Thanks to an impressive showing during a scrimmage between Shohoku's rookie and veteran players, Coach Anzai decides to give Sakuragi a crack at playing center. And though the game reveals several of Sakuragi's weaknesses, it also highlights just how far his technique has come in a very short amount of time. With but three days until the game against rival school Takezato, Sakuragi is placed on a new and grueling training regimen: he must make 500 shots each and every day!