Recaps

Yo Aoki decided to coach Fire Phoenix and prepared the team to counter Emperor with double-team defense. After Fire Phoenix struggled through the first half, trailing 9:19, Aoki ordered them to switch tactics for the second half.

• Aoki told Shirota he would help Fire Phoenix as a coach, then returned to Kanagawa with him and agreed to meet the team the next evening.
• Aoki assessed Takezato’s weakened roster and decided he needed to discuss the team’s prospects with Coach Akai.
• Aoki studied Emperor with Fire Phoenix, identified their players’ tendency to play one-on-one, and taught the team how to double-team them.
• Emperor arrived at the packed court, and Iwai arranged a game under official rules with one of Fire Phoenix’s players serving as referee.
• Emperor took an early lead as Hiraide scored inside and Yamakawa added a basket, while Terashima’s defense repeatedly disrupted Fire Phoenix.
• At halftime, Fire Phoenix trailed 9:19, and Aoki told the exhausted players to begin double-teaming in the second half.

Fire Phoenix defeated the Emperor Team after double-teaming Yamakawa and Hiraide, whose selfish play and fouls disrupted their offense. Matsumoto Ryo provoked Yamakawa into challenging Yo Aoki one-on-one, and Aoki shut down his first attempt as their duel continued.

• Yo Aoki advised Fire Phoenix to double-team Yamakawa and keep Hiraide away from the basket, and the team forced Yamakawa into a charging foul.
• Terashima stole the ball from Yamada’s opponent, then fed Hiraide, whose possession ended in a steal and a fast-break score for Fire Phoenix.
• Yamakawa kept demanding the ball, fouled out, and watched Fire Phoenix take the lead and defeat the Emperor Team 31-29.
• Matsumoto Ryo whispered to Yamakawa, who stormed over and challenged Yo Aoki to a one-on-one game.
• Yo Aoki let Yamakawa attack first, knocked the ball away, and pressured him until he could only dribble cautiously.

Yo Aoki dominated a one-on-one duel with Yamakawa, then invited Terashima to consider transferring to Takezato High School. After Sakuragi called for help improving against Rukawa, Aoki joined him for special training while Shohoku traveled to Shizuoka for joint practice.

• Yo Aoki easily beat Yamakawa with a quick drive and a powerful dunk, leaving Yamakawa in tears, so the teams called the duel a draw.
• Yo Aoki asked Terashima about his upcoming move to Kanagawa and invited him to join Takezato High School; Terashima agreed to consider it seriously.
• Terashima told Yo Aoki that Matsumoto Ryo had recommended Fire Phoenix as the Emperor Team's first stop, and Yo Aoki wondered what Ryo was after.
• Sakuragi called Yo Aoki after Rukawa had badly beaten him in a one-on-one, and Yo Aoki arranged to help him in three days.
• Coach Anzai kept Sakuragi in Kanagawa for special training with Yo Aoki while the rest of Shohoku traveled to Jousei High School in Shizuoka.
• Miyagi wondered why Yo Aoki was joining Sakuragi's training when Coach Anzai would be coaching him personally.

Yo Aoki helped Sakuragi train his shooting and core strength, then returned to Takezato and oversaw a week of intensive practice and evaluations for eight new recruits. Coach Akai approved Aoki’s team-play plan, while Aoki identified Terashima Ya and Akio Wakamoto as promising additions.

• Coach Anzai assigned Sakuragi twenty thousand shots, and Aoki began teaching him core-strength exercises during a week of training.
• Anzai told Aoki that he might represent Kanagawa at the Autumn National Sports Festival, then asked why Aoki had not chosen Kainan or Ryonan.
• Coach Akai reprimanded Aoki for missing a week, put him in charge of evaluating eight newcomers, and urged the team to prepare for the Winter Selection Tournament.
• Aoki resumed Takezato’s demanding training, emphasized fundamentals and passing drills, and led the team through shuttle runs and frog jumps.
• Aoki and Shirota tested the newcomers over two days; Terashima Ya excelled in several areas, while Akio Wakamoto stood out for his speed.
• Coach Akai approved Aoki’s Seven-Nine-Zero style-of-play plan, and Aoki argued that the team could develop the shooting and passing it required through practice.

Yo Aoki announced the newcomers’ assessments and arranged a first-years-versus-second-years game, intending to make the first-years feel pressure by ensuring they lost. The second-years led comfortably as the first-years tired, but Akio Wakamoto entered late and immediately showed off his speed.

