The story took place after Sakuragi quit Shohoku Team after his frustration in basic drills and jealousy of Kaede Rukawa and he decided to withdraw from Shohoku High School and moved to another prestigious high school.
It's been nearly four days after Sakuragi quit the team the later followed by his withdrawal from Shohoku High School and later moved to another prestigious high school. It was in Umamiya West High School where he is the first one to joined the basketball team. Coach Hideki Taoka, a close cousin of Ryonan Coach Imoichi Taoka will taught Hanamichi all the basics. Hanamichi already wore his first basketball shoes.
"Hanamichi! Don't be lazy! Footwork training is much more important so that you can able to outrun and outplayed other players." Coach Hideki Taoka said.
Hanamichi nodded as he keeps doing more a lot of footwork training, then followed by 3-point shooting practice and also dribbling practice etc.
Few days later, seven other first year players have finally joined Umamiya Basketball Team who were now ready to compete in the Division II of Kanagawa District Varsity League Tournament.
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UMAMIYA WEST BOYS' TEAM Team Colors: H: White A: Cornflower Blue Players: # 4 Jiro Miyagi SG 180 cm (1) 5-10 # 6 Ryosuke Yasuda PG 177 cm (1) 5-9 # 7 Hideki Mizusawa PG 178 cm (1) 5-10 # 8 Shinji Nakamura C 199 cm (1) 6-6 # 9 Kai Yamamoto C 198 cm (1) 6-5 #10 Hanamichi Sakuragi PF 190 cm (1) 6-2 #11 Atsushi Matsumoto SF 185 cm 6-0 #13 Jun Takahashi C 199 cm (1) 6-6
Coach Hideki Taoka appointed Jiro Miyagi to be the Captain of Umamiya West Boys' Basketball Team.
"Miyagi. You and Sakuragi will be the Captains of Umamiya West High." Coach Hideki Taoka said. "I believe that you and Sakuragi will be the main key star players of Umamiya West High.'
"Don't worry Coach. This year will becoming the number one high school team in Division II." Jiro Miyagi said.
The next morning, Umamiya West High is on the practice game against Hanamichi's former high school team, Shohoku High School.
Thanks to both Sakuragi and Matsumoto as they tightened up their defense and double-teaming Rukawa and Okura. Although Sakuragi didn't have any regrets about his departure from Shohoku High and he started to move on.
SHOHOKU 38 UMAMIYA WEST 68
"Damn. How could Hanamichi do this to us?" Yasuharu Yasuda (Shohoku#6) said.
" Yasu. I'm not Hanamichi. I'm Nic Sakuragi." Hanamichi Sakuragi (Umamiya West#10)
Yasuharu and Kiminobu were deadpanned.
"Yasuharu." Kiminobu Kogure (Shohoku#5) said. "I think we picked a wrong person."
SHOHOKU 40 UMAMIYA WEST 89
Final Score: SHOHOKU 79 UMAMIYA WEST 115
Another terrific loss for Shohoku Basketball Team. Rukawa got 31 points 15 rebounds 11 assists 6 steals and 2 blocks while Hanamichi Sakuragi got a career-high 39 points 19 rebounds 11 assists 5 steals and 1 block. Jiro congratulated Hanamichi.
"Thanks Captain. You don't need to call me Hanamichi, you can call me 'Nic' in a short name." Hanamichi Sakuragi (Umamiya West#10) said. "Because I'm the Ultimate Genius."
Kaede Rukawa deadpanned.
"Idiotic monkey." Kaede Rukawa (Shohoku#11) said.
The next morning, it was the time when Umamiya West Girls' Basketball Team was recently formed this year.
UMAMIYA WEST GIRLS' BASKETBALL TEAM Team Colors: H: White A: Cornflower Blue Players: # 4 Ayako Ishikawa SG 184 cm (1) 6-0 # 5 Yuna Omino PG 175 cm (1) 5-8 # 7 Kimi Fujimoto PF/C 195 cm (1) 6-4 # 8 Misaki Matsumoto PF 189 cm (1) 6-2 # 9 Megumi Mizusawa PF 188 cm (1) 6-2 #11 Monica Yazawa C 199 cm (1) 6-6 #13 Hanako Iwasaki PG 179 cm (1) 5-10 #15 Maiko Morimoto PF/C 194 cm (1) 6-4
The Umamiya Girls' Team were started practicing in the Umamiya West Gym since they don't have girls' gym and they decided to make Umamiya Gym for both boys' team and girls' team. Hanamichi Sakuragi and Jiro Miyagi were quite impressed to see girls' playing.
"Now there are taller female players as centers and forwards." Jiro Miyagi said. "Nic. Looks like that girl named Misaki Matsumoto likes you very much."
"She's a gorgeous girl who played with passion." Hanamichi Sakuragi said. "Then we should practice harder because the Elimination Games are about to start by next month."
Nightfall, Misaki and Hanamichi were heading back to the apartment although Misaki close resembled Haruko due to similar face appearance and hair appearance.
"I still looked forward for our championship trophy." Hanamichi Sakuragi said.
"We still got a month ago before the start of the Elimination Games." Misaki Matsumoto said.
Misaki and Hanamichi entered the apartment. Misaki take off her shoes and placed it in the shoe cabinet then removed her socks and placed in the laundry basket.
"Let's hope that the Elimination Games will getting tougher." Misaki Morimoto said as she placed her barefoot on the small chair.
One month later, the Kanagawa District Varsity League Tournament Division II is about to start. Umamiya West will take on Kitari High in the first round.
UMAMIYA WEST 42 44/86 KITARI 38 33/71
Umamiya West High won the first round as Hanamichi Sakuragi got 31 points 19 rebounds and 11 assists while Jiro Miyagi got 18 points 9 rebounds and 11 assists.
"Our first victory." Jiro Miyagi (Umamiya West#4) said.
"Let's keep winning captain." Hanamichi Sakuragi (Umamiya West#10) said. "Let's bring Umamiya Team to the National Championship."
At the girls' division, Umamiya Girls' Team were taking on Iwafurichi High in the first round.
UMAMIYA GIRLS' TEAM Starters: PF Misaki Matsumoto 8 6-2 (1) 189 cm
SF Megumi Mizusawa 9 6-2 (1) 188 cm
C Monica Yazawa 11 6-6 (1) 199 cm
PG Hanako Iwasaki 13 5-10 (1) 178 cm
SG Ayako Ishikawa 4 6-0 (1) 184 cm
"Let's go ladies!" Ayako Ishikawa (Umamiya West Ladies#4) said.
Now the game starts....
UMAMIYA WEST GT 45 45/90 IWAFURICHI GT 37 36/73
Umamiya Girls' Team won the first match as Matsumoto got 31 points 10 rebounds and 14 assists while Ishikawa got 22 points 8 rebounds and 15 assists.
"We're in the second round." Misaki Matsumoto (Umamiya West Ladies#8) said. "Our team should be make it to the championship round."
