Recaps

Yo Aoki led Takezato through close losses to Shohoku and a dramatic victory over Kainan, then became the team’s captain as its seniors departed. He next joined Shirota to scout the Emperor, a streetball team preparing to face the Fire Phoenix.

• Takezato’s foul strategy against Uozumi helped Yo Aoki bring Ryonan’s lead down, but Ryonan won after Uekusa stole Mizuki’s final pass.
• After Takezato’s loss to Ryonan, Coach Akai urged the team to focus on Shohoku, and Anzai prepared Sakuragi and Akagi to stop Aoki.
• Takezato took an early lead against Shohoku, but Shohoku rallied, and Sakuragi scored the winning basket after Aoki blocked Akagi, and Aoki’s buzzer-beater did not count.
• With Takezato eliminated from tournament contention, Aoki insisted on playing Kainan and led his team into the match despite Coach Akai asking him to come off the bench.
• Aoki exploited Kainan’s defensive matchups and helped Takezato build a halftime lead, but Kainan rallied after Aoki injured his finger and left for the hospital.
• Aoki returned with five minutes left and helped Takezato close the gap, as Mizuki’s three-pointer brought the team within two points late in the game.
• Aoki secured Kiyota’s missed free throw and hit a last-second three-pointer to give Takezato a 76–75 win over Kainan.
• After the tournament standings were set, Coach Akai made Aoki captain as Mizuki and the other seniors departed, and Aoki agreed to help Shirota scout the Emperor in Gunma.

Yo Aoki strengthened Takezato while helping Kanagawa prepare for the Autumn National Sports Festival, where he turned a warm-up game against Chiba into a showcase for Sakuragi and Sendoh. The festival opened in Osaka with Kanagawa facing Shizuoka, and Aoki began assessing the opponents and tensions ahead.

• Aoki coached Fire Phoenix to a 31-29 comeback victory over Emperor, beat Yamakawa in a one-on-one, and invited Terashima Ya to consider joining Takezato.
• Aoki trained Sakuragi, returned to Takezato to evaluate newcomers, and introduced his Seven-Nine-Zero plan while Terashima Ya and Akio Wakamoto earned regular spots.
• Sannoh studied Shohoku before Shohoku defeated Sannoh 79-78, and Aoki’s advice helped Coach Anzai prepare for their full-court press.
• Aoki joined Kanagawa’s National Sports Festival camp, where Taoka’s white team defeated Takato’s yellow team 70-68 and Aoki refused Kainan’s offer to recruit him.
• Takato started Sakuragi against Chiba, and Aoki entered the game to dunk over Akama before Kanagawa won by 25 points with Sendoh directing the offense.
• Kanagawa’s coaches set their festival lineup, Aoki urged Rukawa to learn from Sendoh’s team play, and the family traveled to Osaka to support him.
• At the festival, Shizuoka beat Saitama by 31 points, Aoki provoked Toyotama over its grudge against Daiei, and Kanagawa took the court against Shizuoka.