Volume 31

Akagi takes his second free throw. Hanamichi moves to request a change of player. Akagi scores the shot and notices Hanamichi, Anzai sensei asks the change of player to be cancelled. Anzai sensei doesn't want Hanamichi to make a mistake which he will regret for the rest of his life. However Hanamichi is adamant that he will go back on the court. The crowd root for Hanamichi to return. With Hanamichi back on the team, Shohoku are going to give it everything they have got. Sannoh's offense, Masafumi notices Hanamichi's injury and passes to Mikio (his younger brother). Hanamichi cannot hold his position because of his back paining him and Mikio is about to shoot. However gritting his teeth Hanamichi bounds back and slaps the ball away. Ryota gets the ball and passes to Mitsui. Mitsui shoots and gets in 3 points, also Matsumoto pushes (by accident) Mitsui and so an extra free throw is awarded. Mitsui scores 4 points, bringing the score to 75 to 76. Next Sannoh offense, Masafumi is going to slam the ball into the basket. Thankfully Akagi swipes the ball away (first time he has stopped Masafumi). Hanamichi recovers the ball, and is surrounded. His back causes him to slip the ball away. Eiji gets the ball and is going to slam dunk. But Hanamichi still leaps and stop Eiji. Rukawa runs and picks up the ball. No wasting time, he charges to score. Fukatsu and Masafumi join together and stop Rukawa. The match seems lost, and Hanamichi appears and scoops up the ball to Rukawa. Rukawa not failing this time scores. Now Shohoku lead 77 to 76. 30 seconds left. Sannoh immediately attack, Fukatsu signals and Masafumi blocks Rukawa. Eiji receives the pass and jump shoots. Devastating the shot is as once again Sannoh lead 77 to 78, 10 seconds left. Just when everyone is thinking it is all over, Hanamichi runs by himself to score. Sannoh realises and run back to defend, Akagi tries to pass to Hanamichi, but Mikio blocks. Rukawa signals for the ball and receives it. Running with all his might, Rukawa passes Eiji. As Rukawa is about to shoot. Fukatsu, Masafumi and Eiji jump up to block him, 4 seconds left. Then Rukawa sees Hanamichi unmarked and passes. Hanamichi uses his jump shoot (clean and perfect) and scores. The time is up and the referee signal hand down with 2 fingers, 2 points to Shohoku. Shohoku won 79 to 78. Everyone charges to congratulate Rukawa and Hanamichi. Nakamura, with Hikoichi's sister, goes to take a picture of Shohoku for the front cover of next issue's basketball magazine. However the picture never made it in the next issue, because Shohoku (exhausted from the match against Sannoh)lost the next match against Aiwa. Scene turns to Shohoku, Ryota is now the new captain of Shohoku. And there is also a new manager to help Ayako, who is none other than Haruko; Haruko's first task as manager, is to keep weekly correspondance with Hanamichi. In a letter from Haruko, Hanamichi reading on a beach, he learns about Akagi not being accepted by the No 1 basketball university who contacted him. So both him and Kogure elected to go to the universities of their first choice. Haruko mentions that Rukawa is going to come back to Shohoku after his training for the 'All Japan Team'. At that moment, Rukawa runs across the beach and shows off his 'All Japan' shirt to Hanamichi. Hanamichi says to Rukawa the reason why he is chosen is because he (Hanamichi) was injured. Haruko's letter goes on to say that she is waiting for him, and so is his favorite sport basketball. Hanamichi folds up the letter and gets up. A doctor comes and says to Hanamichi 'Today's examination will be more painful than yesterday's will you be able to cope?' Hanamichi smiles and replies with the final words 'because I am Tensai'.