Nabe and Chucky both ditched the training camp?!
It's better to leave them be.
They're only going to get in our way if we let them loaf around here.
Even if you found those two, what are you planning to say to them?
That shouldn't matter, we can't just leave them hanging!
We're so damn pathetic...
Yep.
Chucky! Nabe!
Ahiru no Sora
You're quitting?
Yeah... it's just like Kite said.
Towards Victory
Having us around is only going to drag the rest of you down.
That's ridiculous! You know that Kite wasn't totally serious when he said all that...
Nah, we're done now.
We got taught a real lesson about how much we underestimated the game of basketball.
Huh?
Speaking of, how long have you been playing for?
I think probably since I was about three-years old.
Three-years old? He's been playing for 12 years, then...
That figures. High school basketball clubs are meant for guys like you.
Total noobs like us can practice all we want, but we'll never catch up to the rest of you.
Not to mention all the stress and pain it takes to get good.
Neither of us is determined enough for that.
P-please just wait! Um...
Huh?
U-uh... so...
Tell me... do you think basketball is fun?
It bores me out of my mind, dude.
Yep.
Shit! Goddammit!
Shit, why the hell did I dream about that...?
This sucks...
Yep.
Hey, you hungry?
Yep.
Let's go get ramen or something.
Nah... ramen's bad news, ain't it?
Huh?
Ramen Shop Rairaiken
Remember what Nao told us?
We shouldn't be eating super oily food like ramen.
Are you stupid? None of what she said applies to us anymore.
Oh, that's right...
Those kids at the park were really good.
Yep.
But you know, we had a huge height advantage on all of them.
Maybe we should've just focused on blocking passes they made to the sides?
You know it's not that easy, man.
For example, those times when the ball comes in like this...
Chili Oil
We can't do much until we learn how to deal with those screen things.
Oh yeah, totally.
What the hell are we even doing?
It shouldn't matter to us anymore.
This sucks...
We have a whole 8 days of vacation left,
but we already did all the fun stuff yesterday.
Tell me... do you think basketball is fun?
Whatever. Let's hit the arcade or something-
OMG, I can't believe you!
I told you that I wanted to go on a date to the amusement park!
I didn't have a choice! You know that I can't just skip practice.
Boo!
Wait, that's the kid from yesterday!
How's a middle school punk already got a girl like that?!
Trust me... when I get to high school, I'm going to the inter-high no matter what!
The inter-high, huh? That's awesome.
I just can't get enough of basketball players, they're so cool!
Don't cling to me so much...
Hey, Nabe... You don't like it?
Huh?
Listen, I've been hiding something from you for a long time now.
You, too? Same for me, to be honest.
I see... Okay, so let's confess on 3.
Okay!
Here we go? 1... 2...!
The truth is...
...my dream is to go to the inter-high basketball tourney!
I'm begging you!
If this keeps up any longer, then those two really will quit!
If you consider them friends, then you should say something to them!
No way. Too much effort, dude.
It's because I'm their friend that I don't want to say nothin'.
Yasuhara...
Hello? Is this Madoka?
Yeah. I'm on my way to the hospital to check on Momoharu.
Chitose Central Park
No, that's not why I'm calling. Actually, I'm at Chitose park and...
Shinjo Middle 22 Kuzu High
Shit!
Dammit!
It's Nabe and Chucky... they're both playing...
Hey, are you done yet?
Nothing's gonna change if we keep this up.
Shut up!
We've only summoned up 10% of our full power!
It makes sense that we can't score any baskets...
...but why the hell are we powerless to stop them from taking any shots?!
This is pointless.
They can spend a whole lifetime and still never win.
Kite...
I don't understand how they're getting past us so easily.
We should at least have some advantage based on our overwhelming height!
Am I wrong?
Is our height the reason they keep getting past us?
In that case...
He went low!
That was a perfect cross step just now!
Come on, kid! Hand that ball over! It's mine!
Dammit!
Shit, I don't know how to actually score a basket...
Pass it here, Chucky!
Huh?
All right! We won!
Yay!
Cut the crap!
You can't just barge in out of nowhere!
Sorry... it seemed like a lot of fun, so I just went for it.
Don't you think so too, you guys?
Basketball is a lot of fun, right?!
W-well, it's a good way to kill some time.
Yep.
Seriously? I thought you two were done with basketball.
Your footwork is sloppy and you move like snails.
Your body just can't keep up because you don't train properly.
Gah! This jackass!
Although...
...well, your defense was a lot better than it was before.
This is great news. Right, Yasuhara?
They both came back to the team!
Huh? Yeah, sure, but they've always been half-assed about everything.
