I'm Nao Nanao! From class 1-3!
I'm 144 centimeters tall, and I weigh 36 kilograms!
I'm a Pisces with a B blood type. And I love green tea pudding!
Although I may not be the best manager, I will do my utmost to support the team!
I hope we can get along!
Nanao is... going to be our manager?
So, how are they? Now that you've seen them in action, what are your thoughts?
W-well... everyone on the team is amazing.
Although...
I don't think this team stands any chance of winning actual games.
If that's what she thinks, then there's no mistake.
Huh?
I can guarantee that personally.
If you'd like, we can even prove it with a game.
You can play against our girls' team.
What?!
Why?!
Well, we could be convinced.
If the girls agree to strip naked when we win, then I think we could find the motivation!
Gotta put a carrot on the stick, so to speak!
Very well, then.
That's fine.
Then we're all agreed.
Madoka will be the one to do it.
What?
Then we'll play! Without holding back!
Um, okay then.
Starting now, the game between the boys' and girls' basketball teams will officially begin!
ALL RIGHT!
Where to go? The land, sea or sky?
Ahiru no Sora
I wanna invite you to come along
The pages of our story have started to turn
If you lose your nerve then recycle it
And let it push you past hesitation
Give and go! With the flow
Instincts that are buried deep will always rear their head again
People can't just hide the dreams they once dreamed of
Even if these wings can't fly
We want to spread them wide and embrace the sky
Becoming the people who we want to be
You never know, the impossible could be possible tomorrow
So let's keep up the struggle
Happy go ducky!
The match will be two 10-minute halves.
Each team will be allowed to call one timeout.
The Boys' Stubbornness and Girls' Pride
The ball will be a men's size 7.
I will be the coach for the girls' team.
And Mr. Satsuki, I'd like you to be the coach for the boy's team.
Please and thank you.
Okay. I can do that.
Although, I really don't know anything about basketball.
Are there different positions, like there are for baseball and soccer?
Yes, it's similar.
Kurumatani: 3-pointers, drives Natsume: Penetrates, won't pass
The backcourt player who directs the offense is the "Point Guard."
The players in the wings who try to score are the "Small Forward" and the "Shooting Guard."
Then further inside are the "Center" and "Power Forward."
They plant themselves near the basket to help secure points and rebounds.
I think the boys have already settled into the positions that suit them the best.
I see.
I'm curious to know, do the girls stand any chance of winning this game?
If you look at them individually, the boys are certainly more skilled than the girls.
However...
VICTORY WILL BE...
...OURS!
Seriously?! Only teams playing in the final round of nationals ever get THAT intense!
Okay then, here we go!
ALL RIGHT!
Wow, Momoharu! That marks a totally new jump record for you!
Oh, come on, Wakamori! Please take this more seriously!
Who the heck drops into the fetal position on a jump ball?!
I was too scared to do anything else!
Madoka! Cover Sora so he can't shoot any three-pointers!
Okay!
Deny defense, girls!
You better get ready.
Because here I come.
H-he's so huge!
I've never had to guard someone like this before!
Hey, Bro! Over here!
Not happening!
Oh, that's some solid defending.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since your team practices on a daily basis.
He's not the only one confident about having fast footwork.
I won't be shaken off easily!
There he goes! He's changing his pace!
Huh?
Help!
Hell yeah! That's one point for us!
Or wait, do those count for two?
It was a two-pointer.
Excellent. I'm already starting to picture that t-shirt of hers coming right off!
I'm sorry... he got by me like it was nothing.
I couldn't read his movements at all.
Don't worry.
We've only just gotten started.
Ugh, he's just too fast...
I couldn't even see what kind of move he pulled.
Nice one.
Go back, girls!
Whoa! It looks like we're totally overwhelming them!
Sorry about this, Sora.
But your weakness was outed to everyone during that match against Maru High.
I'll just lay on pressure until I've got him cornered on the left side!
Huh?!
He went left...?!
Perfect chance!
Pass me the ball, Bro!
No way!
He's shooting from the left side?!
Aw, yeah! That's our lil' Sora!
I'd say that shot guarantees a bra will be dropping to the floor soon!
No comments from the peanut gallery!
I'm so glad I sunk that one!
Have you been practicing taking shots from the left ever since that game with Maru High?
Yep!
And I didn't just shoot them freely.
I had Yasuhara and the others play defense against me.
And we didn't get to go home until well after 10:00 because of it.
I even missed my favorite show, "The World's Most Amazing Animals"!
Well, we got a good deal.
Since the squirt is going to treat us to lunch for the next 3 months.
Uh... I don't remember agreeing to anything like that.
Wait a minute... Are you for real? The best move there was passing me the ball.
Are you for real? The best move there was passing me the ball.
Have these guys always been this strong? Really? But I thought scoring 3 points was better than just 2...
This team... I think they might actually be able to go to the inter-high...
