Recaps

Shohoku celebrated its victory over Kainan while Akagi and the others prepared to scout Ryonan’s game against Takezato. Ryonan opened with an all-offense lineup, and Rukawa drove into the paint on the first possession as his teammates called for the ball.

• Taoka led Ryonan to the locker room after Shohoku defeated Kainan, while Uozumi vowed to face Akagi again.
• Shohoku celebrated Shirasawa’s 59-point performance, and Akagi warned his teammates not to overlook Ryonan.
• Anzai and Takato exchanged respectful farewells, while Akagi and Maki looked ahead to meeting again at the national tournament.
• Sanae and Shirasawa discussed bringing Sakuragi into their management plans, leaving him confused about Rukawa joining Shohoku.
• Taoka started Uozumi, Sendoh, Rukawa, Fukuda, and Koshino to test Ryonan’s offensive lineup against Takezato.
• Uozumi won the opening jump, and Rukawa caught the ball, beat two defenders, and drove into the paint as Koshino and Fukuda called for a pass.

Ryonan overwhelmed Takezato as Kaede Rukawa and Akira Sendoh dominated on both ends of the court. With Ryonan far ahead, Moichi Taoka began planning for tougher opponents, while Mrs. Anzai took Coach Anzai home ahead of Shohoku’s trip to the national tournament.

• Kaede Rukawa scored Ryonan’s opening basket, then Jun Uozumi blocked Takezato’s attack after Kiccho Fukuda failed to defend.
• Moichi Taoka substituted Ryoji Ikegami for Fukuda, and Ryonan’s lineup became more balanced.
• Rukawa scored again, and Akira Sendoh intercepted a pass before finishing a counterattack with a one-handed dunk.
• Kiminobu Kogure and Akagi agreed Ryonan could challenge Kainan, while Akagi insisted Shohoku should focus on its own game and championship goal.
• Ryonan built a 42–12 lead twelve minutes into the game, with Sendoh scoring twenty-four points and Rukawa eighteen.
• Moichi Taoka considered how to prepare for Kainan and Shohoku, while Mrs. Anzai drove Coach Anzai home and said he must be looking forward to what was ahead.

Mrs. Anzai worried that Shirasawa might repeat Ryuji Yazawa’s tragic path, while Coach Anzai insisted that Shirasawa was different and the best high school player in the country. At halftime of Ryonan’s semifinal against Takezato, Shota Sugiyama and Fukazawa Sports University coach Kazuo Karasawa arrived at Shohoku’s bench.

• Mrs. Anzai noticed Coach Anzai’s renewed interest in basketball and suggested inviting Shirasawa to dinner because she feared he might go astray like Ryuji Yazawa.
• Coach Anzai reassured Mrs. Anzai that Shirasawa was different and declared him the country’s best high school player.
• Coach Anzai and Mrs. Anzai discussed his old friend Kitano, who had been fired by Toyotama High School, before a black minivan suddenly rushed toward their car.
• Ryonan finished the first half against Takezato with a 64–15 lead, while Moichi Taoka remained concerned about his team’s flaws.
• Akagi told Kogure that Ayako and Haruko were preparing a surprise for the team.
• Shota Sugiyama and Kazuo Karasawa appeared beside Akagi, leaving him and Kogure stunned.

Shota Sugiyama and Kazuo Karasawa approached Takenori Akagi about joining Fukazawa Sports University, while Akagi clarified Shohoku’s championship goal and his role in the team. They left before meeting Shirasawa, who was hurrying back to the gym with Sanae after an encounter in a parked car.

• Kazuo Karasawa and Shota Sugiyama told Takenori Akagi they had been scouting him and considered him a promising center for Fukazawa Sports University.
• Akagi admitted his limited results but said Shohoku aimed to win the national championship and relied on the whole team.
• Sugiyama told Akagi that reaching the national top eight would open Fukazawa’s doors to him, then signed a notebook for Akagi’s sister.
• Akagi explained that Shirasawa had left with his agent, Sanae, and Sugiyama and Karasawa departed, asking Kogure to give Shirasawa a bottle of water.
• Shirasawa and Sanae hurried out of a parked sedan and jogged back toward the gymnasium.

