Chapter 10: Shoyo Basketball Team

When the news that Shinichi Kudo had been invited by Shoyo's chairman, Mr. Sasaki, to become the new coach of the Shoyo Basketball Team was confirmed, it quickly spread among those with a vested interest in the team.

"Did you hear, Nakamura?" Oshima Sakiyama said to Nakamura as if he were sharing an unbelievable secret. "Our team is getting a new coach!"

Oshima Sakiyama, a second-year student and Shoyo's number five co-captain, was currently the starting center for the Shoyo Basketball Team.

"Come on, the whole team knows the school is changing coaches. Don't act like you're the only one with insider information!" Nakamura Nobukane replied, giving Oshima a look of mild exasperation. Nakamura had always been a bit exasperated by his teammate's antics.

Nobukane Nakamura, also a sophomore, was the captain of the Shoyo Basketball Team, wearing jersey number four. He was the only remaining starter from the summer tournament, playing as the team's small forward.

"But do you know who the new coach is?" Oshima said confidently. "I bet you can't guess!"

"Where do you even get this information?" Nakamura said, his tone disinterested. "Anyway, no matter who the coach is, improving our own strength is what matters most. Everything else is secondary. If you spent half as much time training as you do gossiping, maybe we wouldn't have been pushed down by Hainan and Musashi."

"Oh, come on!" Oshima said, unconvinced. "When have I ever wasted time on unimportant news? Besides, the coach is really important to us, okay? And this time, it's a basketball celebrity!"

"What celebrity?" Nakamura said with a hint of disdain. "When the school hired Coach Otake two years ago, didn't they also say he was a famous coach in Kanagawa? And what happened? We couldn't even make it to the national tournament! Before Coach Otake came, Shoyo was a regular in the national tournament. The school brought him here to lead us to beat Hainan and become Kanagawa champions, but instead, we've fallen behind Musashi!"

"This time it's different!" Oshima insisted. "You know Fukasawa Sports University, right?"

"What?" Nakamura raised an eyebrow. "Did the school manage to bring Coach Anzai here?"

"Uh..." Oshima hesitated. Of course, he knew what Coach Anzai meant to basketball players. It would've been amazing if the school had invited him, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. So, Oshima decided to cut to the chase. "It's not Coach Anzai. Our new coach is Shinichi Kudo, the captain of Fukasawa University's basketball team!"

"Him?" Nakamura said, his expression skeptical. "Kudo-senpai is a national team player, and his skills are top-notch, but he doesn't have much coaching experience. In terms of coaching, he's a complete rookie!"

"Who knows what the school is thinking," Oshima said, shrugging. "Maybe they think we're lacking in skill, and they're banking on Kudo-senpai's basketball expertise to teach us and improve our strength."

Hearing this, Nakamura fell silent, his brows furrowed as he pondered the situation.

Kudo's First Day at Shoyo

Ever since his meeting with Chairman Sasaki a week ago, Kudo had been preparing diligently for his new role as Shoyo's coach. He had even visited Coach Anzai several times to seek advice and learn from his years of experience. Coach Anzai had been generous with his knowledge, answering Kudo's questions and sharing valuable insights.

Now, it was Kudo's first official day with the team, and he had been looking forward to this moment for a long time.

At 2:00 PM, Kudo arrived at Shoyo High School and was greeted by Kumaji Takamoto, the assistant basketball coach. Although Takamoto held the title of assistant coach, he was more involved in managing the basketball department than coaching the team. His primary role was as the manager of the Shoyo Basketball Department, overseeing the logistics, equipment, and organization of the club.

Every year, many students joined the Shoyo Basketball Department, but only twelve made it to the official roster, with an additional ten or so alternates. The rest of the members participated in the club's daily activities, some becoming training assistants or cheerleaders. (PS: The starting five are the team's core players, while the remaining seven on the roster are substitutes. The alternates, like Hikichi Aida of Ryonan and Yi Fan of Hainan in their early years, are reserve players who may earn a spot on the roster later.)

Takamoto, as the team manager, handled the logistics of the basketball department, scouted for talented junior high school players in Kanagawa, and managed the team's day-to-day operations, including purchasing equipment and uniforms. Initially, Takamoto had been concerned about the coaching change, fearing it might disrupt his role. But when he learned that the new coach was Shinichi Kudo, he felt reassured. After all, Takamoto had a good relationship with Kudo's father, Kudo Akitake, who was a significant figure at Shoyo.

Kudo Akitake had used his connections to ensure Shinichi's smooth transition into the team, including reaching out to Takamoto. The night before, Kudo Akitake had briefed Shinichi on the dynamics of the basketball department, and Shinichi, having served as both captain and interim coach at Fukasawa University, was no stranger to such politics.

For Kudo, gaining the support of the basketball department members was crucial. Establishing a firm foothold in the team as quickly as possible was his top priority. So, when Takamoto extended a hand of goodwill, Kudo accepted it without hesitation. As long as Takamoto didn't interfere with the team's training or undermine his authority, Kudo saw no reason to rock the boat. After all, meddling in such matters would only create unnecessary enemies.

After meeting Takamoto, Kudo spent time discussing the current state of the Shoyo team. Takamoto provided a detailed overview of the team's situation, helping Kudo prepare for his first meeting with the players.

The Basketball Gym

By 3:00 PM, school had ended, and students began their club activities. Accompanied by Takamoto, Kudo made his way to the basketball gym to meet his new team.