Rikukaikuu doko ni ikou
Ahiru no Sora
Kimi o sasoitai na
Monogatari wa hajima tterunda
Okubyou kaze mo recycle
Mayotteru senaka oshite
Give and go! Isogou
Mogutteita honou ga kaodashite
Kakusenai no sa yume ni mita yume
Tobenai tsubasa demo
Bokura wa habataite sora o kanjitai
Naritai jibun ni naritai
Ima dekinai koto mo ashita wa wakannai ze
Waru agaki shiyou
Happy go ducky!
The 2-3 zone.
It's the most commonly used formation when playing zone defense.
My dear Nao...
I know that zone defense is full of your love, so I'll fill our offense with my own.
Quit wasting time! Just get on with it!
Get your guard up, girls!
Here they come!
Sweet.
Got it?
Whenever you receive a pass, you have to take stock of the situation around you.
Look for anybody who is open. And check for empty space in front of you.
Okay! I'll handle this!
Hey, Yasu! Over here!
Nice, Chucky!
I've got him!
Sayuri!
Shit... I still can't dribble the ball properly...
A screen!
Yoko, in the middle!
Over here!
Oh, Nabe is free!
Time is up! 24-second violation!
I totally forgot.
We only have 24 seconds to take a shot when we're on offense, right?
Sorry, it's all because I was lagging behind.
Nah, you're doing fine as-is.
Don't try and rush it, just stay aware of your surroundings.
The role of each player in a zone defense is much more ambiguous than in man-to-man.
So sometimes it's possible for them to end up overlapping like you just saw.
And if two defenders end up covering the same player, then what happens?
I get it, that means somebody else is left open.
Their current zone defense was hastily prepared to counter us.
Holes are bound to open up in it eventually.
Momoharu and I will focus on making those holes.
Make sure you watch closely.
Boys
Girls
Nice three-pointer, Yoko!
I just remembered something Kite said to us.
Whenever we get the ball, we should always look at...
...the basket!
What the hell is she doing?
H-he isn't going to take a shot...?
And now I blow past her. Is that how this works?
That was smooth! When did Yasu actually get that good?
Gah! Oh shi-!
Whoa there!
Nice one, Nabe!
What the hell are you passing to the other team for, dumbass?!
Like you're one to talk, what kind of dribbling was that?!
Kurumatani: 3-Pointers, speed Chucky: Calm and can analyze... Nabe: Awarenes is... Yasuhara: Ball handling needs...
When Yasu went for that drive just now, it opened another hole in the defense.
Did you see it?
Yeah. I saw it.
Dummy! What were you thinking?!
The defender that was in front of me took off to try and block Yasu.
It left me totally free on the opposite side.
The zone defense makes it relatively easy for members of the offense to get open.
By repeating a cycle of passes and drives, it will eventually fall apart.
Boys
Girls
It was a mistake to let him handle anything. The other team is just widening the gap on us.
I'm starting to think that Bro had no idea what he was doing this whole time.
The only players without an idea of what they're doing are you two.
The reason I said this team would never win, is because you lack something very fundamental.
"Something fundamental"?
Yep.
What every team needs to deal with screens and zone defense,
is absolute faith in each other's ability to provide cover.
Having players who think they can just use other skills to cover their own weaknesses
prevents the team from functioning as a whole.
The one thing this team needs in order to win,
is for every player to embrace their own shortcomings.
Chiaki: wide field of vision, passes Everyone must embrace shortcomings Must work on individual scoring and making the best of situations must learn how to coordinate (screens and pass work) (Overall) Lacking stamina Refine fundamentals, especially footwork
And then use teamwork to adequately make up for those.
You know what they say: There is no "I" in "TEAM."
That's a fundamental part of basketball.
Okay! Do it now!
Somebody get on him!
Incredible! He's totally free right in front of the basket!
A-amazing...
See that? Hope you're watching, little birdies!
I am a genius on the court!
Boys
Girls
Game over!
The girls' win with 18 points to 5!
All right!
Thank God! My body has been saved from ogling eyes!
