Chapter Summaries

Ryota Miyagi stole the ball from Kazunari Fukatsu and scored against Eiji Sawakita, giving Shohoku an early highlight in the national championship final. Sannoh answered by exploiting Masashi Kawata’s skill at the high post, where he beat Takenori Akagi and rose to shoot as Akagi called for help.

• Ryota Miyagi intercepted Kazunari Fukatsu’s pass, outran Eiji Sawakita, and scored a layup despite Sawakita nearly blocking it.
• Hikoichi Aida praised Miyagi as a role model for short players, while Moichi Taoka warned that Miyagi’s exceptional speed could not be easily copied.
• Miyagi traded barbed remarks with Sawakita after the score, and Sawakita welcomed the challenge as possession returned to Sannoh.
• Shohoku used Shirasawa to pressure Fukatsu and assigned Hisashi Mitsui to defend Sawakita as Sannoh brought the ball upcourt.
• Masashi Kawata caught the ball at the high post, drew Takenori Akagi away from the basket, and spun past him to rise for a shot as Akagi shouted for help.

Shohoku stopped Sannoh’s opening attack and Ryota Miyagi scored a spectacular Jelly Layup against Satoshi Ichinokura. The chapter left Shohoku leading Sannoh 7–0 after a stunning start.

• Hanamichi Sakuragi blocked Masashi Kawata’s path to the hoop, and Shirasawa swatted Masahiro Nobe’s rebound attempt against the backboard before Takenori Akagi secured the ball.
• Akagi launched a long pass to Ryota Miyagi, who sprinted downcourt with Satoshi Ichinokura guarding him tightly.
• Miyagi beat Ichinokura’s defense with a Jelly Layup that spun off the backboard and into the hoop.
• Coach Anzai and the others explained Miyagi’s wrist-powered technique as the arena erupted and Hikoichi Aida declared Miyagi his master.
• Shohoku extended its lead to 7–0 while Sannoh remained scoreless.

Shohoku’s early lead was challenged when Masashi Kawata scored an and-one over Takenori Akagi and Hanamichi Sakuragi. Shirasawa answered with a dunk over Masahiro Nobe, leaving Shohoku celebrating as Nobe sat on the floor.

• Masashi Kawata dribbled past Takenori Akagi, overpowered Hanamichi Sakuragi’s block attempt, and scored an and-one to cut Sannoh’s deficit to 7-3.
• Takenori Akagi reassured Hanamichi Sakuragi after the foul, and Sakuragi promised to be more careful.
• Shirasawa drove past Kazunari Fukatsu and attacked the basket as Akagi held Masashi Kawata away.
• Masahiro Nobe challenged Shirasawa in midair but fouled him as Shirasawa powered through and dunked over him.
• Shirasawa landed in front of Masahiro Nobe as Shohoku’s fans roared over the dunk.

Shirasawa and Eiji Sawakita led a high-scoring duel as Shohoku traded baskets with Sannoh while protecting its early lead. Ten minutes into the first half, Shohoku remained ahead 28-21, and Coach Anzai’s plan depended on Shirasawa and his teammates holding the advantage.

• Shirasawa dunked through Masahiro Nobe, drew a foul, and sank the free throw to put Shohoku ahead 10-3.
• Eiji Sawakita beat Hisashi Mitsui off the dribble and dunked, then scored 13 straight points while Mitsui struggled to stop him.
• Shirasawa repeatedly broke through Kazunari Fukatsu’s defense as Takenori Akagi battled Masashi Kawata to create room for Shohoku’s offense.
• Shirasawa scored another chopping dunk, and Shohoku held a 28-21 lead ten minutes into the first half.
• Hikoichi Aida said Shohoku could win if it maintained its lead, and Moichi Taoka agreed with Coach Anzai’s strategy of giving Shirasawa an early advantage.

