Y/n's point of view

I was on my way into the school gate in my bike when I saw Miyagi-senpai and Mitsui-senpai. I hop off my bike to greet them.

"Good morning Miyagi-senpai and Mitsui-senpai!" I greeted.

They both looked at me. "Good morning Y/n-chan!"

We made are way inside the school gate when we saw someone handing papers around. Mitsui got one.

"What's going on?" Miyagi-senpai asked.

"Wu? What's this?" Mitsui-senpai asked while looking at the paper.

I was about to asked Mitsui if I can see the paper he was holding when I saw someone grunt in pain. I look at where the sound came from, I saw Kaede-kun riding his bike while sleeping again.

'He probably hit someone again! How many times do I have to tell him that he should stop sleeping while riding his bike!' I thought.

"Rukawa! You bastard!" Sakuragi yelled.

Then I realized that Kaede-kun crashed at Sakuragi. The people around started to talk and getting excited when they saw the basketball team's starter players. I ignore them and made my way to Kaede-kun.

"Good morning Kaede-kun." I greeted.

Kaede-kun nods lazily. "Morning Y/n-chan."

I was about to say something but got interrupted.

"Don't get overexcited, basketball team!" The judo captain said. He holds the paper towards us. "Sakuragi, yesterday you were forced off the court again... Always getting forced off the court, now you must think that basketball is a very annoying sport, right?" The judo captain crumbles the paper. "Sakuragi, join the judo team! It's not too late to join now!"

"This genius here has to lead the basketball team to victory!" Sakuragi yelled at the captain while pointing at his face.

Sakuragi hyped the people around us and they started to cheer.

I felt someone grabbed my arm and whispered. "Let's get out of here." And drag me. I looked it was Kaede-kun. The 3 players including me because Kaede-kun is dragging me with him, followed Akagi-senpai out of the crowd.

Night practice.

"Gather around! The finals will be here very soon!" Ayako-senpai started. "Division A's Kainan High scored 150 points in their victory. Division C's Ryonan High also won by a landslide! Regarding division B, us, Shohoku, and division D's Champion Takezato... These 4 teams are the ones in the finals."

"Facing the teams in the round of the strongest 8... Kainan still scored 150 points...?" Miyagi-senpai spoke.

"We also defeated Shoyo!" Sakuragi added.

"Sakuragi-kun spoke correctly, the most important thing is to have confidence." Anzai-sensei spoke. "Without the desire of victory then we shouldn't even play against Kainan. In the following days, mental factors will become enough to control the keys to basketball life. Does everyone want to win?"

"Yeah!" The players replied.

"Very good! The first battle will be against Kainan High." Anzai-sensei said.

Third person's point of view

Finally, this day has come. During the past years, this is the first time Shohoku challenged Kainan.

"Eh?! Even though there's still 30 minutes left to tipoff, it's already crowded with people!" 'Basketball' magazine reporter, Yayai Aida. Hikiochi Adia's sister; player in Ryonan team.

"Even though it's the final 4, it's rare to see a high school basketball game! Right Aida-san?" Nakamura asked.

"Nakamura, this just proves that both teams are closely watched!" Yayai Aida said. "First is Kainan University! You're clear on them no matter how much I explain, right?"

"Not... Not really clear..." Nakamura murmured.

"What?! Not clear?!" Yayai Aida yelled. "Didn't I tell you to investigate them thoroughly?! How dare you underestimate you job?!"

"S... Sorry!" Nakamura apologizes.

"The newest reporters are really lacking...! Look at that banner!" Yayai Aida said and pointed at Kainan's banner by the bleachers. "In the past 16 years, Kainan University has never failed to qualify for The National Competition! That's why everyone calls them 'Champion Kainan'!"

"For... For the 16 years?!" Nakamura is in shock.

"Since their greatest rival, the Shoyo team led by Fujima has already been eliminated most people think that this year will be their 17th year in The National Tournament." Yayai Aida continues. "But I don't agree! I think that the storm hasn't calmed down yet. The wildcard Shohoku will be the cause of the storm. This game must be watched!"

At Kainan locker room

"Are you all ready?" Their coach asked as he enters the room.

Maki, the captain is sitting at the bench topless with his towel over his head. "Coach, has the game started yet?!"

"HAHAHA! Don't worry be impatient, Maki-kun!" Their coach responds. "It's not time yet."