Whoops! I totally spaced that Momoharu can't shoot to save his life.
Note: Lyrics from the 1974 enka song, "Showa Kare Susuki."
We lost to poverty~!
Hold up! We didn't lose to poverty or anything like that! We lost to the girls' team!
Just forget about the inter-high or whatever.
I don't think we could even beat a team of kids from elementary school.
I've lost every last ounce of motivation, man.
Uh, wait! Come on, you guys.
Yasuhara!
Nabe?!
Chucky!
N-not good...
Momoharu, please say something to bring them around!
Oh, jeez! All we have to do is get better by practicing more!
Right, Nanao?
Huh?
Wh-where did she go?
I screwed it up again.
I really only meant for it to be a little test of their skill.
Making them lose motivation is the exact opposite of what a manager is supposed to do, ugh...
I can't figure it out. Why am I so bad at this?
It's like I have no ability to learn fro-
How lame!
She's like a manga character! I've never seen anybody fall in the gutter for real!
Same!
Nanao!
Kurumatani...?
You left so fast, I thought something might be wrong.
Here, you forgot this.
Thanks...
Wh-what happened to... your leg?
P-please accept my apologies.
It's no big deal.
My grandma makes me take care of the cleaning all the time.
Not that.
That's not what I'm apologizing for.
In that match earlier, my strategy totally singled you out on every play...
Uh, that's okay, no need to apologize to me.
I know that's just what it takes to win the game, right?
Well, I'm a bit on the obsessive side.
I always throw everything I have into it, without even thinking.
Back in middle school, stuff like this happened to me so much.
GIRLS' BASKETBALL DISTRICT TOURNAMENT
Like back before the semi-finals of our district tournament...
Our frontcourt game is weak! We need to shore ourselves up in the middle!
Kosugi
Should we leave the defense as-is?
Yeah. We don't want to ruin our rhythm by changing anything we don't have to.
U-um, I think that we should sub out numbers 4 and 5.
Huh?
There's not much time left, so we should focus our defense in the paint.
That's why we should put in taller players like Matsuki and Taniguchi.
Don't be stupid! I'm the team captain and Miyuki is the vice-captain!
Why should we ever sub out for two younger players?
B-but that's what we need to win...
A manager like you has no right to be making important calls like that!
Just keep your nose out of this and your own business!
It should have been obvious to me...
I was out of line telling the seniors to sub out for freshmen at such a crucial moment.
There are a lot of other important things to consider than just winning and losing.
For sure...
Honestly, I think I'm better off just as a spectator than being a part of the team.
My motive for wanting to join was kind of immodest, anyway.
Huh?
Keep doing your best out there.
I think your team... will be a force to be reckoned with.
Nanao...
Ouch!
Is she really gonna be okay?
She forgot it again?!
I think... she meant that she was going to quit the team.
No... say it ain't so!
Tell me, how am I supposed to keep on living now?
Who cares?
Let her quit if she wants.
We don't need a manager who wastes time pretending to be a coach.
You don't have to be so rude about it.
Nanao was just trying her best to help us all!
To make a good coach, you pretty much have to be a former player.
It's years of experience that give a coach sufficient insight.
I'm not going to let a brat with no first-hand experience tell me how to play the game.
That's not fair, she told us she was on a basketball team back in middle school!
Yeah, but she was still just a manager.
The only thing a manager should do is take care
of the odd jobs that nobody else has time for.
Why do you always have to be such an asshole?!
Have some decency!
What? You wanna take this outside, shrimp?
What's all this?
They're notes from our game...
Whoa, this is nuts! There's more than 20 pages of stuff!
"Yasuhara has a good sense for driving, but must work on improving his handling of the ball."
Hey! Is there anything about me in there?
Dude, I'm looking at what she wrote about me. Just wait a damn minute!
That takes me back. She was always doing stuff like that.
I can tell you about Nao. There's one part of her story that you don't know yet.
The truth is, she's been playing basketball ever since she was a kid.
Huh?
She switched to being a manager in the summer of her 2nd year at middle school.