Sannoh sent Mikio Kawata in to exploit his size against Hanamichi Sakuragi, while Shirasawa’s defense left Kazunari Fukatsu unable to organize the offense. Shohoku’s players struggled against the matchup, and the chapter ended with Hisashi Mitsui still unable to contribute as Satoshi Ichinokura and Eiji Sawakita shut him down.

• Goro Domoto substituted Mikio Kawata for Masahiro Nobe instead of sending in Minoru Matsumoto, and Masashi Kawata urged his younger brother to focus.
• Shirasawa pressured Kazunari Fukatsu so thoroughly that Fukatsu could only bring the ball across half court and pass it away.
• Mikio used his size to back down Hanamichi Sakuragi and score a short hook shot, then occupied the paint on defense with his massive frame.
• Sakuragi tried to provoke Mikio, but Masashi Kawata interrupted him and sent Mikio back to defending.
• Shirasawa drove into the paint again while Satoshi Ichinokura denied Hisashi Mitsui the ball and Eiji Sawakita continued to challenge him on defense.

Sannoh’s plan to wear down Shirasawa brought the score level, while Mikio Kawata repeatedly attacked Shohoku’s paint. Sakuragi finally stopped Mikio with a crucial block, and Shirasawa turned it into a fast-break dunk that gave Shohoku a thrilling response.

• Shirasawa scored a twisting Jelly Layup despite Mikio’s screen and Masashi’s attempted block.
• Sannoh fed Mikio in the paint, and his scoring cut Shohoku’s lead to three points while draining Shirasawa’s stamina.
• Sakuragi stood his ground against Mikio’s repeated post-ups as Akagi and the Shohoku players trusted him to defend alone.
• Sakuragi secretly tugged Mikio’s jersey during his turn, then blocked his hook shot as Mikio rose.
• Shirasawa seized the loose ball and sprinted downcourt for a two-handed dunk, leaving Mikio glaring angrily at Sakuragi.

Sakuragi baited Mikio into a technical foul, and Shirasawa’s free throws restored Shohoku’s seven-point lead before Masashi Kawata scored against Akagi. With five minutes left in the first half, Coach Anzai called a timeout and began a risky formation change, leaving Shohoku poised to shift its attack to the perimeter.

• Sakuragi provoked Mikio into shoving him, earning Mikio a technical foul and Shohoku two technical-foul free throws.
• Shirasawa made both free throws, restoring Shohoku’s lead to seven points, before Masashi Kawata scored a mid-range jumper over Akagi.
• Coach Anzai called Shohoku’s first timeout with five minutes remaining in the first half, surprising both teams and Moichi Taoka.
• Coach Anzai told Akagi to rest and explained that the substitution was part of a planned formation change, not a judgment of Akagi’s performance.
• Coach Anzai sent Kogure in for Akagi and instructed Kogure, Shirasawa, and Mitsui to shoot open threes while Miyagi used his speed to set screens and cut inside.

Coach Anzai sent Shohoku into a fast small lineup, with Shirasawa and Sakuragi anchoring the offense and defense. The lineup scored through Miyagi and forced Sannoh into a five-second inbound violation, leaving Akagi convinced the strategy was working.

• Anzai instructed Shohoku to play at high speed, defend man-to-man across the court, and rely on Sakuragi inside while Shirasawa guarded Sawakita.
• Akagi left the court, and Shohoku began its small-lineup offense with 4:51 remaining in the first half and a five-point lead.
• Miyagi used a screen and cut past Masashi Kawata to receive Shirasawa's pass and score an easy layup.
• Shohoku pressed Sannoh full court, and Shirasawa stayed tight to Sawakita as Mikio struggled to find an inbound pass.
• Sakuragi's Hmph Hmph Defense overwhelmed Mikio, who failed to inbound in time and gave Sannoh a five-second violation.
• Akagi told Anzai that Shohoku's strategy was working.