Worrying about them causes more problems than it solves, usually.
Huh?
The only reason you guys hopped back on board was cuz of a lady, ain't it?
You know it, Yasu!
You're the only one on this team that really gets us!
I'm back from the brink.
I pulled myself out of the depths of Hell itself, and now I fear nothing!
This is my chance to leave them all in awe at the strength of their captain!
Hey! You bums!
Get ready to train your asses off!
Huh? Oh, hey there, Momoharu.
You got released from the hospital already?
What kind of reaction is that?! I'll have you know that I-
Gorilla chop!
You bastard! What the hell was that for?!
That's what you get for slacking off for 3 days, Captain.
Here, take this.
Momoharu's Training Schedule Stretches - 20 minutes Court run with hands up - 25 down and back Shuttle runs - 25 sets Jumping exercises (5 sets of each) Knee Jumps 10 Standing Broad Jump 10 Go for it!
It's a training schedule especially for you, Momoharu.
Seriously...?
Stop, that's wrong. You can't just try to jump as high as you can.
You need the right timing.
Timing?
Whenever you jump, there will always be a moment that you stop in midair.
That's when you should shoot.
The moment that I stop, huh?
Also, it's better to aim for the backboard than go for the basket directly.
The same basic ideas apply to both free throws and jump shots.
Once you get the hang of it, you can start doing the same thing from a farther distance.
I can handle shots near the basket, but distance is another problem.
I still don't get what you mean by shooting being all in the knees...
You've already got a good example to follow, over there.
You could even say it's perfect.
Th-that's incredible...
I never realized just how much he was bending his knees.
It's like one smooth motion from the moment he catches to the moment he shoots.
I still can't believe we have such an incredible player here!
He really did shoot 1,000 of them!
He's a monster, that's for sure.
I'm done... my legs won't move anymore.
It's really dark, isn't it? The night sky in this area.
Madoka...
You're originally from Nagano, right, Sora?
I bet the night sky out there is full of beautiful stars.
Th-that's right. Although I never really took the time to stop and look at it closely.
I think it's probably very beautiful.
I'm jealous...
Behold the great sport of Dribbling Sumo! Bring it on!
Actually... I think I prefer how things are over here.
I like the sky a lot more the way it is here.
It would be great if you guys went to the inter-high.
Right?
Y-yeah.
She's so pretty...
Hm? Did you say something?
No! N-nothing at all!
I knew it...
...coming here was the right decision.
A practice match?
Yeah. We're already halfway through our training camp,
so tomorrow we'll start focusing more on strategy and tactics.
I thought having a match on the very last day would be a fitting conclusion to everything.
Are there even any teams out there who would be willing to face us?
Can't we just ask those middle schoolers from the other day?
Please at least have a shred of pride!
Um, actually, I already-
I've missed you so much, Naopei.
Huh?!
Wha-?!
T-Taro!
Wassup, long time, no see!
Oh jeez, you didn't need to come all the way here!
Don't be like that, I went out of my way so I could see you.
We haven't seen each other since spring vacation,
I wanted to see how you've been filling out.
Just who the hell are you, pal?!
Oh, sorry.
My name is Taro Kabachi. I'm the ace of the Kitasumiyoshi High basketball team.
Nao is one of my cousins. Nice to meetcha.
A cousin?!
Then tell me this. Have you ever been in the bath with her?
Yeah, when we were really young.
What kind of body did she have? Can you draw me a little sketch from memory?
As I recall, she's got a mole on her butt and her chest.
S-stop it!
Don't say another word!
I know that's not what you came here to talk about!
Right.
Well, since you asked me about setting up a practice match,
I just came to see what we're dealing with.
I dunno why, but something about his hairstyle kind of irks me.
Now, then...
...you there!
Huh? Me?!
You smell like the resident ace of this team.
Huh?
How about it?
Let's say we have a showdown between aces in a one-on-one.
And if you meet my standards, then our team will agree to have a match with yours.
Just step in and shut him down.
All right, then. Let's do this thing!
R-right!
You can do it, Nabe!
This way, huh?!
A dribble through the legs into a spin... he's slick!
Huh...?
Th-this is a pretty nice court you've got here.
With a court this clean, then I'm sure all your skills must be equally as impressive.
Okay! We accept a practice match with your team!
Thank you so much!
Huh?
You've got real guts, kid.
Bring some tissues to cry into after you lose!
Later!
Yo, somebody say something to him.
Later!
Is the team at his school even any good?
LATER!
How did they manage in the Kanto tourney?
They lost in the very first round. To Maru High.
Oh yeah? Then they're nothing but chumps!