Up until then, she practiced with us as a member of the team.
She switched? Because of an injury or what?
Nope. She was in perfect shape.
I don't recall her ever suffering an injury.
But then, why the change?
She just wasn't suited to... the game of basketball.
Just think about it.
Sora is a good example of someone who doesn't have the stature necessary for basketball,
but his speedy footwork and great shooting sense make up for that disadvantage.
Naturally, we know that's the result of him going through a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.
But some people in the world can never make up the difference, no matter how hard they try.
Nao was one of them and that's why she desperately tried to find her own path,
and eventually armed herself with the weapon we call "strategy."
She read a ton of basketball books,
watched an endless amount of games,
and constantly scouted out our opponents from other schools.
Unfortunately, her suggestions did lead to some fights among the team,
but her analysis of the situation was never wrong.
She didn't become the manager of your team just to do a bunch of odd jobs.
She wants to be involved in the sport she loves, in any way that she can.
Is that really such a terrible thing?
Awesome! That means she has incredible talent!
Nanao accomplished exactly what Kite was talking about by dedicating herself
to mastering all of the knowledge that a top-notch coach would have after years of play!
You guys should hurry and chase after her.
She's going to be your manager, right?
R-right.
Senpai...
Please let me use the showers in the girl's changing room!
What the heck happened to you?!
I was catching crayfish with some kids when I fell into the water...
Yo. Thanks for this.
Wait, how did you...?
You forgot it back at the park.
Seriously, this is downright incredible.
You didn't just lay out all of our failings,
you also made detailed notes on how we can fix them.
If we practice all that stuff you wrote down, will we get better?
If there's anything else we can do, let us know, yeah?
My dear Nao, you don't have to do a thing for me.
Just having you here is enough to-
Why are you the only one going full creeper?!
I hope you'll do more than just be our manager.
Let's play together sometime!
I know you can play basketball, so it would be a waste not to!
Are you sure?
Can I really be your manager?
Of course!
Real talk though, our advisor is a total noob.
You'd be saving our asses if you could act as our coach, too.
I'm a pretty strict coach, you know.
Great. That's exactly what we need.
Hey, little lady.
Don't you dare think that you got the better of me with that weakass zone defense of yours.
Just watch this.
A 3-pointer...?
Seriously? He can shoot from long-range, too?
I was subbed out before I had the chance to bring my A-game.
I never lost to you or your strategy, got it?
In that case, I would have tweaked our zone
and shut you down with the triangle and 2 defense!
This damn half-pint...!
This cocky pineapple head...!
Uh, let's get along please! No fighting!
Go!
Hey, Nabe! You need to react faster!
Okay!
Round 12!
You're not allowed to turn around until you hear me clap!
Keep your hands up in the air until you hear me give the sign!
No lying down during the intervals!
Please keep your breathing steady with a light jog!
She's a demon...
A dictator...
Since the volleyball team has the gym today we had no other choice,
but doing this practice out on the court would be so much more effective...
A training camp?
Yes.
This weekend is the start of the Golden Week holiday,
so there's only one month left until the inter-high prelims begin.
We absolutely cannot afford to let this opportunity pass us by.
Are we seriously going to practice through the entire holiday?
So like, is the inter-high just impossible for us without doing all this work?
In order for Kuzu High to actually reach the inter-high,
we must win the prelims and become a representative team for the Kanagawa region.
Knockout League
Win
Lose
Score
Rank
The knockout league that decides the representative teams
consists of 4 schools that survive the prefectural prelims.
And to even enter the prefectural prelims,
we first have claim victory in the district tournament.
Out of hundreds of schools, there are only 2 who can become representatives
for the inter-high.
The number of victories required to become a representative team is 10, at the very least.
I believe that it would be difficult for our team to even win a single game as we are now.
It just never ends...
Now, now, now... There's always a bright side to find, gentlemen.
It's Golden Week...
Places like the Nasu Highlands or Karuizawa are
probably booked full with students from university clubs.
And at this time, the beaches of Okinawa should be open for swimming.
Just imagine what it would be like to have our training camp in a place like that.
