Episode 13: The 4th quarter begins. Riko told Kagami he only has two more jumps left in him, and he uses the first to block Midorima as a bluff. Kuroko uses his misdirection on Takao to draw his attention to himself, then refocus Takao's sight and slip away. Kuroko then uses his fast pass that only Kagami can catch, and Kagami uses up another of his jumps to dunk past Midorima. With less than 3 minutes left in the game and Shutoku barely in the lead, 76-78, Shutoku calls a time-out and their coach tells them to let Midorima take the shots since Kagami is worn out. However, Seirin predicted this and the score is locked until Midorima scores a 3 with 30 seconds remaining and Hyuga counters with a 3. The ball is knocked out of court and Hyuga scores another 3 with 3 seconds remaining. Seirin think they have won, but Shutoku passes to Midorima. Kagami manages to squeeze out one more jump, but it was a fake, and Midorima goes to retake the shot. Kuroko, also believing Kagami would jump, knocks the ball out of Midorima's hands as he lowers it. Seirin win, 82-81. Later, standing out in the rain, Midorima gets a call from another Member of the Generation of Miracles, Aomine, and warns him to be careful in the Championship game.
Episode 14: At a nearby restaurant, Seirin encounter Kise, Kasamatsu, Midorima and Takao. Kuroko, Midorima, Kise and Kagami are left at the same table. Midorima warns Kagami about Aomine Daiki. As they leave the restaurant, Kuroko finds a stray dog which the team adopt and name "Tetsuya #2" due to his similarly coloured eyes. Kagami (who is coincidentally afraid of dogs) has to sit out at practice until his legs heal. The Generation of Miracles' old manager, Momoi, visits Seirin while they are training at the pool and recounts the story of when Kuroko gave her an icypole. Momoi, whose specialty is information gathering, recognizes each of Seirin's starting players. She also goes to the same school as Aomine. Kagami is approached by Aomine who challenges him, and is not impressed, saying he is not strong enough to be Kuroko's "light".
Episode 15: Since he played basketball while recovering from his injury, Kagami is again suspended from practice until Seirin's first match in The Inter-High Championships which is against Touou; Aomine and Momoi's school. Kuroko tells Kagami about how Aomine was the first one of the Generation of Miracles to bloom and, having no rival, became bored of basketball and stopped coming to practices. Now, having overslept at school, Aomine promises Touou's captain that he'll make it to the game by the second half. Seirin decides to go all out early on and get a big lead so that Aomine can't catch up. However, despite calling themselves "the opening act", Touou start strong and quickly take the first goal.
Episode 16: Even without Aomine, Touou takes an early lead using Momoi's scouting information and predictions. Seirin only manage to break through using Kuroko and Kagami, both of whom Momoi can't predict. The first quarter finishes with Touou still in the lead, 25-21. The second quarter begins and Riko realises that Kagami is still injured. She subs him off the court and tapes his legs, apologising for having to use him while he's injured. As Kagami is about to re-enter the game, with 51 seconds left in the 2nd Quarter and Touou 10 points in the lead, Aomine arrives –ready to play.
Episode 17: Aomine goes one-on-one against Kagami– each blocking the other's shot at the goal. During half time, Kuroko asks to stay in for the third quarter, determined to beat Aomine. Kagami reminds him to have faith in the team, and Seirin decides to bench Kuroko so he can regain some strength. Aomine returns to the court warmed up and serious, having promised his coach that he will score all of his shots in the third quarter. Although Aomine is impressed by Kagami's determination and his jump height, Aomine himself displays amazing speed and agility and he starts to use street-ball techniques that easily bypass Seirin's defense.
Episode 18: Aomine's skills and erratic pace force Seirin to fall behind by 20 points. Kuroko is subbed back in and Seirin cuts the lead down to 15 points, but Aomine intercepts Kuroko's Ignite Pass and taunts Kuroko about not having changed or improved since middle school. Fourth quarter begins with Touou 31 points in the lead, 82-51. Having avoided using his injured leg, Kagami's other leg begins to act up from the extra stress put on it and as a result Kagami is benched for the remaining 2 days of the tournament. With Seirin down by 40, Kuroko's determination encourages his team mates, and they fight until the very end. However Touou is simply too strong and Seirin loses with a scoreline of 112-55.
Episode 19: Back in the locker rooms, Aomine is angered by a Touou bench member badmouthing Kuroko. Kagami tells Kuroko that he doesn't think that they can win by just working together anymore, and Kuroko hits a slump, his passes in the next two games becoming inaccurate. Seirin loses both games, and therefore the Inter High tournament. Seirin's last chance for the year is the Winter Cup, to be held in Tokyo. With his legs finally healed, Kagami returns to practice but seems to have reverted to not relying on the team. Kuroko and he don't seem to be speaking either. Kiyoshi Teppei, the former ace and founder of the Seirin basketball team, returns from having been in hospital, and gives some words of encouragement to Kuroko and challenges Kagami to a one-on-one match to see who will play starting power forward ("ace") for Seirin in the Winter Cup.
