Inside the Ryonan Basketball Gymnasium, the Shohoku Team members were organizing their equipment in the locker room, preparing to change into their official uniforms.
Ayako stood to one side, holding a neatly folded stack of Shohoku jerseys, while Coach Anzai wore a faint, relaxed smile. "Alright, everyone's jerseys have arrived. Now I will announce the starting lineup and distribute the uniforms!"
"Huh? Assign numbers?!" Hanamichi Sakuragi's eyes widened with impatience. "Why do we have to be assigned numbers? Can't we just pick our own?"
Ayako patiently explained, "The team numbers are permanently assigned. You don't just pick them at random."
Takenori Akagi stood nearby with his arms crossed, shooting a cold glare at Hanamichi. "Can you stop making a scene?"
Hanamichi pouted and muttered under his breath, "Tch, it doesn't matter what number this genius wears..."
Ignoring Hanamichi's complaints, Coach Anzai began handing out the jerseys in order: "Center, Akagi, number 4."
Akagi took the jersey from Ayako's hands with a stern expression, naturally putting on the number that symbolized the team's core.
"Is the gorilla number 4? Then does that make me number 3? Hahahaha, wait, what's a center anyway?" A chibi version of Hanamichi appeared above his head, thinking to himself.
"Guard, shooting guard, Yasuharu Yasuda, number 6."
"Yes!" Yasuharu took the jersey from Ayako.
"Guard, point guard, Shin Saionji, number 12."
"You two are pretty good, but watch yourselves—don't hold this genius back!" Hanamichi declared.
"Next, the forwards."
"Small forward, Kiminobu Kogure, number 5."
"Finally, power forward..."
Hanamichi interrupted, "What? That's it?"
"Power forward, Kaede Rukawa, number 10."
Kaede casually accepted the jersey, his face completely expressionless as if he couldn't care less about his number.
"No wonder Kaede and Shin are so different from us. They've secured their starting positions as freshmen."
Next, the other upperclassmen received their numbers in turn: Satoru Kakuta, number 7; Tetsushi Shiozaki, number 8; Yasuharu Yasuda, number 6; Kentaro Ishii, number 9...
"Wait, wait, wait a minute, Coach! Why don't I have a number?"
"You're just a beginner who's only played basketball for a day or two. What more could you possibly want?"
"Akagi, you liar! When you taught me rebounding the other day, you said whoever controls the rebounds controls the game! I don't care, I'm playing today no matter what!!!"
Veins bulged on Akagi's forehead, and his fists clenched tightly as he looked ready to deal Hanamichi a dose of his "Iron Fist of Love" at any moment.
Seeing this, the other players backed away quickly, terrified of the impending violence.
Finally reaching his limit with Hanamichi's endless whining, Akagi took a piece of red electrical tape and slapped a number 15 onto Hanamichi's clothes.
With fire blazing in his eyes, Hanamichi tore the clothes right off, snatched Kaede's number 10 jersey, and shoved the roll of tape into Kaede's hands. "Stinky fox, you take number 15."
Just as the situation was about to spiral completely out of control, a leisurely voice rang out: "Oh ho ho, Sakuragi-kun."
Everyone instantly fell silent, turning their heads toward Coach Anzai. "Sakuragi, calm down. You are our Shohoku Team's secret weapon. You'll get your chance to play in a little while."
Resigned, Ayako handed the number 11 jersey to Kaede Rukawa.
Continuing down the list: "Number 13 is Takano, number 14 is Tsugawa..."
Akagi let out a helpless sigh. Though he hated to admit it, Coach Anzai's method was the only way to calm this idiot down.
"Alright, since the jerseys are all distributed, everyone change quickly. The game is about to start." Kiminobu clapped his hands, signaling everyone to hurry up and get ready.
The Shohoku players changed into their jerseys, walked out of the locker room, and stepped formally onto the gymnasium court.
This scrimmage would be the ultimate test for the Shohoku freshmen!
Inside the Ryonan Basketball Gymnasium, the atmosphere on the court was tense and electric. The players from Shohoku and Ryonan stood in their respective halves, eyes locking as the air grew thick with the smell of gunpowder. Though it was just a practice match, everyone knew this was going to be a real battle!
The referee tossed the ball into the air, and Takenori Akagi and Jun Uozumi leaped simultaneously. The two centers engaged in a fierce aerial duel, but Akagi ultimately prevailed, cleanly tipping the ball toward the Shohoku side!
Shin Saionji reacted instantly, catching the basketball as Ryonan's defenders immediately swarmed him.
"Oh?" Akira Sendoh stood on the wing, lazily observing Shin Saionji with a slight upward curve of his lips. "This point guard... looks pretty interesting."