Oh... Okinawa...
YES! YES! YES!
A training camp, huh?
That's a solid idea for us to start refining our teamwork.
We swear to survive whatever harsh training they can throw at us!
Each of us will need to level up our individual skills, too.
Awesome...
Being able to spend a whole day on basketball is like a dream!
That sums it up, Mr. Satsuki.
Okinawa Okinawa! Okinawa!
Can you reserve a location for the camp and work the expenses into our budget?
Budget?
There's no budget for this team.
No... No way!
The basketball team was nothing but a hangout for hoodlums until recently.
The school would never provide any money considering that.
No budget... not even a single yen?
If we file a formal application, then there might be a chance.
But I expect it would just be a drop in the bucket.
Okay then, boys...
...we have no choice but to fall back on our last resort!
Work for the money!
SAFETY FIRST
These are way too heavy!
Kanagawa School of Medical Science Secondary Hospital
I don't wanna drink it!
The reason you aren't getting any taller is because you're always so picky like that, Sora.
But it's so white and yucky! And yucky and white!
Oh really?
Well I happen to love it.
I've been drinking it ever since I was a little kid.
That makes you living proof that this stuff doesn't work.
I'll never get any taller by drinking it!
That's it, Sora. No dinner for you tonight!
What?! That's abuse! Tyranny!
I'm gonna call child protective services!
What's wrong? Did your bike get a flat tire?
Oh crap! It's already past 6!
And I've still got half of them left to deliver!
Say, Miss, are you a nurse here?
Yes, I am.
I-in the third ward...
Huh?
No, nevermind. Just forget it.
Here. Please drink this!
Thunder Brand Milk
Thanks for your hard work!
See ya!
Huh? Um, hey, wait kid!
Gotta hurry!
YUKA KURUMATANI
Hm? Is this milk?
Oh, yeah.
I don't know why, but a small delivery boy gave it to me. As a gift.
It seemed like maybe someone he knew was hospitalized here.
From: Sora G'morning.
Excuse me, Ms. Yabuuchi?
Yes?
If it's all right with you, could I have this?
I love a nice glass of milk!
Forget about Okinawa, this amount wouldn't even get us to Shonan.
Well, that's about the best we could hope for from only a day's worth of work.
Hold up.
Don't go forgetting about us now.
Just wait and see. We'll bring back over 10 times your investment in an hour, tops!
Sorry!
You goddamn idiots!
Did you guys forget that you're still in high school?!
Just be patient and let Mr. Satsuki and I handle our funding issues!
For the time being, Mr. Satsuki was kind enough
to provide us with some money from his own pocket!
Okay, fam!
The beautiful shores of Okinawa are waiting for us!
YES!
Yeah... about that.
Our training camp will be held entirely here at school.
By the way, in order to cut costs as much as possible,
Training Camp Requirements Cost - 3,000 yen per person Rice - 3kg per person Fresh veggies, fish, etc (everyone brings what they can) Futons - BYO Fresh clothes - pair for every day Snacks - up to 300-yen worth
we will be responsible for preparing everything that we feasibly can!
This is starting to sound more like a survival camp than a training camp.
Excuse me... I'd like to withdraw from participating.
Request denied!
We're all in this together, so let's do our best!
Doredake sora o miagetatte
Boku wa tobenai to kimi wa itta
Ato nankai te o nobaseba
Todoku no darou to naita yoru
Nigedasu koto ni nareteitte
Sore ga yowasa dato shitta ano hi
Hajimeyou mata, kyou kara
Taisetsu na mono wa itsudemo soba ni atta
Bokura wa itsumo hitori janai donna toki mo
Toberu sa doko made mo kimi wa
Dare yori tataku tataku habataite
Nagashita namida no kazu dake
Tsuyoku narunda
Tsubasa hiroge sekai o megutte
Dare mo shiranai mirai o sagasou
Zutto, zutto, zutto
Aruite yukou saa, issho ni
Ahiru no Sora Next Time: Differing Enthusiasm
Next time: "Differing Enthusiasm."