Episode 20: Kiyoshi and Kagami appear to be evenly matched despite Kiyoshi being out of practice and wearing the wrong shoes, however, Kagami wins. The next day, Seirin begins the first of 3 consecutive days of practice matches so that each player can be evaluated and placed on a specific training regimen during the summer. Teppei has asked that the first game only use the first-years. Kagami has told Kuroko that he doesn't need to pass to him any more, and the game is won by Kagami's strength. After the match, Kiyoshi admits he was trying to help Kuroko realise his self-imposed limits. After talking to Hyuga, Kuroko realises that Kagami isn't trying to leave him behind; Kagami only felt like he was relying on Kuroko too much. Kuroko resolves to become stronger during the summer so that he and Kagami can form an unbreakable team during the Winter Cup.
Episode 21: Riko announces two summer training camps; to the beach and the mountains, to prepare for the Winter Cup qualifiers which start right after summer vacation. Kagami teaches Riko how to make good curry. Riko gets the team to practice on the beach in the sand, meaning that they must rely on passing, and the sand will help build their leg strength. Kuroko and Kagami run into Midorima and Takao at the inn, and discover that Shutoku are also there to train. Riko changes plans so they will play practice matches against Shutoku in the evenings. To build Kagami's core strength, Riko sends him to get drinks for the team, one at a time, running on the beach instead of practising with the others. Kuroko is attempting to develop a new technique of which Midorima is skeptical. Midorima later explains to Takao that Kuroko can't use Misdirection while holding the ball due to the ball's presence on the court. Takao suggests that Kuroko using Misdirection while he makes a break- an invisible dribble- would be unstoppable. Kagami returns from running, having gone beyond Riko's request, and gotten drinks for Shutoku as well.
Episode 22: Shutoku wins all 3 practice matches against Seirin, but all the games were played without Kagami and the scores differ by less than ten points. Kagami learns his jumping power has dramatically improved. Midorima tells him this is only half the answer, and challenges him to a one-on-one match. Midorima wins by forcing Kagami to jump off his right foot, where he only has the ability to dunk. Kagami realises that he must improve his ball handling in his left hand and learn to win aerial battles in order to beat the Generation of Miracles. Kuroko comes up with the idea to master his drive in addition to passes. The rest of the team also train hard. When the camp finishes, before heading to the station, Seirin make a detour to watch the Inter-high quarterfinal match between Touou Academy and Kaijo. Kise is determined to defeat Aomine despite never having won against him in a one-on-one game.
Episode 23: The match between Touou and Kaijo begins with Kaijo getting the ball. Kise manages to pass Aomine, but Aomine steals the ball. Touou's Sakurai scores the first 3 points. Kise copies Sakurai's 3 point shot, but is easily blocked by Aomine. Kasamatsu regains the ball for Kaijo and scores a 3 pointer, and Kaijo tighten their defence. Kise then manages to stop Aomine's quick dribble and drive, and his Formless Shot. The 1st quarter ends with Kaijo leading 18-13. From the sidelines, Kuroko mentions that Aomine tends to improve as the game goes on. Touou immediately catch up in the 2nd quarter. Kaijo calls a time out, and Kise asks his coach permission to use an unknown trump card.
Episode 24: Kise plans to copy Aomine's style, acknowledging that his admiration of Aomine has been preventing him from copying him. While Kise perfects his copy, Touou is able to widen their lead; The second quarter ending with the score 34-43. In the 3rd quarter, Kise completes his copy, and passes Aomine's defence. Aomine attempts to block Kise's goal but instead earns his fourth foul. However, Touou still leads by 10 points. Despite Aomine's teammates' and coach's worry about his foul trouble, he successfully blocks Kise's dunk at the end of the quarter.
Episode 25: Aomine asks for all the balls in the last quarter, and he and Kise alternate goaling. Kise starts to get fatigued, and the strain in his legs makes him almost miss a shot. With one minute remaining, Touou is still in the lead, 98-106. With Kaijo needing a score to turn things around, Kise fakes a formless shot and attempts to pass to Kasamatsu. However, Aomine anticipates this and deflects the ball out-of-bounds. Though their final chance was lost, Kise remains determined for the sake of his team. Aomine dunks past Kise as the game ends and Touou wins by a score of 98-110. Back in the locker rooms, Touou's Shōichi Imayoshi remarks that Aomine has not shown his full capabilities yet. Kagami and Kuroko are determined more than ever to work hard to develop their style of basketball.
Rating: 9/10 (Average)
Comments