We totally managed to hold our own against Maru High!
Yep!
Oh, but...
Huh?
The only time that Maru High was forced into overtime during the tourney
was when they played against Taro's team at Kitasumiyoshi High.
Seriously?!
The final score was 112 to 107.
I think it was an intense game that either team could have won.
Then maybe we should aim a little bit lower...
Don't be silly!
Both Maru High and Kitasumi are
opponents that we have to fight against sooner or later!
So basically, that means...
...we better start practicing how to shoot a basket properly.
Who said anything about learning how to dunk?!
Right now, everyone is going to start practicing how to screen!
The first screen we'll do is a fundamental move known as the "pick and roll."
As the screener, Momoharu will send a sign to the ball-handler, Natsume,
before he starts to make his move.
Then he'll sneak directly behind the defensive player, Kurumatani.
The ball-handler will confirm that the
screener is in position, with their arms down and feet planted.
Then the ball-handler will pass by the screener as closely as possible.
The screener will "pick" off the defense and then "roll" quickly to the basket.
It will be a successful play if they manage to create a situation where it becomes 2-on-1.
Wow!
So if we learn how to do this screen thing, then it should lead to Sora and Kite
having more chances to score, right?
Naturally!
We may not be able to actually score any points, but...
...we'll do all the other stuff that only we can accomplish!
Despite what they may think, this means they'll be directly involved in scoring points!
Oh?
Quit showing off.
You've gotten really good at dribbling the ball, Yasuhara!
That was some quick thinking.
You've got the smarts to be a forward, Yasuhara.
Oh yeah?
You can't get too careless around him anymore, Tinytown.
The team is starting to come together. Those guys are really getting the hang of it.
That's true.
They really are.
I think the idea of a practice match in the near future
motivated them a lot more than a stretch goal like the inter-high.
Kitasumiyoshi High has a pretty well-known reputation around here for being tough.
Yeah.
Apparently, they've been recruiting
really fast players to help boost their offense this year.
I'm not so sure our team will be good enough to handle them...
It's okay. We can win, no doubt!
Things are totally different from when we played against Maru High.
Everyone is putting their best into the game for the team's sake!
Each time a pass goes through, or a screen works, it helps us to build confidence!
This must be the "teamwork" that Nanao has been talking about!
I know that this team...
...can become really incredible!
To sum it up, our offense will be centered around Kurumatani and Natsume
and we'll use a series of basic screens to back them up.
I'm a little concerned about the lack of pass windows available to Natusme, but...
Why's that? If you just give me the ball, then I'll keep scoring the points.
Regardless of how things go during the match,
our team has to be able to at least score 70 points
or we won't make any progress.
I think we can manage that with two scorers.
I can get 30 points and Tinytown can get 20.
The remaining 20 points can be scored randomly amongst the others.
However, that doesn't solve all our problems.
There's still one major weakness that our team has.
Yes, our defense.
Think back to the game we played against the girls' team.
Putting aside the fact you didn't use your height advantage,
the other team still scored too often.
Sora's lack of height is a pretty big problem for us, huh?
If I coached the other team, that is definitely where I would focus my attack.
So that means you're on the bench!
No! Anything but that!
Needless to say, we can't afford to just leave Kurumatani off the court.
Having a three-point shooter like him is a huge benefit to us.
We also need him out there to help spread out the other team's defense.
With that said,
I'm proposing that we make this the basic pattern for our defense.
Take a look.
Interesting. That's a good plan.
Wait a sec, does this mean that I...?
Starting tomorrow, we'll practice this formation together with our offense
until everyone has mastered it completely.
And in order to make this defense absolutely perfect...
...Kurumatani will need to return back to doing footwork practice by himself tomorrow.
The defense is getting shaken off! Look carefully before you pass!
The water went in my nose!
Here, use this.
Th-thanks...
Sorry. Are you mad?
Huh?! I'm not mad at all.
Why?
I mean... I made you practice separately from everyone else.
I feel like I'm being a bully...
I don't mind, since that's what we need to win.
But...
I want to win... really bad.
It becomes clearer the longer that we practice.
Everyone is gradually starting to trust each other more as they play.
I can tell everyone has started to believe... that our team really has a shot at this.
Back when we played against Maru High, there was really nothing that went in our favor.
But despite all of that, it was still really frustrating to lose.
Back then, if we had a stronger defense...
Back then, if my shots hadn't missed the mark...
I want to experience more than just regrets like those.
I want to know what it feels like to share the joy of victory with a team.
Yeah.
You guys can definitely win.
Yeah!
Ahiru no Sora Next Time: The Boys' Spirit
Next time: "The Boys' Spirit."