• Yo Aoki announced that Terashima Ya and Akio Wakamoto had earned regular spots, then assigned the first-years and second-years to play a game with the losers running five thousand meters.
• Terashima Ya encouraged his first-year teammates to move without the ball and delivered clever passes that helped them score against the second-years.
• Imamura and Hojo used their pick-and-roll and other plays to build a second-year lead, while Yo Aoki told Shirota he had deliberately set the first-years up to lose so they would feel urgency.
• The second-years led 22-14 at halftime, and the first-years’ stamina faded until Nakamura could barely walk.
• Yo Aoki sent Akio Wakamoto in for Nakamura, and Wakamoto immediately darted past Kawai after Terashima Ya passed him the ball.

After Aoki coached Shohoku through a scrimmage and training, Sannoh studied footage of Shohoku and identified Akagi’s limited offense and Aoki’s exceptional defense. The chapter ended with Anzai recalling Aoki’s advice on how Shohoku could use screens to counter Sannoh’s full-court press.

• Aoki reviewed the scrimmage, pointed out weaknesses in both years’ teams, and taught the first-years the triple-threat position before assigning them conditioning and shooting drills.
• Domoto arranged for Sannoh to study edited footage of Shohoku, while Sawakita said he hoped to face stronger players before going abroad.
• Sannoh watched Akagi and Aoki in game footage, and Sawakita noted Akagi’s limited offensive options and Aoki’s ability to defend players across positions.
• Domoto and Sannoh watched Takezato’s game against Shohoku, and Sawakita regretted that Aoki had not qualified for the national tournament.
• Anzai reviewed Sannoh’s roster and recalled how Aoki had warned him about Sannoh’s full-court press and demonstrated how Shohoku could use screens to help Miyagi advance the ball.

Aoki watched Shohoku defeat Sannoh in a dramatic finish, with Sakuragi scoring the game-winner despite being injured. In September, Takato and Taoka began assembling a mixed Kanagawa team for the National Sports Festival, but they left its coach undecided.

• Aoki advised Coach Anzai on breaking Sannoh's full-court press before traveling to Hiroshima to watch Shohoku play.
• Sakuragi stopped Mikio Kawata in the paint, and Shohoku later broke Sannoh's press with screens that freed Miyagi to pass to Rukawa for a dunk.
• Sannoh's Sawakita widened the lead, but Rukawa began passing to help Shohoku catch up before Sakuragi was injured.
• Rukawa passed to Sakuragi in the closing seconds, and Sakuragi made the game-winning shot as Shohoku beat Sannoh 79-78.
• Takato and Taoka discussed a mixed Kanagawa roster, including Aoki, Sakuragi, Akagi, and Uozumi, and proposed different starting lineups.
• Takato asked Taoka who would coach the National Sports Festival team, leaving the question unresolved.

Coach Akai told Yo Aoki that Kainan and Shoyo wanted to recruit him, but Aoki reaffirmed his commitment to Takezato and accepted Kanagawa’s National Sports Festival invitation. At Kainan’s training camp, the prefecture’s top players gathered and Aoki joined them, ready to compete alongside former rivals.

• Principal told Coach Akai that Kainan and Shoyo had asked to recruit Aoki, but Aoki promised he would stay at Takezato until he led the team to national supremacy.
• Aoki received an invitation to represent Kanagawa at the National Sports Festival and asked Akai to oversee Takezato’s training while he was away.
• Coach Anzai announced that five Shohoku players, including Sakuragi and Rukawa, had been selected for the training camp at Kainan.
• Kiyota confronted Sakuragi when Shohoku arrived at Kainan, while Akagi and Maki welcomed each other as teammates.
• Uozumi, Sendoh, Fukuda, Fujima, and Hanagata arrived with Coach Taoka, and Aoki joined the gathered players just before roll call.

Takato and Taoka formed rival teams for a training-camp scrimmage to assess the players and their leadership. The game began with Sendoh setting up Aoki for a powerful alley-oop dunk, and Maki’s team started its first attack.

