Rebirth In Kurokonobasket - Chapter 156

The first day of school after the summer break was over, and it was time for the first practice of the new semester.

The players of the Tokiwadai Basketball Club gathered in their respective gyms.

Today was also the first day of a new member in the first string.

The name of the new member was Narumiya Mei, first-year, who played as the shooting guard. [1]

He was promoted just before the summer camp, but this was his first day in the first-string.

-*-*-*-

Narumiya looked around the first-string gym and saw the players around the gym.

Narumiya: ‘So these are the people I am going to play.’

Narumiya was a proud player.

He knew that his promotion to first-string in the first year put him above the rest of his year mates.

Narumiya looked at the regulars players of the first-string team.

He turned his eyes to Kaitani.

Narumiya: ‘Kaitani Riku, small forward, he is an offensive player and uses his speed to his advantage.

Close-perimeter shots and floaters are his go-to moves.

Compensates his short height with skill, and is a skilled rim-finishes.’

Narumiya was not that much taller than Kaitani and stood at 165 centimeters, so he knew Kaitani’s skill level, and had a decent amount of respect for him.

-*-*-*-

His next target of observation was Yuki Tetsuya.

Narumiya: ‘Yuki Tetsuya, a defense playing, and plays as the power forward for the team.

His specialty is his lockdown defense. He doesn’t let his mark breathe easily.’

Narumiya made a face when he saw Yuki.

He had played against Yuki, it was when Yuki had helped out with second-strings practice, and when they played, Yuki was Narumiya’s defender.

Narumiya: ‘He is tall and has good defensive skills. I don’t fare against players like him.’

Yuki’s defensive tenacity and persistence was a thing that all players that had played against hated but at the same time respected about him.

Narumiya turned to the giant of Tokiwadai.

Narumiya: ‘Hyakuzawa Yudai, plays as the center for the team.

What was his height again? Oh yeah, 190 centimeters.

Man, he is tall.’

If Yuki made Narumiya feel difficult to move around, then Hyakuzawa made him scared to shoot.

Narumiya: ‘Miss the shot, and he would be under the basket for the rebound.

His height is a weapon, but he lacks the skill to play in the post.

What did a senpai say? Ah, he started to play in middle school.

Well, reaching this level in just over two years is an impressive feat, even though his height did most of the work.’

Narumiya looked at Kaitani, Yuki, and Hyakuzawa and thought.

Narumiya: ‘All of them are second years.’

Narumiya let his eyes roam around the court to find someone, but his eyes caught the sight of the shortest player of the court.

Narammiya caught the sight of Kurumatani Sora.

Narumiya made a displeased face when he saw Sora.

He didn’t like the fact that Sora was scouted right around the start of the year.

Narumiya: ‘I am a much better player than him, but why did he have to be the one to be promoted even though he has close to zero attack or defensive skills.’

Which was true, as Sora was short, and didn’t have Kaitani’s skill set, and neither did he have impressive defensive skills.

Sora had spent his short time in first-string to improve his pass work and bring up his physical stats to first-string standards, so Sora alone still wasn’t a threat.

Narumiya: ‘I would have been a much better choice.’

-*-*-*-

Narumiya glared at Sora for a while, but then he saw two members entering the gym, and he recognized them instantly.

Narumiya: ‘Mibuchi Reo and Aone Takanobu.’

Narumiya looked at the two retired third-year members of the team.

Narumiya: ‘They are an inside-outside combo that provided the team its stability.’

He looked at Aone and found that he looked much meaner than Hyakuzawa and felt that if he had Aone on his team, then he could shoot without pressure.

Narumiya: ‘Well, Aone-san remained the official center of the team even with Hyakuzawa on the bench shows how good of a player he is.

And, unlike Hyakuzawa-san, Aone-san has the skill to play in the post.’

Narumiya: ‘Uncrowned King, Mibuchi Reo. The best shooting guard outside of Generation Of Miracles’ Midorima Shintaro.’

Narumiya was mesmerized by Mibuchi’s playstyle the first time he had seen him play and had thought that he was everything he wanted to be.

Narumiya: ‘I have to learn from him. The coach did say that the third-year will still come to practice to help out.

I need to benefit from the time he is here.’

Narumiya was a shooting guard, so he wanted to learn from Mibuchi, who was a renowned shooting guard, and one of the most skilled players in the country.

-*-*-*-

Narumiya looked around the gym and saw that all of the first-string members had already arrived, but he couldn’t find the player he wanted to see the most.

Narumiya: “All of the players are here, but where is he?”

Narumiya was looking for the ace and point guard of Tokiwadai, Kageyama Shun.

Just as he was about to ask someone about Shun’s whereabouts, he heard a voice announcing his arrival.

Shun: “Kageyama, here.”

Narumiya turned to see the silver-haired, second-year member of Tokiwadai popularly known to the middle-school basketball scene as The King Of The Court.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Shun entered the gym and announced his arrival.

He saw his teammates and smiled as he walked towards his seniors, Mibuchi and Aone.

