mouth. With Shirasawa's help, she cleaned herself up and went back to the guesthouse.
Coach Anzai gathered everyone in the lobby. Sanae, with a smile on her face, showed no trace of her previous disheveled appearance. She glanced around at everyone before speaking, "I have some news for you all. After the National Tournament, the National Basketball Association will be making a big move, and our Shohoku could very well be the biggest winner."
Big move? Biggest winner? Sanae's opening remarks immediately threw out two key words, and everyone exchanged glances before turning their attention to Coach Anzai. The old man was all smiles; clearly, Sanae had informed him beforehand. And judging from Coach Anzai's reaction, this seemed like a sure thing.
The National Basketball Association! Who would believe that this organization could be associated with Shohoku?
" Sanae- san, what's going on?!" Kogure's eyes lit up as he asked the question on everyone's mind. Of course, this didn't include Hanamichi Sakuragi; geniuses hate these roundabout ways the most. He frowned, completely confused.
"What basketball shoe association? Shoes store? Is it that mustachioed shop owner?" Sakuragi muttered to himself.
"If you don't know, shut up. Don't go around showing off your meager intelligence." Takenori Akagi closed his eyes helplessly, too lazy to even lift a finger. The finals were just around the corner, and if something went wrong, that would be a huge loss.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, Sanae smiled and said, "You guys remember Coach Anzai's car accident, right? There were two foreigners in the car that caused the accident, and they even went to the hospital together." As Sanae finished speaking, that memory also surfaced in the minds of the others. Only a few starters, Takenori Akagi, knew about this; the substitutes weren't there that day.
"I remember, Ms. Sanae was talking to them back then, I think they were from the Lighthouse Country?" Kogure recalled.
Sanae nodded. "That's right."
"That's right, it's someone from the Lighthouse Country, that guy is the representative of the Lighthouse Country Basketball Association."
Sanae paused, then added, "The other one was sent from Hairy Bear Country."
"But it's not over yet. People from the Chariot Country, the Kimchi Country, and the Rooster Country have all come."
"The basketball association representatives from these countries have gathered here for one thing—a joint invitational tournament!"
Upon hearing this, everyone froze on the spot.
A joint invitational tournament? I've heard of it, but nobody's ever actually seen one!
They've hosted these events a few times abroad, but they've never been involved in Cherry Blossom Country before. But this time, it seems they're going to be the hosts? Domestic basketball in China has indeed skyrocketed in recent years; even teams like Sannoh Industrial High School have competed abroad and achieved decent results. But who would have thought that a tournament of this caliber would fall to them?
Anyone who can participate in this kind of competition will have their career marked by an incredible achievement. This honor surpasses even the national competitions.
After all, it's an international competition; if you perform well, your fame will spread overseas.
Seeing that everyone was still stunned, Sanae continued, "The decision has just been finalized; in the end, four countries will participate."
" The Kimchi Country, the Chariot Country, and the Lighthouse Country! Add us to the mix."
"The name's already decided: the Four Nations High School Invitational Tournament. Each country will send one high school team, and the organizing committee is extremely strict; any hastily assembled all-star team can forget about it."
To put it bluntly, this is to prevent anyone from playing dirty tricks or engaging in underhanded dealings. Otherwise, the competition between universities would be meaningless.
Now that things have been said, everyone understands.
"So, our Shohoku might represent the whole country in the competition?!"
Kogure was so excited his glasses could practically catch fire. If he could go, it would be an incredible honor.
Even Takenori Akagi's breathing became heavy. To put it bluntly, this is on par with the national youth team! The difference in level is instantaneous. Moreover, this is going out to compete under the name of Shohoku, not just making it to the national level, but directly to the international level!
For over a decade Takenori Akagi had dreamed of dominating the nation, but he had never even considered breaking into the international arena. This ridiculously distant opportunity was now right in front of him, and the feeling was stuck in his throat, indescribable.
Hanamichi Sakuragi vaguely understood something, and just as he was about to open his mouth, Akagi grabbed his neck and shoved his large hand directly into his mouth.
Just listen, don't make a sound.
Sanae unscrewed the bottle and took a sip of water; her throat had been dry ever since she left the hotel.
" Shohoku doesn't just have a chance, their chance is ridiculously high. The representative from the Lighthouse Country told me privately that the team our country will ultimately send is the national champion team. The high school leagues of the other three countries have just finished, and they're all newly crowned champions. So, if you beat Sannoh tomorrow and win the national championship, Shohoku will be the representative team for the Four Nations High School Invitational Tournament! This news should be officially announced as soon as the national tournament ends."
Coach Anzai chuckled twice. "That's right, we have to seize this opportunity."
All team members remained silent for a few seconds.
Tomorrow's finals have taken on an additional layer of meaning. They've given us another reason why we absolutely must win.