• Takato named Maki the team’s core, and he and Taoka took turns drafting players for their scrimmage teams.
• Taoka named Fujima, Mitsui, Sendoh, Yo Aoki, and Uozumi as his starters, while Sendoh and others calmed Sakuragi after he protested being benched.
• Akagi and Uozumi tied the opening tip, and Aoki grabbed the loose ball before Fujima launched the white team’s attack.
• Sendoh asked Aoki to show how he ran the offense, then threw a high alley-oop that Aoki caught and slammed through the hoop.
• Maki brought the yellow team upcourt against Fujima, drove at him, then passed to Kiyota, who sent the ball toward the baseline.

The Kanagawa teams traded baskets in a high-level scrimmage, with Aoki, Fujima, Sendoh, and Uozumi showing strong coordination for the white team. Aida and Nakamura arrived to watch as the game continued, and Coach Takato called a break to adjust the lineup.

• Rukawa drew Sendoh and Uozumi before passing to Akagi, who fed Jin for a three-pointer that put the white team ahead 3-2.
• Aoki screened for Fujima, then cut to receive his pass and set up Uozumi for a dunk; Maki answered with a disguised pass to Akagi, whose hook shot made the score 5-4.
• Aida scolded the late-arriving Nakamura, then drove with him to Kainan High School to watch the internal scrimmage.
• With the yellow team leading 26-23, Aoki screened for Sendoh and cut to the basket to receive a pass and score, extending the white team's lead.
• Maki passed to Rukawa after Fujima covered Akagi, but Sendoh contested Rukawa's shot; Aoki won the rebound and started a fast break that ended with Sendoh catching Aoki's lob and dunking.
• Coach Takato called for a break and said he would adjust the lineup.

Yo Aoki proposed a 1-2-2 zone defense built around Fujima and Shoyo’s tall lineup, and the white team used it to disrupt Kainan’s offense. Aida also revealed that Eiji Sawakita would play for Sannoh at the National Sports Festival, while the scrimmage ended with Fujima stripping Jin.

• Yayoi Aida interviewed Coach Takato, who said Kanagawa would focus on team chemistry and that he was the team’s core.
• Yo Aoki proposed a 1-2-2 zone and suggested putting Sakuragi in; Taoka approved the plan after Aoki pointed out that Fujima and former Shoyo players could lead the defense.
• Aida told Aoki that Eiji Sawakita had stayed at Sannoh and would attend the National Sports Festival, prompting Rukawa to vow to defeat him.
• Takato substituted Takasago for Akagi, urged the yellow team to tighten its defense, and sent the teams back onto the court.
• The white team trapped Kainan’s players with its zone, and Fujima knocked the ball away from Jin as the sideline reacted to the defense.

Fujima led the white team against Maki and the yellow team, scoring and organizing an effective 1-2-2 zone defense that exposed the yellow team’s lack of cohesion. After a timeout, Taoka brought in Fukuda and asked Aoki for tactical advice, while Takato began to suspect Aoki was behind Taoka’s strategies.

• Fujima used a sharp change of direction to get past Maki and score, then urged the white team to hold steady and stop the next attack.
• Maki beat Fujima and scored through Sakuragi’s foul, but the white team’s zone defense later forced him to pass to Rukawa, whose contested shot went out of bounds.
• Fujima faked a pass to Sakuragi, drew Kiyota away, and set up Hanagata for a dunk as Aoki convinced Sakuragi that he had helped the play.
• Takato called a timeout after Rukawa’s attack failed, and he noticed that Fujima was leading a more cohesive white team while his own players lacked chemistry.
• Taoka substituted Fukuda for Aoki and asked Aoki for advice; Aoki recommended Ryonan-style offense for the white team and several possible lineup changes for the yellow team.
• The game resumed without a yellow-team substitution, as Takato kept his lineup on the court to reveal more of its weaknesses.

After the Kanagawa team’s scrimmage, Yo Aoki discussed possible lineups, gave Yayoi Aida an interview, and joined the others at Kainan High School. The chapter left Aoki in class after he provoked Kiyota into demanding a one-on-one basketball game.

• Yo Aoki advised Coach Taoka on possible lineups, and the white team beat the yellow team 70–68 in the scrimmage.
• Yayoi Aida interviewed Yo Aoki, who said his goal was to win the Autumn National Sports Festival championship.
• Yo Aoki arrived at Kainan High School, where Sakuragi and Kiyota competed to see who could eat more.
• During afternoon class, Yo Aoki helped the teacher wake Kiyota, while Sakuragi and Kaede Rukawa kept sleeping.
• Yo Aoki teased Kiyota about being better at studying than basketball, and Kiyota challenged him to a one-on-one game.