Kiminobu Kogure hit a crucial three-pointer and then helped Shohoku's full-court press force a turnover, extending their lead over Sannoh to ten. After Mitsui carried the ball into transition, the two teams' aces battled off the ball as Sakuragi raced downcourt.

• Ryota Miyagi beat Masashi Kawata off the dribble and passed to Shirasawa, who fed Kogure for a three-pointer that made the score 49-39.
• Goro Domoto kept Sannoh in the game and adjusted its defense, while Shohoku launched a full-court man-to-man press.
• Kogure and Hisashi Mitsui trapped Kazunari Fukatsu, and Kogure dived for the ball to intercept it before passing to Mitsui.
• Mitsui advanced the ball and passed to Miyagi as Shohoku turned defense into offense.
• Shirasawa and Sawakita fought to deny each other the ball while Sakuragi raced past half court.

Miyagi, Shirasawa, and Mitsui completed a fast-moving play that gave Shohoku a 13-point lead, forcing Goro Domoto to call a timeout and adjust Sannoh’s lineup. After play resumed, Sawakita moved to point guard and met Shirasawa at midcourt as Sannoh began targeting Shohoku’s small lineup.

• Miyagi threw the ball off the backboard under pressure, and Shirasawa redirected it to Mitsui for a three-pointer that stretched Shohoku’s lead to 13.
• Goro Domoto called a timeout after Shohoku’s 8-0 run, while Akagi praised Kogure and Sakuragi for their efforts.
• Domoto moved Fukatsu to Sawakita’s position and substituted Minoru Matsumoto for Ichinokura, planning to attack Shohoku’s interior defense.
• Sawakita returned to the court as Sannoh’s point guard and advanced toward Shirasawa, who confronted him at midcourt.
• Sawakita drove past Shirasawa’s pressure as Sannoh began its attempt to break down Shohoku’s small lineup before unleashing his full scoring ability.

Hanamichi Sakuragi used a hard foul to buy time while guarding Masashi Kawata, then recovered quickly enough to contest Kawata’s shot and strip Mikio Kawata’s rebound. With Sannoh’s final possession of the half still unfolding, the ball came loose beneath the basket.

• Eiji Sawakita passed to Masashi Kawata, but Hanamichi Sakuragi left Mikio Kawata to collide with Big Kawata and stop his drive.
• Shohoku extended its lead to 13 points as its defense held Sannoh scoreless during an 8-0 run.
• Hanamichi Sakuragi hugged Masashi Kawata to draw an ordinary foul and gain a few seconds to recover.
• After Mikio Kawata inbounded to Masashi with four seconds on the shot clock, Sakuragi blocked Kawata’s jump shot with his fingertips.
• Sakuragi rushed to the basket and knocked the rebound out of Mikio’s hands.

Shohoku extended its lead over Sannoh with Sakuragi’s rebound and long pass setting up Shirasawa’s acrobatic basket, then finished the first half ahead 61-50. At halftime, both teams faced the strain of the coming final twenty minutes, and Akagi worried about Sakuragi’s silence.

• Sakuragi grabbed a rebound between the Kawata brothers and launched a long pass to Shirasawa, who caught the rebound and scored with a one-handed hook shot over Sawakita.
• Shohoku’s lead grew to fifteen points before Masashi Kawata ended its 10-0 run, and Coach Anzai rested Sakuragi for the final two minutes of the half.
• Shirasawa and Sawakita traded baskets as Shohoku managed the clock, and the half ended with Shohoku leading 61-50.
• Moichi Taoka told Ryonan’s players that Sannoh’s strength was difficult to measure and said Shohoku looked closest to the national championship.
• Coach Anzai urged his exhausted players to hold on for twenty more minutes, while Akagi asked about the silent Sakuragi.

Shohoku began the second half with Shirasawa attacking Sannoh’s defense while Akagi and Sakuragi tried to contain Masashi Kawata. After Shirasawa’s unexpected long-range three restored a double-digit lead, Eiji Sawakita took control of Sannoh’s offense and scored, setting up a direct showdown with Shirasawa.