Crap! The inter-high doesn't matter at all right now!
I forgot that my body is on the line!
Rebound!
Yo, Kite! Don't just let them shoot an open three like that!
Shut it.
Did you even hear what I said?! Hey!
I don't think we can win this...
I feel really bad for Madoka...
Come on, don't give up!
Hey, Madoka!
From here on out, just stick to my plan.
Nao...
Okay! Go, girls!
What now?
Zone defense?!
What does that mean?
Just look.
As you can see here, "Zone defense" is when the entire team
focuses solely on defending the area around the basket.
Unlike man-to-man, which requires everyone to constantly guard a specific player,
this style makes them all responsible for guarding a specific "zone" instead, hence the name.
That makes sense.
But then...
what good does that actually do?
No way, they can't be serious.
Did they forget we have Sora on our team?
What does he mean?
The major difference between zone and man-to-man, is that the area the defense guards is limited.
In exchange for preventing anyone on the other team from reaching the paint,
it becomes easier for them to score from long distance instead.
Simply put, the single most effective way to neutralize a zone defense
is by having a really skilled 3-point shooter, just like Sora.
I get it. That means our resident shorty will be doing most of the work from now on.
Unfortunately for you, it's not going to be that simple.
Because...
...this is not an ordinary zone defense.
Box and 1.
Using this will enable us to prevent both Natsume and Kurumatani from scoring any more points.
Box and 1, eh?
Well, that's the most obvious decision they could have made.
Yabuuchi is moving alone and totally ignoring her area.
Doesn't that ruin this whole "zone defense" thing?
Nope.
It's a variation, which means it's still considered a zone defense.
While four of the players focus on defending their zones, the last one goes man-to-man
with the one opponent who poses the biggest scoring threat.
This allows them to effectively suppress the ace of the other team.
Even if that player gets a hold of the ball, all 5 can work to defend against them.
That's the box and 1 defense.
So, 3-pointers are out of the question.
Our best bet is to follow standard practice and exploit it with passes.
But if their defense is this clustered together, then...
Did you get all that, Madoka?
This defense is designed so that it's impossible to shoot any threes.
Our first step is to shut down their top scorer, Kurumatani.
Yo! Don't push through! Just pass it around!
I can do it!
We can already assume that he'll find a way past you.
But letting him go past the three-point line will actually make everything work in our favor.
They may be able to stop me from shooting threes, but I can still charge-in and shoot from mid-range!
They reacted fast!
What the hell was that?! You damn shrimp!
Well shit, they snatched it right from us.
One fundamental aspect of zone defense is reacting to the ball instead of to other players.
Unless the opposing team is good at passing the ball around, then steals are more likely to occur.
Are you serious? Then that means there's hardly anything they can do.
And we haven't even gotten to the good part yet.
Huh?
Is it just me, or is everybody getting clustered on the left?
Kite is one thing, but even Chiaki is over there now.
I know what's up!
They're pushing the offense to one side of the court!
Sora got a taste of that back in our match with Maru High, remember?
I'm gonna get the ball back!
That's it, stray frustrated.
And then chase after me like a good boy!
Oh crap!
A screen!
Dammit!
Idiot! Don't follow her!
That was way too close.
She nearly slipped away from me in an instant.
Gotta stop it!
Dammit! Going one-on-one right below the basket is too hard at my height!
Nice shot, Madoka!
Huh?
How did all you guys end up so far away?
You dummy.
Don't just walk into such an obvious trap.
They wanted you to be the one who went under the basket and you fell for it.
No way...
That tiny lady over there, planned a strategy that assures they can score points.
It was an isolation play.
"Isolation play"?
Facing our man-to-man defense, they spread out across the court and create empty space below the basket.
Then someone sets up a screen and quickly returns to their position,
forcing the pair in that space to go one-on-one.
That's known as an isolation play.
They all know that you're not an effective guard underneath the basket.
Do you get it now?
The other team is taking full advantage of your lack of height.
Tee-hee~
What the heck is that?! What does it even mean?!
It was really cute, though.
If they set up another screen on the shrimp,
we have to execute a solid switch or else they're just going to keep abusing his shortness to score.
Yeah, I know.
What the hell's a "switch"?
Dude, that's easy. The thing on the wall that turns out the lights.
It means switching up defenders on the fly!
"Switching up defenders on the fly"?
Whenever you're playing man-to-man defense,
everyone has to be ready to change the player they're defending to deal with screens from the other team.
That's called a "switch."
Out on the court you have to say "switch!" or something else, to let everyone know that you're changing.
O-oh...
If they pull another screen like that on you, then I'll switch to defending Yabuuchi since I'm taller than her.
Got it?
Right!
Keep your eyes on them!
Right!
Close their pass windows!
Dammit!
I don't even have the ball yet!
This is just like what happened in our match against Maru High!
Hey, Bro, give it here!
Getting past four of them should be a cinch!