Aoki delivered a love letter to Sakuragi, who hesitated to accept it because he felt loyal to Haruko, while the girl’s embarrassment drew Kiyota’s teasing. At the gym, Takato began the combined teams’ intensive tactical training, and afterward he and Taoka discussed the players’ abilities and possible starting lineup.

• A girl asked Aoki to deliver her love letter to Sakuragi, and Sakuragi eventually opened it but said he could not betray Haruko.
• Aoki recognized the girl at the gym and pointed her out to Sakuragi; Kiyota laughed when he learned Sakuragi had been rejected fifty times, embarrassing the girl and Sakuragi.
• Coach Takato cleared the gym for closed practice and announced that he would lead tactical training while Taoka handled physical conditioning.
• Takato split the fifteen players into three teams for demanding defensive drills, praising team one’s execution and identifying weaknesses in team three.
• After practice, Mitsui worried about keeping up with the training, while Akagi encouraged him to go to dinner.
• Takato and Taoka reviewed the players’ abilities, with Taoka praising Aoki; when Taoka asked about the starting lineup, Takato smiled without answering.

Coach Taoka put the joint-practice players through an exhausting endurance run, after which they stayed to challenge one another in one-on-one games. As the matches continued, Akagi told Sakuragi that the Autumn National Sports Festival would be his last competition and Miyagi would become Shohoku’s next captain.

• Coach Takato told Akagi to guide Sakuragi through the basics and asked Uozumi to work on Fukuda’s defense.
• Taoka made the players run for nearly an hour and warned them that tougher stamina training would start the next day.
• Aoki stayed to practice, prompting the players to remain and start several one-on-one matches.
• Akagi stopped Sakuragi and Kiyota from arguing instead of playing, then directed Sakuragi to watch the other matches.
• Akagi told Sakuragi he needed to carry Shohoku inside in the Winter Selection Tournament and revealed that Miyagi would take over as captain after Akagi’s final competition at the Autumn National Sports Festival.

Coach Takato faced pressure from Kainan’s administrators to recruit Aoki and Kaede Rukawa, while Aoki and Maki tested each other in a tense one-on-one game. The chapter ended with Aoki sharing a dorm room with Sakuragi, Kiyota, and Rukawa, whose snoring sparked another argument.

• Akagi warned Sakuragi that Aoki would become Shohoku’s biggest rival, while Kainan’s administrators told Takato to recruit Aoki and Kaede Rukawa after Maki graduated.
• Aoki used rapid between-the-legs crossovers and a fadeaway to score against Maki, then Maki answered with a drive and a contested layup.
• Takato ended practice and urged everyone to rest, while Aoki and Maki agreed their matchup was not finished.
• Takato called Aoki back but failed to ask him about joining Kainan, privately deciding he preferred Aoki’s team spirit to Rukawa’s individual style.
• Aoki, Sakuragi, Kiyota, and Rukawa were assigned the same room, where Sakuragi and Kiyota argued over smelly feet as Rukawa fell asleep and snored.

Yo Aoki rejected Kainan’s recruitment despite its offers, while Kaede Rukawa also turned down Yuki’s invitation for forgetting why he had refused before. Kainan planned to recruit other teams’ players after the Autumn National Sports Festival, as Kanagawa’s coaches arranged a warm-up game against Chiba and discussed the starting lineup.

• Kiyota described how Hakata Shodai Affiliated’s two centers, tall power forward, high-scoring shooting guard, and composed point guard had helped them defeat Meihou Industrial in the national tournament final.
• Yo Aoki continued extra practice with Shinichi Maki as Coaches Takato and Taoka pushed the team through grueling training, and Takato told him Kainan wanted to recruit him.
• Principal Arimori offered Yo Aoki a place at Kainan, a living allowance, and guaranteed admission to Kainan University, but Aoki refused because he wanted a sense of belonging at Takezato.
• Yuki tried to recruit Kaede Rukawa to Kainan, but Rukawa said he had forgotten why he had turned them down before, and Yuki reminded him it was because Kainan was too far from home.
• Principal Arimori, Kurosawa, and Yuki discussed a backup recruitment list that included Ryota Miyagi, Kiccho Fukuda, Hiroaki Koshino, Tomoyuki Uekusa, Tomoya Imamura, and Shunya Hojo, and decided to wait until after the Autumn National Sports Festival.
• Coach Taoka told Coach Takato that Chiba’s representative team would visit Kanagawa for a warm-up game the morning after tomorrow, and Takato said he would not use his intended starting lineup for the game.