• Anzai told Shirasawa to attack freely, and Sakuragi won the opening jump ball to give Shohoku possession.
• Shirasawa drove past Sawakita and scored Shohoku’s first points of the second half, while Masashi Kawata answered with a step-back jumper.
• Shirasawa and Masashi Kawata traded attacks as Akagi learned to hold his ground against Kawata, and Sannoh narrowed the gap to seven with Kawata’s three-pointer.
• With Shohoku under pressure, Shirasawa unexpectedly hit a long-range three over Sawakita and restored a double-digit lead.
• Sawakita took control of Sannoh’s offense, drove against Shirasawa, and scored a hook shot to cut Shohoku’s lead to eight.

Shirasawa and Sawakita traded scores as Shohoku held its lead, until Shirasawa dunked over Mikio Kawata and sent him crashing to the floor. During the timeout, Sawakita volunteered to take over, and both teams returned to the court ready for the final ten minutes.

• Shirasawa and Sawakita answered each other's baskets while Shohoku maintained an eight-point lead.
• Shirasawa stole the ball from Sawakita, and Sakuragi grabbed the rebound after Sawakita's missed fadeaway.
• Shirasawa faked a pass, drove past Sawakita and Matsumoto, then dunked over Mikio Kawata and knocked him down.
• Masashi Kawata praised Mikio for standing his ground, while Domoto called a timeout with Shohoku leading by twelve.
• Sawakita told Domoto to leave the rest of the game to him, and Domoto tossed aside the tactics board as Sannoh's ultimate trump card.
• Anzai rallied Shohoku to fight for the championship, and both teams returned to the court for the final ten minutes.

Shohoku and Sannoh battled through the final minutes as Sannoh’s defense trapped Shirasawa and cut Shohoku’s lead, forcing Coach Anzai to call a timeout. Shirasawa told his teammates his task was done, and Shohoku returned with renewed energy, but Akagi missed a contested shot and Sakuragi collided with Masashi Kawata while chasing the rebound.

• Sakuragi and Akagi fought for position under the basket as Shirasawa’s shot bounced high, then Shirasawa’s shot dropped through the net.
• Shirasawa and Eiji Sawakita traded baskets until Goro Domoto ordered Fukatsu and Sawakita to trap Shirasawa with Sannoh’s other defenders.
• Sannoh’s pressure stalled Shohoku’s offense, and Masashi Kawata hit a three-pointer to bring the score to 86-81 with 4:59 left.
• Coach Anzai called a timeout, and Shirasawa told Shohoku that he had carried the game into the final five minutes; Akagi urged his teammates to give everything they had.
• Mitsui and Miyagi screened for Shirasawa, who passed inside to Akagi, but Mikio Kawata disrupted Akagi’s shot and the ball bounced away as Sakuragi collided with Masashi Kawata.

Shohoku and Sannoh traded baskets in the final minutes as Sakuragi made a crucial rebound and Shirasawa restored Shohoku’s lead. Sakuragi then collapsed after playing through severe lower-back pain, leaving his condition uncertain as Akagi helped him off the court.

• Shirasawa scored a layup to give Shohoku a six-point lead, but Sawakita answered with a two-plus-one that brought Sannoh within three.
• Sannoh pressed full court, but Sakuragi caught Akagi’s high inbound pass after colliding with Big Kawata and sent the ball to Miyagi.
• Miyagi and Shirasawa broke forward, and Shirasawa scored against Sawakita to make the score 90-85 for Shohoku.
• Coach Anzai noticed Sakuragi was hiding lower-back pain, but he could not call a timeout while Sannoh had possession.
• Sakuragi fought through the pain to grab a rebound, was called for traveling, and fell to the floor.
• Akagi helped Sakuragi off the court during the timeout, while Sakuragi insisted that he was fine.

