The Rebound

In junior high, Ryu and Zen were basketball teammates. Now in high school, they’ve taken different paths—Zen plays on the school team, while Ryu earns money playing underground betting basketball run by gangs. One day, Zen’s basketball team faces disbandment when senior members are caught using drugs.

While delivering coffee, Zen visits a street basketball court and ends up substituting for an injured player on Ryu’s team. Meanwhile, the school team restarts under a new coach, Ton, but lacks enough players. Coach Ton sets his sights on strengthening the team by recruiting someone new.

Ryu joins the school team and is reunited with Zen, but the other members treat him like a delinquent. Meanwhile, the gang that controls the street basketball scene grows impatient as Ryu stops showing up, and they resort to drastic measures.

When Zen is kidnapped by Kyu, Ryu rushes to help but finds Atom has already rescued him. Feeling uneasy, Ryu begins escorting Zen to and from school. When they arrive at Zen’s home one day, Atom is already there—sparking silent but intense tension between the two rivals.

With an important match approaching, the team goes on a training retreat. Tensions flare between Ryu and Zen, prompting the coach to tie their wrists together and force them to spend 24 hours as a pair. During this time, Atom visits, adding fuel to Ryu’s jealousy.

After intense training, the team wins their first game, thanks in large part to Ryu. Their next opponent is Atom’s powerhouse school. Zen feels awkward but agrees to a fair match. Meanwhile, Ryu struggles to leave the world of underground basketball behind.