Ryonan's point guard, Uekusa, rushed over to apply close defense, attempting to disrupt Shin's dribble.
However, Shin simply adjusted his pace with absolute calm. A subtle change of direction instantly shook off the defender, and he quickly drove the ball forward toward the three-point line. Activating the Demon King's Eye, he took in all of Ryonan's defensive flaws in a single glance!
"Akagi!"
The basketball sliced through Ryonan's defense with pinpoint precision, landing securely in the hands of Akagi down in the paint!
Uozumi immediately leaped to defend. Every Shohoku player knew this was going to be a brutal, hard-nosed clash under the basket.
Akagi anchored his lower body, backing down hard against Uozumi. Every bump sent a heavy shockwave through Uozumi; compared to their last encounter, Akagi's strength had grown vastly superior, and he was holding his ground without an ounce of difficulty!
"Tch... This guy got stronger since last time!" Uozumi gritted his teeth.
Akagi spun sharply and lofted a hook shot!
"Clang—!"
The ball dropped cleanly through the net, putting Shohoku on the scoreboard first!
Coach Taoka frowned slightly. "Akagi's skills have improved again... It looks like he isn't just relying on brute force anymore."
On the Shohoku bench, Ayako pumped her fist in excitement. "Nice shot! Akagi-senpai is as reliable as ever!"
Coach Anzai nodded. "Not just Akagi. The passing angle on that last play was absolute perfection. Shin's court vision is exceptional."
Coach Taoka's gaze swept over Shin Saionji. His eyes narrowed sharply as he muttered, "That guy... is extraordinary."
Ryonan's turn to attack. Uekusa brought the ball up, while Kaede Rukawa shadowed Akira Sendoh closely on the wing.
"Pass to me," Sendoh said casually, and Uekusa didn't hesitate to feed him the ball.
Catching it and facing Kaede's defense, Sendoh didn't rush to attack. He gently patted the basketball, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I hear you're pretty strong."
Kaede remained silent, fixing Sendoh with a cold, piercing stare.
The next second, Sendoh executed a lightning-fast crossover, blowing past Kaede by half a step!
"This guy..." Kaede immediately accelerated to recover, but Sendoh's speed was terrifying. Having already driven near the free-throw line, Sendoh pulled off a mid-air body switch to evade Akagi's block, flicking the ball toward the backboard!
"Swish—!"
Ryonan scores, tying it at 2-2!
On Shohoku's offensive possession, Shin Saionji brought the ball past halfcourt. Ryonan stepped up their defense as Uekusa and Koshino converged on him with a double team.
Yet Shin remained entirely composed. In the blink of an eye, he made his decision, suddenly bursting with a sharp acceleration that left both defenders behind in an instant!
"What?!" Uekusa gasped in shock.
Shin slashed into the paint, and Uozumi rushed over to help defend!
But—
He merely executed a pump fake, then whipped a rapid kick-out pass to the wing!
Kiminobu Kogure caught the ball and cleanly drained the jump shot!
"Swish—!"
Shohoku leads, 4-2!
At the sideline, Coach Anzai narrowed his eyes slightly and murmured softly, "Ho ho, it seems Shin-kun's abilities are even more comprehensive than I imagined."
Coach Taoka's expression grew solemn as well. "This freshman... has he actually taken full control of Shohoku's offensive tempo?"
Watching from the side, Sendoh's smile deepened. "Interesting."
Ryonan attacked again. This time, giving Shohoku zero room to breathe, Sendoh isolated Kaede Rukawa one-on-one!
Sendoh drove hard. Kaede stuck to him tightly, but Sendoh's footwork was exceptionally fluid, executing a sudden spin move that shook Kaede off by half a step!
Sendoh rose directly into the air for a mid-range jumper!
But—
Shin Saionji suddenly appeared right in front of him!
Sendoh's eyes flickered with surprise. In mid-air, he adjusted his motion to pass instead!
However, Shin had already anticipated the move, instantly reaching out to intercept the pass!
"What?!" Sendoh's eyes widened in disbelief.
Shohoku immediately launched a fast break. Kaede caught the ball and easily laid it in uncontested!
Shohoku leads, 6-2!
The Ryonan players frowned, realizing they had been completely sucked into Shohoku's pace!
Coach Taoka stood by the sideline, his expression growing grimmer by the second.
Sendoh clapped his hands together with a faint smile. "This guy... is even trickier than I thought."
Shohoku's morale surged higher and higher, Shin's command of the court laid bare for everyone in the gymnasium to see!
Coach Anzai gently pushed up his glasses, a meaningful smile touching the corners of his mouth. "Ho ho... Shin-kun might even be stronger than Fujima-kun from Shoyo and Maki-shinichi from Kainan."