Ryonan’s depth impressed Kainan as Fukuda led the offense, while Shohoku learned Coach Anzai had been in a car accident and rushed to the hospital. Coach Anzai recovered consciousness, but the accident brought back painful memories for Sakuragi.

• Fukuda scored repeatedly as Taoka tested a Ryonan lineup built around Uozumi, Ikegami, and the supporting players.
• Takato worried about Ryonan’s strength, while Maki vowed that Kainan could handle them.
• Sanae received Rena’s news that Coach Anzai and his wife had been in an accident, then hurried with Shirasawa to alert Shohoku.
• Akagi sent the substitutes back to the game, while Sakuragi, Miyagi, and Shirasawa went to the hospital with Sanae, and Akagi, Mitsui, and Kogure followed by taxi.
• Sakuragi rushed into Coach Anzai’s room, saw him awake, and fled in tears as memories of his father’s death resurfaced.

After Coach Anzai recovered from the accident, Shirasawa’s victory over Kainan spread across Kanagawa and made him the prefecture’s new basketball king. Shirasawa and his teammates then went to the studio to handle Sakuragi’s signing.

• Sanae Nakagawa spoke with two foreign basketball association council members outside Coach Anzai’s hospital room and gave them her business card.
• Coach Anzai was cleared for discharge after a day of observation, defended Sakuragi’s behavior, and later spoke happily with him when Sakuragi returned.
• Mrs. Anzai praised Shirasawa and asked him to visit with Kazuharu Takizawa after the final four.
• At Yokota Junior High, Takizawa learned that Shirasawa had scored 59 points and led Shohoku past Kainan, ending its sixteen-year undefeated streak, and proclaimed him Kanagawa’s new king.
• News of Kainan’s defeat spread across Kanagawa as brands sought Shirasawa and reporters prepared to cover the result.
• After leaving the hospital, Shirasawa and his teammates took Sakuragi to the studio, where Ichiro Katsumi had prepared the contract signing.

After Shohoku’s victory over Kainan made national headlines, rival teams reacted to Shirasawa’s record-setting performance while Shohoku’s students celebrated their team’s new fame. Shirasawa arrived at school as the campus welcomed its basketball heroes.

• Shirasawa and Sanae had Ichiro Katsumi flatter Hanamichi Sakuragi into joining the agency, and Sakuragi signed without understanding the details.
• Newspaper headlines announced Shohoku’s win over Kainan and Shirasawa’s fifty-nine points, drawing the attention of rival teams.
• Atsushi Tsuchiya read the news before leading Daiei Academy into its Osaka quarterfinal, while Mikoshiba learned that Shohoku’s ace was Shirasawa rather than Akagi.
• Meihou Industrial’s coach showed Hiroshi Morishige the report, and Morishige claimed he could score seventy points and grab twenty rebounds.
• Shohoku students celebrated the victory as Takenori Akagi, Kogure, Mitsui, Miyagi, and Hanamichi Sakuragi arrived to a crowd of admirers.
• A white sedan pulled up outside Shohoku’s gates, and the students shouted that Shirasawa had arrived.

Shohoku prepared to face Takezato in the second round of the prefectural tournament’s final four round robin, while the outcome of Ryonan versus Kainan loomed over the teams’ chances of reaching nationals. Sanae reached an agreement with Basketball Weekly, and the chapter ended as Takezato’s coach urged his players to fight rather than accept their role as point-differential fodder.

• Tatsuhiko Aota confronted Shohoku with his judo championship flag and invited Shirasawa and Hanamichi Sakuragi to join his club, but Sakuragi knocked him down and Shirasawa backed Sakuragi’s choice of basketball.
• Sanae agreed to let Basketball Weekly interview Shohoku and feature Shirasawa, on the condition that the magazine offer her something in return.
• The round-robin standings made the Shohoku-Takezato and Ryonan-Kainan games crucial to the teams’ paths to nationals, with a possible three-way tie hinging on point differentials.
• Sanae and Yayoi Aida reached an agreement in principle, while Moichi Taoka discussed Rukawa’s management with Sanae and became more supportive of the player-agent model.
• Shohoku and Takezato entered the court to warm up, and Takezato’s coach told his players not to give up despite being seen as a team for other contenders to beat by large margins.

