SEIRIN'S INTERHIGH OPENER
MATCH OVERVIEW
First Interhigh game. Papa Mbaye Siki walks in late, towers over the gym, and calls Kuroko a kid. Tanimura needles Hyūga about beating Kaijō. Riko wants a double-digit lead after one quarter so she can sit Kuroko. Kagami spends the night jumping higher until a Papa jumper finally gets blocked. Seirin close it 79–67.
FINAL SCOREBOARD
1ST QUARTER
23 - 8 (Seirin)
RESULT
Kagami's jump wins the height fight
TOTAL SCORE
79 - 67
MATCH DETAILS
TOURNAMENT
Interhigh preliminaries
LOCATION
Tokyo
KEY PLAYMAKERS
Kagami, Kuroko, Papa, Hyūga
DECIDING PLAY
Kagami blocks Papa's jumper
KEY TURNING POINTS
NOT A KID
Papa wins the tip on height. Early 8–3 Shinkyō. Kuroko starts anyway. The first misdirection pass leaves Papa staring at empty air.
MITOBE'S LESSON
Kagami cannot swat the first jumpers. He remembers Mitobe teaching him how to bother a taller shooter. Papa's looks start missing.
TEN-POINT PLAN
First quarter ends 23–8 Seirin. Riko sits Kuroko. Shinkyō's coach is furious they treated it like an exhibition. Papa dunks in earnest.
THE BLOCK
Kagami's jump keeps climbing. Papa's last jumper is the one that gets sent. 79–67. Papa yells that he will not congratulate them — then does, badly.