Sakuragi fought to return after straining his back, and Shirasawa helped Shohoku protect its lead against Sannoh in the final minutes. With 18 seconds left and Shohoku ahead 94-89, Sannoh prepared a last attack centered on Sawakita.

• Anzai and the team doctor initially ruled Sakuragi out for the rest of the game, but Shirasawa argued for treating him so he could play the final two minutes.
• The doctor sprayed and bandaged Sakuragi's back, then allowed him to return as long as he avoided twisting it.
• Sannoh's Sawakita scored to make it 90-87, while Shirasawa answered with a putback dunk after Sawakita blocked Sakuragi's dunk attempt.
• Shirasawa blocked Sawakita's layup, but Masashi Kawata tipped in the rebound to cut Shohoku's lead to three points with 38 seconds remaining.
• Shirasawa scored a fadeaway jumper with 18 seconds left, putting Shohoku ahead 94-89.
• Domoto called a timeout and arranged a baseline play for Sawakita as both teams prepared for Sannoh's final attack.

Sawakita’s late three brought Sannoh within two, but Sakuragi drew a foul and made his second free throw to give Shohoku a three-point lead. Fukatsu missed a hurried shot, and after Shirasawa blocked Sawakita’s final three, Sawakita recovered the loose ball with one second left.

• Sawakita hit an ultra-long three to cut Shohoku’s lead to 94-92 with fourteen seconds remaining.
• Akagi inbounded to Sakuragi, who drew a foul while attempting a dunk and then made his second free throw.
• Fukatsu drove past Miyagi and missed a jump shot, while Kawata tipped the rebound toward Sawaki in the left corner.
• Shirasawa blocked Sawakita’s drifting three-point attempt with two seconds left.
• Sawakita scooped up the blocked ball with one second remaining.

Shohoku defeated Sannoh in the national championship after Shirasawa blocked Sawakita’s final shot, and the players celebrated and exchanged congratulations. At the awards ceremony, Akagi accepted the championship trophy while Fukatsu took the runner-up cup, and Sawakita challenged Shirasawa to play one-on-one.

• Shirasawa blocked Sawakita’s shot as the buzzer sounded, securing Shohoku’s victory over Sannoh.
• Akagi, Kogure, Miyagi, Mitsui, and the rest of Shohoku celebrated their national championship, while the crowd cheered Shirasawa’s 55-point performance.
• Domoto and the Sannoh players accepted their defeat, and the two teams thanked each other and exchanged congratulations.
• Sakuragi taunted Mikio Kawata, then acknowledged his ability and told him to improve, before arguing with Masashi Kawata about the play that had led to the final attack.
• Sawakita admitted defeat to Shirasawa and challenged him to a one-on-one game; Shirasawa agreed and invited him to join his company.
• Akagi accepted the championship trophy for Shohoku, and Fukatsu accepted the runner-up cup for Sannoh.

Shirasawa won the National Tournament MVP after Shohoku captured the championship, while Sakuragi and Miyagi also earned major individual honors. The team celebrated their victory, but Shirasawa, Sanae, Yayoi Aida, and Yoko Shimamura took Sakuragi to the hospital, where doctors found his injury was a severe strain requiring two to three weeks of rest.

• Hiroshi Morishige won the Rebound King and Block King awards, Hanamichi Sakuragi finished second in rebounding, and Ryota Miyagi claimed the steals title.
• Shirasawa won the scoring title, and the tournament named him, Eiji Sawakita, and Masashi Kawata to both all-tournament teams alongside other standout players.
• Shirasawa received the National Tournament MVP trophy as Shohoku celebrated its championship and posed for a team photograph.
• Shohoku completed media interviews before gathering for an evening victory banquet, while Coach Anzai recalled Goro Domoto's respect and request to learn from him.
• Sanae and Yayoi Aida took the injured Hanamichi Sakuragi to the hospital with Shirasawa and Yoko Shimamura, and doctors diagnosed a severe strain requiring two to three weeks of rest.