Listen carefully.
Whenever Natsume makes a move to penetrate to the basket, we'll use all four defenders to shut him down.
First, one defender will immediately stick to him to prevent any shots from middle-range.
If he gets around them, then the remaining three will triple team to put on pressure.
The first defender will also press him from behind to assure he'll have no windows to pass through.
But if we do that, won't he just pass it the instant that we try to triple team him?
Don't worry about that.
I know he won't pass it.
Kite! They left me wide open over here!
I'm the one... who's going to score!
Boys Girls
Offensive foul! Charging!
Ow, ow, ow...
Oh my gosh! Are you all right, Sachi?
Give me a break, it can't be that bad.
That was a totally reckless move and you know it!
Nabe was wide open right behind you!
Why the hell are you playing lone wolf?
Well, I probably would have missed the basket even if he did pass it...
Even if he can't shoot well, passing the ball to him would definitely have spread out the defense.
And that Kite guy is way too skilled to not know something that fundamental about the game.
I wonder why he didn't just pass the ball?
Man, I bet you that he still doesn't trust the other members of the team.
Nah, I would say it's because he's overconfident in his ability to score.
Actually, it's a mix of both.
He feels a strong sense of responsibility as a forward, and that comes from confidence in his skills.
When someone has the level of talent that he does, it's only natural that it can become a weakness at times.
Another screen?!
Don't bother, Sora! We're switching!
Timeout for the boys' team!
Nice! You pulled that pass off perfectly, Yoko!
Senpai!
Ugh! I can't believe you guys actually made me shoot a 3-pointer!
My hands are still shaking with anxiety!
This time they gave up heading for the paint and just shot a three instead.
They're determined to take advantage of Sora's height for this whole game.
Hmph, that damned tiny lady. She's better than I gave her credit for.
Dammit...
It's all because of me that we're being hindered on both offense and defense.
What the hell happened to all that momentum we had earlier?
All our dreams of that bra falling to the floor are slowly fading away...
Shucks, I really can't keep up with any of this.
I had a sneaking suspicion that this might be the case, but...
...we're all still really weak when it comes to basketball, huh?
Seriously, I doubt we're even at the level of being able to compete in a real game yet.
I mean, there's only four guys on our team with actual experience.
What?
I don't remember saying anything about you guys being weak.
Huh?
Your team is... really strong.
I'm sorry, Kurumatani.
But...
Oh jeez. Now's not the time to be having a pity party, guys.
There'll be no stripping at this rate, much less, any chance of us going to the inter-high!
Just let me handle our next move.
It looks like Afro Senpai is cooking up some kind of plan.
How exactly will they try and counter the box and 1 defense?
Let you handle it?
But we haven't done any practice to overcome a zone defense...
That's a good point. So for now...
You two, sub out!
S-sub out?!
But why us?!
Bro! At least tell us what your reason is!
Because you're in the way.
Huh?!
Hell yeah! It's time for the real superstars to hit the court!
I've been waiting for this!
Wait! I haven't agreed to sub out with anyone ye-
Player substitution!
Here we go, my blood has already started pumping.
Dammit...
Why would they take their two primary scorers out of the game?
It's almost like they're trying to throw the match.
This is nothing new, we never know what those idiots are thinking.
Listen up, Momoharu.
The only members of the team now who can put up a screen are you and me.
Let's do what we can to tear their defense apart.
Uh, right.
We're gonna.... win this thing!
No question!
I've had enough! No more pervy stares!
You damn horndogs!
All right! Time to get back on track, boys!
Let's go, let's go!
Dammit! Why can't I play?!
This is clearly a terrible strategy!
Not at all.
I think he made the perfect call for this situation.
If you both stayed out there, it would have been impossible to overcome the box and 1 defense.
The 2-3 zone.
It's the most commonly used formation when playing zone defense.
And it'll be difficult for these guys to deal with, since none of them are long-range shooters.
With Yasu on the court, we have a pretty big height advantage on them.
Let's just pass the ball over their heads an-
No, we won't bother with that.
We can't afford to turn this into a height competition between boys and girls.
We have to play this on equal ground until the very end.
Otherwise, there's no point to playing with our current lineup.
I have no doubt about it.
That guy has also...
...realized all the weaknesses of the players on this team!
It didn't matter how long you stared up at the sky
You always said that you would never be able to fly
One night I cried wondering how long it would take
Until I could finally reach you with my hands
Eventually I got used to just running away
Until the day I realized that was a weakness
So let's start it all over, right now
The things precious to us were always close at hand
We are never completely alone at any time in our lives
The truth is that you can fly, wherever you want
Spreading your wings to go far higher than anyone else
The more tears that you shed
Then the stronger you become
Let's use those wings to travel the world over
And find a path to a future that no one knows about
Always, always, always
Walking onwards, all of us together
Ahiru no Sora Next Time: Team
Next time: "Team."