Shohoku overwhelmed Takezato and led 67-11 at halftime, while Hikoichi Aida’s accidental visit to Kainan’s locker room stirred up tension before Kainan faced Ryonan. The chapter ended with Ayako surprising Shohoku with a pair of Jordans for every player after the team’s victory over Kainan.

• Coach Anzai told Shohoku not to focus on point differential, and Hanamichi Sakuragi won the opening tip before joining Shirasawa for an alley-oop dunk.
• Shirasawa led Shohoku’s attack with steals and creative passes as Sakuragi scored four dunks and the team built a 19-0 lead over Takezato.
• Coach Anzai told Takenori Akagi that Sakuragi needed to develop his shooting to become more effective against stronger teams.
• Hikoichi Aida mistakenly entered Kainan’s locker room, stood up for Ryonan after Nobunaga Kiyota mocked them, and received his teammates’ support when he returned.
• Shohoku finished the first half ahead of Takezato 67-11, and Ayako welcomed the players to the locker room with Jordans promised by the shop manager after their win over Kainan.

The mustached shopkeeper delivered properly sized shoes to Shohoku, then Shohoku crushed Takezato before the team watched Ryonan face Kainan. Sendoh and Rukawa answered Kiyota’s pregame dunk with a coordinated play, and the game began with Ryonan putting Sendoh on the ball.

• The mustached shopkeeper brought the Shohoku players basketball shoes in the sizes Ayako had listed, and they welcomed his generous gesture.
• Coach Anzai rested Shirasawa for the second half as Mitsui led Shohoku past Takezato, 118-35.
• Kiyota opened the pregame show with a powerful dunk, prompting Sendoh and Rukawa to answer with a coordinated two-man dunk.
• Maki encouraged Kiyota after the display, while Sendoh and Rukawa exchanged brief compliments about their play.
• Ryonan and Kainan took the court, and Uozumi won the opening tip before Uekusa passed the ball to Sendoh.

Ryonan built an early lead by feeding Kaede Rukawa while Akira Sendoh pressured Shinichi Maki, then Kiccho Fukuda entered and sparked a sudden full-court press. The chapter ended with Sendoh and Rukawa trapping Maki in the backcourt as Kainan struggled to inbound the ball.

• Akira Sendoh opened the scoring with a three-pointer, but Shinichi Maki answered by driving through Sendoh and Jun Uozumi for a basket.
• Kaede Rukawa scored repeatedly against Tadashi Muto while Ryonan focused its offense on him and tried to wear Maki down; Ryonan led 22-20 after ten minutes.
• Moichi Taoka sent Kiccho Fukuda in for Hiroaki Koshino, and Fukuda immediately scored a jump shot.
• Ryonan switched to a full-court press, with Sendoh disrupting Kainan's inbound and Rukawa guarding Maki in the backcourt.
• Nobunaga Kiyota passed to Maki under pressure, and Sendoh and Rukawa trapped Maki as he received the ball.

Ryonan used a full-court zone press and then an all-out offensive lineup to keep Kainan under pressure, while Kainan answered through Maki, Kiyota, and Jin. With ten minutes left, Ryonan led and Fukuda finished Sendoh’s unusual pass with an alley-oop dunk, leaving Sakuragi dismissing Akagi’s warning about Fukuda.

• Sendoh intercepted Kiyota’s pass during Ryonan’s zone press, scored through a foul, and helped force Kainan into mistakes until Takato called a timeout.
• Maki gave up ballhandling duties, and Kiyota broke Ryonan’s pressure with a fake dunk that became a pass to Takasago for a layup.
• Ryonan led Kainan 56-50 at halftime, then Sendoh took over the offense as Rukawa and Sendoh double-teamed Maki; Jin’s three-pointers helped Kainan stay within reach.
• Taoka called a timeout with Ryonan leading 72-64 and sent Uozumi, Sendoh, Rukawa, Fukuda, and Koshino onto the court for the final ten minutes.
• Sendoh set up Fukuda for an alley-oop dunk, while Akagi warned Sakuragi that Fukuda’s offense would be a major challenge and Sakuragi brushed him off.