The room was filled with silence until their coach spokes again.

"Today's opponent is Shohoku! Because I thought Shoyo would win, I didn't investigate them at all!" Their coach said while rubbing the back of his head.

"HAHAHA! No problem! We don't need to investigate them!" Kiyota Nobunaga the number 10 of Kainan. "Right? Jin-sempai!"

"Right!" Jin Soichiro the number 6 of Kainan.

At Shohoku High School locker room

Players are gathered around their captain.

"Does everyone think that Kainan is unbeatable? That, even up of we reach up as far as we can, we still can't reach them?" Akagi breaks the silence. "Looking at the past, it's true. Comparing our past histories, there's a huge difference between us and Kainan. But, I... Every night before I sleep, I think about a day like this..." The 2 managers with their coach enter the locker room. "Shohoku... Battling champion Kainan to capture a place in The National Tournament. This sort of event has appeared in my mind every night... Since first grade, this has always been my dream!" Akagi ended his speech.

"We must win!"

"YEAH!"

At the court

The stadium is filled with fans, other school players and reporters.

The crowed is starting to cheer as the players enters the stadium.

Nobunaga run in the middle of the court – placing his hands in his hips and held his head high. "This year, I The Super Rookie, Kiyota Nobunaga, is on the team!" He laughs proudly.

"What is he doing? What an arrogant kid! We didn't come to see you!"

Sakuragi stands behind Nobunaga as he continues to laugh. He finally notices Sakuragi, Nobunaga face Sakuragi.

"Hey! Hanamichi Sakuragi!" Nobunaga greeted.

"What're you doing? You arrogant monkey!" Sakuragi stated.

Nobunaga notice that Sakuragi is holding a ball, he steals the ball.

"Hey!" Nobunaga called Sakuragi. This caught everyone's attention including their coaches. "Sakuragi... There's something I have to make clear..." After his statement, he started to dribble the ball between his legs in a fast pace.

"Ahh! His dribbling's really fast!"

"It's so fast!"

"Kainan's players are really on a different level!"

Nobunaga's dribbling stops when a ball rolled over his legs causing the them to collide.

"Ah!" Nobunaga exclaimed making Sakuragi grin wide. The two look at where the ball came from and saw a poker face.

"Rukawa!" Nobunaga exclaimed.

"Ahh... What's going on?! Doing this before a game..." Haruko said while watching at the bleachers.

"Looks interesting!" Takamiya and Mito said synchronously.

"Sakuragi, there's one thing I want to make clear..." Nobunaga repeated his unfinished statement and walks towards Rukawa and faced Sakuragi again. "Rukawa isn't the #1 rookie!" He said while pointing his thumb at Rukawa.

"Of course not!" Sakuragi replied.

"Eh?" Nobunaga said with a confused look.

Sakuragi walks towards Nobunaga and steals the ball from him and started to roll the ball around his waist in a fast pace.

"Ahh! So fast!"

"Wow!"

"Amazing! Shohoku doesn't back down either!"

"Umm, Ayako-sempai, is this alright? Should we stop them?" Y/n asked, feeling concern about the 3 rookies.

"Their fine. Don't worry Y/n-chan." Ayako replied.

"What's going on?!" Haruko from the bleachers asked, feeling concern.

Sakuragi's friends laugh at the 3 rookies. "How interesting!"

"HAHA! That's right!" Nobunaga spoke.

"I definitely won't lose to you!" Nobunaga and Sakuragi exclaimed while pointing at Rukawa.

The two number 10 of each team got punched in the head.

The both of them yelp in pain.

"Sorry, he bothered you." Maki – Kainan's captain – apologized while holding Nobunaga's head.

"That's okay, it's not a big deal." Akagi replied while holding Sakuragi's ear.

The both captains drag their number 10 to their side of the court.

Kainan's coach – Takato Riki – looks at Shohoku's side if the court and approach them. "Sakuragi-kun, when did you start playing basketball?"

Sakuragi and Akagi turn to Kainan's coach.

"Why are you asking?! Since school started! Don't underestimate me!" Sakuragi stated as he earned another punch from Akagi.

This year is the last year of high school life, for some. Akagi finally found a group of talented teammates, overcoming many obstacles, they finally made to semi-finals.

Game ball starts!