Shun grinned as he bowed to great them.

Shun: “Mibuchi-san, Aone-san, it has been a while. How have you two been?”

Mibuchi smiled as he patted Shun on his shoulder and said.

Mibuchi: “We both are just fine, Kageyama-chan~. What about you? How was the summer camp?”

Aone nodded in agreement.

Shun was about to start when an arm wrapped around his shoulder, he smiled, as he knew who it was.

Shun looked and addressed the person.

Shun: “Yes, Kaitani. I am also happy to see you.”

Kaitani was about to say something, but Shun spoke again.

Shun: “Yes. I brought you souvenirs.”

Katani grinned and removed his arm from Shun and said.

Kaitani: “Good.”

Shun turned to and greeted Yuki and Hyakuzawa.

He fist-bumped with Yuki and high-fived Hyakuzawa.

Shun: “How are you guys?”

Yuki shrugged and said.

Yuki: “The usual. I went to Hokkaido for the holidays.”

Shun nodded and said.

Shun: “Noice.”

Hyakuzawa spoke when Shun looked at him.

Hyakuzawa: “Same as usual, nothing new.”

Shun smiled, and he was about to tell Mibuchi about the summer camp when he heard a voice.

Sora: “Senpai!”

He turned to see Sora running towards them.

Shun: “Oh, Sora!”

Shun walked towards Sora and ruffled his hair.

Shun: “Sorry, Sora. From now on, I will try my best not to call you shorty.”

Sora was confused by the sudden statement.

Sora: “Eh?”

Shun at the summer camp was the shortest player and was called shrimpy by Gilbert a lot. So, he decided not to call Sora, shorty.

Shun looked at his teammates and said.

Shun: “Good, all of you guys are here. I won’t need to repeat this again and again.”

Shun told them about his experience in the summer camp, and by the time he finished, all of the first-string members were listening to Shun.

When Shun finished, all of the club members hear clapping and the familiar voice.

Coach: “Good evening.”

All of the members turned to the voice and said in unison.

Members: “Good Evening, coach!”

Coach Koetsuji smiled and said.

Coach: “It looks like you guys are fine. Is everyone here, anyone missing?”

The members looked at each other to see if someone is missing.

Seeing that no one was missing Coach nodded, and continued.

Coach: “Good, now we all know that our season for this year has ended.

The third-year already retired before the summer break.

That means even if it is a little early this year, we need to switch the leadership, so with the third-year members’ recommendations and my observation.”

He looked towards Shun and Yuki and announced.

Coach: “This year’s captain will be Kageyama Shun, and the second-in-command, vice-captain, will be Yuki Tetsuya.

Any problems?”

No objections came from the members, so Shun and Yuki stepped forward and stood beside Coach Koetsuji.

Coach: “Now, that is out the way, let’s not waste any more time, and start the first practice.”

Members: “Yes, Sir!”

-*-*-*-

As the members started to warm up for the day, Shun walked towards the coach and handed him a sheet of paper.

The coach received the sheet and read it. He looked at Shun after finishing reading the sheet.

Coach: “Well, you certainly can do this. Did the coaches at the summer camp recommend this?”

Shun nodded and affirmed.

Shun: “Yes.”

The sheet of paper was the schedule of Shun’s physical workout and skill drills that he did at the summer camp.

Shun: “We don’t have weights here at the club. So, I will be hitting the gym after the club.

But I need to change what I do here in the club.

Would you permit me to practice alone when the others are doing their physical and skill drills?

Of course, I would continue to play in the mini-games, but I can’t follow with the drills that we usually do.”

Coach stayed silent for a while before looking straight into Shun’s eyes and saying.

Coach: “Kageyama, I have no problem with you not doing the usual routine, and I don’t think others will have a problem after seeing the routine that you just gave me.

I will say this if I see you slacking off, then I would ban you from following this routine, and put you back on the routine what the rest of the string do.”

Shun nodded hurriedly and replied.

Shun: “I have no problems with that.”

Coach nodded and asked.

Coach: “So, I assume you will not be staying your usual time for after-practice.”

Shun nodded and responded.

Shun: “I will still stay here after practice ends for skill training, but yes, as you say, I will leave earlier than I would usually do to go to the gym.”

Coach gazed at Shun and asked.

Coach: “Tell me, Shun. Did you achieve what you set out to do in that summer camp?”

Shun smiled as he looked at his coach.

Shun: “Yeah, I took all they had to offer, now I have to start making them my own.

My goal is that before the preliminaries next year, I want to integrate all that I saw into my style.”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

In the first-string’s gym at Tokiwadai Middle School, Shun had his set his goal and was set to improve himself and his playstyle.

A year of hard work was ahead of him, and he was ready to face it head-on.

No one knew what would be the result and how the basketball player known as Kageyama Shun would end up at the end.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

[

A/N: Narumiya Mei is a character from Diamond No Ace, and would be the last new character for the Middle School saga.

As I wrote, he is a shooting guard, I would be using with Sora, alternating between them.

]