On the basketball court,Sendoh was sprinting across the hardwood, dribbling with purpose and confidence. Directly in front of him stood a defender — a fellow Ryonan player trying to keep up.
Kenichi Uesugi recognized the defender immediately. It was Hiroaki Koshino, one of Ryonan's main players and someone known for his solid skills. But even Koshino looked slightly outmatched against Sendoh's explosive agility.
With a quick feint to the left and a slick crossover to the right, Sendoh broke past Koshino's defense as if it were nothing. As he soared into the air for what looked like a clean dunk, a tall figure leaped to contest him — Sugihara, Ryonan's backup center.
Despite Sugihara's effort to block him, Sendoh adjusted mid-air, showing impressive hang time. Twisting gracefully, he delivered a stunning reverse dunk that brought the entire gym to life.
"Whoa! That was amazing!""Is that really Sendoh? He's so cool!""Yeah! The magazines said he's on the same level as Kainan's Maki. Now I believe it!"
From the sidelines, a crowd of newcomers — just like Kenichi — had gathered to watch. Their admiration for Sendoh was loud and genuine.
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the noise.
"Assemble!"A stern voice rang out from behind.
Kenichi turned and immediately recognized the man giving orders — Taoka Moichi, the no-nonsense coach of the Ryonan basketball team.
At his command, both current players and new recruits quickly lined up. Everyone knew of Coach Taoka's strict reputation, and no one dared slack off under his watch.
Two orderly lines formed before him: one for veteran players like Sendoh and Yuzumi, and the other for the newcomers, including Kenichi. Given his height, Kenichi stood at the far right of the lineup.
That's when he noticed two unfamiliar faces standing quietly behind Coach Taoka. Were they newcomers too?
Taoka eyed the rookies with a mix of disappointment and frustration. Compared to last year's intake, this batch was far less promising. Most didn't even meet the height requirements at first glance. Only the tall boy on the far right seemed to have potential — Kenichi Uesugi, roughly 190 cm tall.
Flipping through a folder, Taoka found Kenichi's profile."Kenichi Uesugi," he muttered. The name rang no bells. Apparently, the kid only began playing basketball in his second year of junior high. That meant he had less than two years of experience. Practically a beginner.
Taoka sighed internally. Probably not even bench material. Still, the coach made a mental note. His physique is solid. Maybe, with guidance, he could grow into something.
Despite his gruff demeanor, Taoka was a coach who took his job seriously. If there was even a flicker of potential, he was willing to give a player a chance — the rest was up to them.
Scanning through the rest of the files, nothing stood out. No breakout stars, no notable tournament experience. He had hoped last year's strong performance — reaching the top four in the district — would attract serious talent. But most top players had chosen bigger-name schools like Kainan or Shoyo.
And Kaede Rukawa, the promising prospect from Hara-Tomigaoka Junior High, had turned down Ryonan altogether — supposedly because Shohoku was closer to home. Taoka didn't buy that excuse for a second. It had to be that old fox Anzai. Even though Anzai had all but abandoned the Shohoku team in recent years, letting Akagi lead the charge alone, he somehow still held influence.
Even the junior high MVP from two years ago picked Shohoku, Taoka thought bitterly. And what happened? He quit the team early. That's what comes from not having proper guidance.
The coach exhaled slowly, pushing down his frustration. He turned to the newcomers and spoke firmly:
"Just because you've signed up to join the team doesn't mean you're in. You'll be split into two teams and play a match. Only those who perform well will be accepted. The rest — you're out."
He gestured toward the two unfamiliar players behind him. They weren't walk-ins — they were scouts. Taoka had managed to recruit them from other prefectures, hoping to repeat the miracle of finding someone like Sendoh. But elite players were rare, and most had already been scooped up by top-tier schools.
Still, these two were decent. While not stars, they could make solid backups. And compared to today's crop of newcomers, they were clearly more skilled.
Taoka glanced over the eight new applicants again. According to the data, none had much — if any — official match experience in junior high. He had little hope for them.
The teams were drawn at random. The two recruits from outside were placed on one team; Kenichi ended up on the other.
Taoka frowned. He briefly considered stepping in — having both strong players on the same team could make the game one-sided — but then shrugged off the idea. None of these rookies are staying anyway. Let them play and be done with it. The real focus is preparing for the national championship.
Soon, under Taoka's brisk supervision, all ten newcomers changed into practice uniforms and gathered on the court. Meanwhile, the main players — including Sendoh, Koshino, and Yuzumi — stood around the court, ready to observe.
It was time to see what these newcomers were made of.