Ryonan defeated Kainan 100-80, ending Kainan’s seventeen-year era and securing its first trip to the national tournament. Shinichi Maki took Kainan’s final possession, deliberately dunked after the game-ending whistle, and left the result of the shot uncertain while accepting Ryonan’s victory.

• Ryonan’s size and rebounding advantage, along with its attacks led by Sendoh, Rukawa, and Fukuda, overwhelmed Kainan as Maki struggled to carry his team.
• Maki scored through Uozumi for an and-one, but Kainan remained sixteen points behind with three minutes left, and Shohoku realized it would qualify for the national tournament.
• Rukawa’s basket put Ryonan ahead 100-80, and Kainan received the final possession with twelve seconds remaining.
• Sendoh stopped Rukawa from defending Maki, and Ryonan’s players and fans stood aside to honor Maki and Kainan’s final moment.
• Maki drove into the paint and dunked as the final whistle sounded, leaving officials unsure whether the basket counted.
• Maki congratulated Uozumi and, through his deliberate timing, made clear that Kainan would end without accepting pity.

Ryonan defeated Kainan 100–80, ending Kainan’s sixteen-year championship dynasty, and Maki entrusted the team’s future to Kiyota. As Ryonan prepared to face Shohoku for the prefectural title, Uozumi challenged Akagi and Shirasawa answered with a throat-slashing gesture.

• The referees ruled that Maki’s final dunk came after the buzzer, confirming Ryonan’s 100–80 victory over Kainan and securing Ryonan’s place at the nationals.
• Maki comforted Kiyota, told him to carry Kainan’s banner for the next two years, and received Kiyota’s vow that he would not disappoint him.
• Takato and Taoka exchanged a tense handshake while secretly trying to crush each other’s hands.
• Uozumi challenged Akagi ahead of the final, while privately planning to retire after the national tournament and return home to take over his family’s sushi shop.
• Ryonan gathered to confront Shohoku, and Shirasawa responded to their challenge by drawing his thumb across his throat as cameras captured the gesture.

After Shohoku left the arena, Shirasawa and Sanae brought Sakuragi and Rukawa to the agency’s new gym, where the players gathered and began training. The chapter ended with Rukawa attacking Michael Okita under a three-dribble rule.

• Akagi dismissed the Shohoku team after leading them out of the arena, and the players were told to gather for intensive training the next morning.
• Sanae drove Shirasawa, Sakuragi, and Rukawa to the agency’s new gym, where they met Michael Okita and Ichiro Katsumi.
• Sanae gave the players keys to the gym and reminded Rukawa about his commercial event that evening.
• Rukawa challenged Shirasawa to play, but Shirasawa declined and assigned him to practice offense and defense against Michael instead.
• Rukawa and Michael agreed to a three-dribble rule and began a one-on-one drill as Sakuragi and Katsumi watched.

Rukawa and Michael Okita traded baskets in a competitive one-on-one while Sakuragi practiced shooting under Ichiro Katsumi’s guidance. Later, Sakuragi completed his first 300-shot assignment with only 30 makes, and the chapter ended with Haruko teasing an injured Akagi about ignoring Coach Anzai’s orders to rest.

• Rukawa scored first against Michael Okita, and the two exchanged drives, jumpers, and a three-pointer while building mutual respect.
• Shirasawa sent Sakuragi to practice shooting with Ichiro Katsumi, then left the gym to go home and sleep.
• Coach Anzai assigned Sakuragi 300 practice shots every day as the first stage of a shooting program, with further challenges and a promised gift if he completed every stage.
• Sakuragi made 30 of his 300 shots, celebrated, and insisted his stamina remained strong despite his teammates noticing his arms shaking.
• Kogure led the team in practice while Coach Anzai kept Akagi away from the gym to protect his healing foot.
• Haruko brought Akagi fruit and teased him for staying restless all day despite Coach Anzai’s order to rest.

On the morning of the championship game, rain poured over Kanagawa as fans gathered to watch Shohoku face Ryonan. Kainan honored Shinichi Maki in his farewell game, then Nobunaga Kiyota led the team to victory, while Haruko and Yohei discussed the awards awaiting Shohoku’s players.

