First-years Taiga Kagami and Tetsuya Kuroko join the basketball club. Kuroko challenges Kagami to a one-on-one match and fails to impress Kagami. Kagami declares he’ll become Japan’s best player. Kuroko states he can’t do it alone, but that he has decided to be the shadow to Kagami’s light.

The first years participate in a street basketball tournament, with Kiyoshi subbing in for Kawahara. They run into Seiho and learn that only the top eight teams from the Inter-High can participate in the Winter Cup heats.

Momoi shows up at Seirin, where the second years are practicing. The first years and Kiyoshi return to Seirin, where Momoi explains that Aomine didn’t play in the Interhigh finals due to injuries sustained during the Kaijo-Touou game.

The Winter Cup preliminaries begin with Seirin versing Josei High. A member of Josei recognizes Kiyoshi as “The Iron Heart”, one of 5 players who would have been considered prodigies of their time if not for the Generation of Miracles.

Three other teams advance to the championship league along with Seirin; Shutoku High, Senshinkan High, and Kirisaki Dai Ichi High. Seirin’s first opponent is Senshinkan who is known as the “King of the West”.

With Murasakibara finally appearing on the offensive side, Seirin is slowly losing hope of having the chance to win against Yosen. Murasakibara catches the ball and dunks it, causing the hoop to break and collide with the ground.

During the time out, Murasakibara said that he does not want to play even though they are still 4 points ahead, but Himuro is able to convince him back into playing. How would the match end up?

Knowing that he is at his limits, Kagami exceeds them and attempts a lane up, but he does not have enough space to jump from that angle, and would not reach the hoop. Kagami then made his new move, Meteor Jam, over Murasakibara