In tournament-style competitions, the more you win, the more the opposing team naturally becomes stronger than ever before. At the same time, it also provides an opportunity to discover where you are lacking. Being able to realize this is a big step towards the future.
Saitama Sakae (Saitama) played against Fukushima Higashiryo (Fukushima ①) in the second round of the girls’ game of the “SoftBank Winter Cup 2025 2025 78th National High School Basketball Championship Tournament” and lost 51-57.
Saitama Sakae’s sophomore ace, Manaka Kurabayashi, scored 26 points, the team’s top score, in the previous day’s match against Keisei (Kumamoto). Speaking of Keisei, although the members have changed, they are the runner-up team in the last tournament. Coach Yukihiro Me praises Kurabayashi for being able to achieve such results against a strong team that also participates in the U18 Nissin Foods Top League, saying, “He is a player with a unique sensibility.He has improved rapidly since joining (Saitama Sakae), and there is a possibility that he can play in the W League in the future.”
In fact, he is a troublesome player for opposing teams, not only because of his dribbling handling, but also because of his step-back shots and paint attacks using Eurostep, as well as his kick-outs from drives. Naturally, he will hit top-class defenders.
In the match against Fukushima Higashiryo, Kurabayashi’s innate breakthrough ability was overshadowed. One-on-one defense isn’t the only culprit. Kurabayashi, who finished with 11 points, looks back on his play as follows.
“I wasn’t able to attack as well as usual on my offense. When I tried to go for a drive, everyone (at Fukushima Higashiryo) came to cover, and I got caught up in their defense.”
I realized that both individually and as a team, we can rise to the top.
However, I admit that there were some areas where I felt I had grown during the Winter Cup. He started playing in games when he was a freshman, and at that time, he couldn’t even take a shot due to the strong contact from the high school students, so he relied on his seniors and only passed the ball. However, over the past two years, I have absorbed skills and trained physically, which has allowed me to be able to make shots even with some contact.
They have changed to the point where they can experience growth, if not face the challenges and overcome them.
Still, he looks back and says, “I think we could have done better.” His loss in the second round is frustrating. Occasionally, I wipe my tears on my uniform and talk about my thoughts for next year.
“Right now, I’m only scoring in the paint area or on the perimeter, and I haven’t been able to make 3-point shots at all.From now on, I want to increase that percentage, and since the third-year students who have been leading me up until now are gone, I want to be the one who can help the team win next year.”
There are no more seniors to rely on. When Kurabayashi’s second-year ace becomes the second-year ace and takes on the responsibility of leading the team, Kurabayashi’s potential will expand more than ever.