• Akagi told Haruko that he wanted to return to the team because he treasured his remaining time with Shohoku, and he vowed they would not accept defeat.
• Hisashi Mitsui gave his umbrella to a Shohoku fan who recognized him and thanked her for supporting the team.
• Shinichi Maki ended his Kainan career with a ceremonial turnover, and Riki Takato substituted most of the starting lineup.
• Nobunaga Kiyota scored 32 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, and made 10 assists to lead Kainan to victory over Takezato.
• Tatsuhiko Aota accompanied Haruko to the gym and renewed his hopes of recruiting Sakuragi and Rukawa to the judo club.
• Haruko explained the season awards to Yohei and said Shirasawa was widely expected to win MVP if Shohoku claimed the championship.

Yayoi Aida attended the Kanagawa final as a spectator after her editor rejected her Ryonan-favoring article, and Sanae hinted that she should quit and put her abilities to use. Shohoku and Ryonan prepared for the championship, with Moichi Taoka planning to wear down Hisashi Mitsui through an aggressive attack led by Kaede Rukawa.

• Yayoi Aida argued with her publisher over her article favoring Ryonan, then sat beside Sanae at the final as a spectator.
• Sanae suggested that Yayoi Aida quit and urged her to put her abilities to use, leaving Yayoi wondering what Sanae meant.
• Takenori Akagi and Uozumi led Shohoku and Ryonan onto the court and exchanged confident challenges before the championship game.
• Shinichi Maki assessed the teams with Jin and Nobunaga Kiyota, noting Shohoku's strong starters and Ryonan's deeper bench.
• Coach Anzai named Shohoku's starting lineup and told the players to bring back the championship, while Moichi Taoka ordered Ryonan to attack at full strength and exhaust Hisashi Mitsui.
• Moichi Taoka told Kaede Rukawa to crush Hisashi Mitsui, whom he had once tried and failed to recruit.

Taoka instructed Rukawa to wear down Mitsui before pursuing his personal challenge against Shirasawa as Ryonan faced Shohoku in the Kanagawa final. Shohoku won the opening tip and Shirasawa scored the first basket after Sendoh and Uozumi stopped Akagi's initial shot.

• Taoka persuaded Rukawa to focus on Mitsui first, promising he would get time to face Shirasawa later.
• Sakuragi beat Rukawa to Akagi's tipped jump ball, giving Shohoku the opening possession.
• Ryonan set up a man-to-man defense, with Rukawa guarding Mitsui and Ikegami shadowing Sakuragi.
• Shirasawa drove past Sendoh and passed to Akagi, but Uozumi blocked Akagi's hook shot.
• Shirasawa grabbed the rebound over Akagi and Sendoh and scored Shohoku's first points with a putback.

Shirasawa disrupted Ryonan’s attacks and scored four straight points, including a surprising basket past Sendoh and Rukawa. Ryonan remained scoreless as Coach Taoka urged Sendoh to make their next possession count.

• Sendoh set up Rukawa, but Mitsui stripped the ball from him and Sakuragi secured the rebound.
• Sakuragi passed the rebound toward Shirasawa, but Sendoh intercepted it and initiated a Ryonan attack.
• Shirasawa knocked the ball out of Uozumi’s hands under the basket and took it downcourt.
• Sendoh and Rukawa closed in on Shirasawa, but he stopped after his two steps and tossed in a basket that the referee counted.
• Shinichi Maki praised Shirasawa’s ability to outthink defenders, while Coach Taoka called for Sendoh to make Ryonan’s next possession count.

Shohoku and Ryonan traded fast breaks as Miyagi made a crucial chase-down block on Koshino, then Shohoku slowed the game and began another half-court attack. Shirasawa started a drive against Sendoh with eight seconds left on the shot clock.

• Miyagi intercepted Ikegami's pass intended for Rukawa and led a fast break, but Rukawa blocked his pass attempt.
• Ikegami grabbed the rebound and launched a long pass to Koshino, but Miyagi sprinted back and blocked Koshino's shot at the rim.
• Akagi secured the loose ball and signaled Shohoku to settle down before Shirasawa brought the ball across half court.
• With eight seconds on the shot clock, Sakuragi moved to screen Ikegami and called for the ball as Shirasawa drove right against Sendoh.