Takato announced an experimental starting lineup for the warm-up game against the Chiba Prefecture representative team, while Sakuragi reconnected with Reika and the Takezato team continued training without Yo Aoki. The chapter ended with the Takezato players mistakenly believing Aoki was going to Kainan after Oriyuki Iwasaki blurted out the rumor.

• Takato named Maki, Akagi, Sakuragi, Rukawa, and Kiyota as starters, then said the team would receive no scouting information or tactics for the warm-up game.
• Yo Aoki realized Takato's lineup matched the White Team's previous lineup with Jin replacing Sakuragi and wondered whether Takato had a plan for Sakuragi.
• Yo Aoki and Kiyota left Sakuragi alone with Reika, who asked why he had missed their meeting and promised to cheer for him at the warm-up game.
• Coach Akai pushed the Takezato players through practice while Shirota reported that Aoki had said Kainan's team was preparing for the National Sports Festival.
• Oriyuki Iwasaki heard that Aoki was at Kainan and shouted that he was going there, prompting the Takezato players to demand an explanation from Coach Akai.

Yo Aoki reassured Takezato that he would stay, then joined Kainan’s preparations for a warm-up game against Chiba by proposing a plan centered on Hanamichi Sakuragi. The Chiba team traveled to Kanagawa wary of its opponents, while Genta Shimizu read a magazine describing Kanagawa as loaded with top players.

• Coach Akai and the Takezato players encouraged one another to trust Yo Aoki, and they decided to travel to Kainan to cheer him on at the warm-up game.
• Oriyuki Iwasaki called Aoki to say Takezato would attend the game and invited him to her October 30 birthday party at her family’s villa, which he accepted.
• Shinichi Maki briefed Kainan’s players on Chiba’s reliance on second-half three-pointers, and Aoki rejected a zone defense in favor of man-to-man coverage.
• Aoki proposed making Sakuragi the centerpiece by having the team pass him the ball, and Maki agreed to try the plan after several players objected or deferred.
• The Chiba Prefecture Representative Team boarded a train to Kanagawa, where Genta Shimizu read that Kanagawa’s lineup was strong at every position on offense and defense.

Kanagawa faced the Chiba Prefecture Representative Team in a warm-up game, with Coach Takato testing Yo Aoki’s judgment and the lineup while putting Hanamichi Sakuragi at the center of the offense. Kanagawa scored first through Takenori Akagi, and Chiba’s Genta Shimizu rose for a long-range shot as the chapter ended.

• Shinichi Maki told Coach Takato that Yo Aoki had proposed building the offense around Hanamichi Sakuragi, while most players had disagreed.
• Coach Takato explained to Coach Taoka that he wanted to hide Kanagawa’s strength, see Sakuragi’s progress, and test Aoki’s ability to handle the lineup.
• The Chiba and Takezato teams arrived, and Sakuragi loudly announced himself to the Chiba players before both teams warmed up.
• Kanagawa’s starting five of Shinichi Maki, Takenori Akagi, Hanamichi Sakuragi, Kaede Rukawa, and Nobunaga Kiyota took the court without Aoki.
• Akagi won the opening tip, and Maki passed to him for a smooth post move that gave Kanagawa a 2-0 lead.
• Uemura passed to Shimizu, who used a give-and-go with Ono to create space and launch a long-range shot over Kiyota’s late contest.

Kanagawa struggled to contain Urayasu's Shinichi Maki, while Akama entered the game and injured Kiyota with a dirty foul. Yo Aoki replaced Kiyota and answered Akama's taunts with a powerful dunk, leaving Akama groaning on the floor.

• Shinichi Maki drove past Uemura, scored through Akashi's foul, and drew an extra free throw as Kanagawa took a nine-point lead.
• Urayasu's coach sent Akama into the game, hoping his strength could stop Maki, but Akama ignored instructions and challenged Sakuragi.
• Akama elbowed Kiyota in the solar plexus and scored, prompting Sakuragi and Maki to restrain themselves while Coach Takato protested to the referee.
• Takato sent Yo Aoki in for Kiyota and told him to attack the basket against Akama.
• Yo Aoki broke past Kenichi Ono, leapt above Akama, and dunked hard enough to knock him onto the floor.
• Yo Aoki approached the groaning Akama and asked whether he had really played on a school team abroad.