This came at the perfect time, and Coach Anzai was already overjoyed. Yesterday, Uozumi had quietly given everyone a boost, and Shohoku's fighting spirit was already burning. But unexpectedly, just one night later, something even more exciting happened. The Four Nations High School Invitational Tournament —no one wanted to miss it. This even relegated the National Tournament to a simple qualifying round—the champion would secure a ticket to the international competition.
There's only one ticket available; if you want it, you have to risk your life and fight with your back against the wall.
This is more effective than any encouragement or psychological counseling. When the goal is set further ahead, the immediate pressure doesn't feel so heavy. The original outcome becomes just a process.
"Thank you for bringing us this news, Ms. Sanae." Takenori Akagi clenched his fists, his eyes blazing with fury. "Dominating the nation has always been a goal we absolutely must achieve. The Four Nations High School Invitational Tournament —we'll definitely go!"
He would do anything to make this opportunity slip through his fingers.
The other team members were equally excited. This might be their only chance to play in an international tournament in their lifetime. After all, this was a team-based competition, completely different from the national youth tournament, which was a patchwork of the nation's top players. If you weren't among the nation's top players, you wouldn't even get a chance. Besides, the national youth tournament wasn't held every year.
The temptation is too great.
"We must win!" Hisashi Mitsui vowed through gritted teeth.
"That's right, we're determined to participate in this invitational tournament," Miyagi chimed in.
Coach Anzai smiled with satisfaction, turning his gaze to Shirasawa. The meaning couldn't be clearer—you're the ace, hurry up and make your decision, the team is just waiting for you to deliver the final blow.
Shirasawa understood and nodded.
He slammed his hand on the table.
"Fuck him!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shohoku's morale exploded.
"Fuck him!!"
The words were a bit rough, but the energy they had was absolutely ignited.
There's no need for Shohoku to waste any more words; their desire to win has already reached its peak.
However, this news wasn't known only to Shohoku.
Goro Domoto of Sannoh Industrial High School also caught wind of the situation, but his information was far less detailed than Sanae's. After all, Sanae had a direct connection with the Lighthouse Country, while Goro Domoto at most had some connections within the National Basketball Association. To have found out this much was already quite impressive.
But Goro Domoto didn't take it seriously at all.
In his view, this ticket was tailor-made for Sannoh and had long been part of the team's plan. He never dreamed that the Shohoku team was already sharpening their knives.
Today, the entire Sannoh was given a day off, and even their regular morning training session was cancelled.
Domoto's meaning was clear—rest up and we'll devour Shohoku tomorrow.
The fans, on the other hand, were quite busy.
The day before the final day of the national tournament, Slam Dunk released another supplementary issue. This magazine hadn't stopped for a month, its popularity skyrocketing. In just thirty days, it managed to break through a bunch of established publications and climb to the top of the list.
The speed at which he leaped up was just like Shirasawa from Shohoku.
To be honest, the reason why " Slam Dunk " was a hit was because of two things: the content was compelling and the prize draw was generous.
From the first episode featuring five-star high school students nationwide, to the hardcore rating of fifty-nine teams, and then to all sorts of bizarre records, award predictions, and MVP rankings each episode, each episode is more intense than the last. Of course, Shirasawa was behind the scenes giving pointers, but Yayoi Aida's comprehension and professional foundation are definitely worth watching.
This episode was the last one during the national competition, and also the most explosive one.
The magazine cover featured a headline that left fans speechless.
Ranking of High School Students Nationwide
This thing is definitely another nuclear bomb after the five-star high school student.
Before this, high school students across the country only recognized one number one: Eiji Sawakita. Apart from this universally acknowledged champion, no one had ever seriously said who was number two. But interestingly, there were plenty of players who thought they were number two.
The current " Slam Dunk " magazine has taken on a somewhat authoritative feel. Just like the previous five-star high school player and team rankings, they've been accepted by everyone without anyone even realizing it. When they release their rankings, fans' first reaction is to believe them.
Although no one can say for sure what official position this magazine has.
In short, this list will definitely become the default list in everyone's mind.
The rankings include twenty people, representing the top twenty high school students nationwide. A note next to the rankings specifically states that performance before the national finals is the only factor considered. After the finals, a second round of rankings will be conducted, similar to the rankings of the five-star high school students.
It's all about the rankings between the Shohoku and Sannoh players.
This adds another layer of intrigue to tomorrow's finals—who will face whom in the finals will determine their final ranking. The individual competitions will also begin alongside the team events.
This ranking carries significant weight for the selected players.
Just like five-star high school students, their reputation will become a real asset and a topic of conversation. Especially when college teams are recruiting, it's like having another advantage.
A magazine quietly stirred up the political landscape of college basketball.
These days, not only are fans following " Slam Dunk " closely, but players and teams are also keeping a close eye on it.
The top 20 selected this time are presented with very clear evidence. They are evaluated based on average stats, potential, contribution to the team, and hexagonal stats, using a comprehensive and watertight approach. Even if someone disagrees, they won't find a point to criticize.
Jiang Duo managed to choke out, "I refuse to accept this."