Shirasawa’s scoring and playmaking kept Shohoku ahead as Ryonan fought back and brought Kiccho Fukuda off the bench. Fukuda was assigned to guard Sakuragi, and the chapter ended with Shirasawa driving past Sendoh as Sakuragi called for the ball.

• Shirasawa fooled Sendoh, Uozumi, and Sakuragi with a fake behind-the-back pass before dunking, prompting Moichi Taoka to call a timeout.
• Taoka urged Ryonan to score and set Kaede Rukawa and Ikegami to create openings, while Sendoh’s fake-shot pass helped Rukawa score Ryonan’s first basket.
• Both teams traded hard-earned baskets, and Shohoku held a 38-33 lead twelve minutes into the first half.
• Jin told Nobunaga Kiyota and Shinichi Maki that Kiccho Fukuda was his former classmate and warned that Fukuda’s entry could change the game.
• Taoka sent Fukuda onto the court without removing a starter, and Ryonan assigned him to guard Sakuragi.
• As Sakuragi called for the ball against Fukuda, Shirasawa drove inside against Sendoh.

Shirasawa’s precise bounce passes set up a gorilla dunk for Takenori Akagi and a dunk attempt for Hanamichi Sakuragi, while Ryonan answered with Fukuda’s and-one. Fukuda then deliberately fouled Sakuragi as he attacked the paint, sending him to the free-throw line as part of Moichi Taoka’s plan to exploit Sakuragi’s poor shooting.

• Shirasawa used a wrist-only bounce pass to feed Takenori Akagi, who dunked over Uozumi and taunted him.
• Fukuda beat Sakuragi with a feint, switched hands in midair to score through Sakuragi’s foul, and made the free throw.
• Shirasawa sent a bounce pass between Sendoh’s legs to Sakuragi, who caught it and drove toward the basket.
• Fukuda grabbed Sakuragi around the waist during his dunk attempt and was called for a shooting foul.
• Moichi Taoka’s plan was revealed: Fukuda had been instructed to foul Sakuragi deliberately and send him to the free-throw line.

Fukuda exploited Sakuragi’s poor defense to score repeatedly, drawing three fouls and helping Ryonan close the gap against Shohoku. After Fukuda completed another and-one and reveled in the crowd’s cheers, Ryonan stood at 46–43 with a bonus free throw ahead.

• Sakuragi missed both free throws, and Uozumi collected the rebound to start Ryonan’s fast break.
• Fukuda baited Sakuragi into jumping and scored, then drew another foul on a later drive for an and-one.
• Shirasawa scored a left-handed layup, while Fukuda continued attacking Sakuragi and earned a third foul with another and-one.
• Sakuragi grabbed Akagi’s missed shot but had his dunk blocked by Uozumi, and Rukawa led Shohoku’s ensuing fast break.
• Sendoh passed to Fukuda for an alley-oop, and Sakuragi fouled him as he completed the dunk, giving Fukuda ten straight points and leaving the score 46–43.
• Fukuda roared to the cheering crowd as Taoka encouraged him to keep going.

After Fukuda overwhelmed Sakuragi, Coach Anzai and Shirasawa urged him to watch how Shohoku handled its opponents. Ryonan double-teamed Shirasawa, but he used a pass to set up Akagi against Uozumi, leaving Sakuragi to reconsider his own strength.

• Fukuda scored his eleventh point after Sakuragi picked up his third foul, and Coach Anzai replaced Sakuragi with Kogure.
• Shirasawa told Sakuragi to decide whether he would recover from the setback, while Coach Anzai explained that Ryonan had targeted Sakuragi as a major threat.
• Ryonan left Kogure open and sent Kaede Rukawa and Akira Sendoh to double-team Shirasawa.
• Coach Anzai told Sakuragi to watch how Shirasawa dealt with Fukuda, and Shinichi Maki pointed out that Akagi could exploit his matchup against Uozumi.
• Shirasawa escaped the double-team with a skipping-stone pass to Akagi, who slipped past Uozumi and scored a reverse layup.