Yo Aoki drew fouls on Akama, helped Kanagawa extend its lead, and prompted Coach Tokito to kick Akama off the Chiba Team after he insulted his teammates. Aoki rested when play resumed, while Chiba rallied and Sakuragi received the ball as Shimizu came over to double-team him.

• Akama challenged Yo Aoki, but Aoki drew offensive and defensive fouls, then helped Kaede Rukawa and Shinichi Maki score as Kanagawa widened its lead.
• During a timeout, Akama argued with Akashi and Coach Tokito, insulted the Chiba players, and was dismissed from the team.
• Coach Tokito apologized to his players, who encouraged him to continue, and he decided Chiba would return to its strongest tactics.
• Coach Takato praised Aoki and sent him to rest; Aoki named Sakuragi the team's core so he could show off for the schoolgirl watching from the stands.
• After play resumed, Genta Shimizu made a three-pointer, and Sakuragi received the ball before Shimizu joined Kikkawa Kokorozashi to double-team him.

Kanagawa defeated Chiba by 25 points after Yo Aoki predicted and countered Chiba’s zone press, while Sendoh led the second-half offense with 17 assists. Later, Yo Aoki learned that Takezato would face a difficult bracket at the Autumn National Sports Festival, but he welcomed the challenge and expected to meet Akita in the final.

• Shimizu stole the ball from Sakuragi, then scored a pull-up three that helped Chiba cut Kanagawa’s lead to nine before halftime.
• Yo Aoki predicted Chiba would use a backcourt zone press and explained how Kanagawa could counter it by passing out of double-teams.
• Kanagawa brought Sendoh off the bench, and he used his court vision to find open teammates as Kanagawa pulled ahead by more than 20 points and won by 25.
• Maki scored 32 points, Sendoh recorded 17 assists, and Sakuragi finished with four points and ten rebounds.
• Coaches Takato and Taoka discussed whether Aoki should start or analyze opponents from the bench, and Taoka said Takezato’s rise could not be stopped.
• Kiyota showed Aoki the Autumn National Sports Festival bracket, which placed Osaka, Aichi, and Fukuoka among Takezato’s potential opponents, but Aoki called it a good draw.

Kanagawa’s basketball team announced its starting lineup and traveled to Osaka for the National Sports Festival, where Yo Aoki discussed Rukawa’s weaknesses and the strengths of Sendoh and Sawakita. The festival opened, and Kanagawa watched Shizuoka face Saitama as Yo considered how Jousei matched up against Meihou.

• Coach Takato named Maki, Sendoh, Akagi, Jin, and Fujima as Kanagawa’s starters, placing Fujima at shooting guard.
• Ryo Aoki persuaded Mamoru Aoki to let the family travel to Osaka to support Yo at the festival.
• The Kanagawa team arrived in Osaka on October 6, and Yo shared a hotel room with Rukawa.
• Yo told Rukawa that Sendoh’s strength was bringing teammates into the game and urged Rukawa to overcome his fixation on beating him.
• The National Sports Festival opened on October 7, and Kanagawa watched Shizuoka play Saitama as Miyagi described Jousei’s strengths.

Shizuoka beat Saitama, while Yo Aoki assessed Shizuoka’s lineup and provoked Toyotama to learn more about its resentment toward Daiei. As Kanagawa prepared to face Shizuoka, Jousei’s Coach Aso worried that Mikoshiba had not recovered from his crushing loss to Meihou Industrial.

• Shizuoka took control early and defeated Saitama by 31 points, while Yo Aoki discussed how Kanagawa could contain Mikoshiba and Shizuoka’s point guard.
• Minori Kishimoto confronted Sendoh, but Sendoh and the Shohoku players mocked him until Tsuyoshi Minami stopped Kishimoto from attacking.
• Yo Aoki taunted Toyotama about Daiei and Jun Tsuchiya, then explained to Coach Takato that he had wanted to expose Toyotama’s grudge against Daiei.
• Soki Fukami recalled Coach Aso’s concern that Mikoshiba remained shaken by Jousei’s 102–56 loss to Meihou Industrial and might suffer another setback against Kanagawa.
• Kanagawa and Shizuoka took the court as reporters noted Kanagawa’s strong roster and possible teamwork problems, and Akagi and Shizuoka’s number five jumped for the opening ball.