Chapter 5 - Starting Position, Get! (2/2)

Shun's route was similar in concept to Haizaki Shogo, who put in his rhythm into the copied moves changing them ever so slightly.

[A/N: Only similar not the same; they are not congruent but similar.]

While Shun and his teammates were improving, Teiko was also undergoing notable changes. For the first time in the history of Teiko, there was not a single third-year player on the starting lineup.

Teiko Middle school's starting lineup had changed.

Nijimura Shūzō, Second-year, Power Forward, Captain.

Akashi Seijūrō, First-year, Point Guard.

Midorima Shintarō, First-year, Shooting Guard.

Murasakibara Atsushi, First-year, Center.

Along with Haizaki Shogo, First-year, Small Forward, and Kuroko Tetsuya, First-year, sixth man as a passing specialist.

The news was spreading that starting lineup, and the reserve bench of Teiko was now occupied by first-years. At first, their peer schools laughed at them for taking such a decision; but after the continuous string victories in practice matches, no one was able to say anything.

There were even rumors that the passing game of Teiko was another level that the defense could only stand and look as before the knew it the ball was scored in their basket.

It was the start of a new era.

A few days later, the bracket for the preliminaries arrived, Tokiwadai as the first seed in bracket A and Teiko as the first seed in the bracket B.

[A/N: I have put them into different brackets so that they don't meet in the preliminaries, and only duke it out in the Nationals.Tell me in the comments, what do you think about this decision.]

In Shōei Middle School, Kiyoshi Teppei, along with his teammates were having fun, while simultaneously preparing seriously for the upcoming preliminaries.

In other prefectures, Hanamiya Makoto, Hayama Kotaro, and Nebuya Eikichi were also practicing hard to get the Nationals.

A storm was brewing in the Japanese Middle School basketball scene, and right now was the calm before the storm.

Shun could also feel it that this National tournament was going to be epic, and he looked forward to playing against all that it had to offer.