Episode 17

Overnight Sensation!
オーバーナイト・せんせ〜しょん! Ōbānaito Sensēshon! Ro-Kyu-Bu!, Episode 17
Air date (Japan)	August 2, 2013
Episode Guide
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Plot

Under Maho's advice to help her with her shyness towards Subaru, Tomoka is having a sleepover at Subaru's house. While there, at night, Subaru and Tomoka make a promise to each other to do their best for the upcoming rematch against Ryuuichi.

On the next day, Subaru and Tomoka show better results in their training, however, it doesn't go well for Airi and Banri as she can't get over her nervousness in front of him. While Hinata is concerned about Airi, Banri gives Subaru the tape of his match (Hashida Middle School) against Ryuuichi (Shizuno Middle School) back in middle school so that he can use it as a reference when he's making strategies against him.

Natsuhi helps out Subaru to come up with a fake he can use in the rematch because his personality and playing style are similar to Ryuuichi's. He then later finds out, thanks to Tomoka, that his fakes should be natural. On the day of the rematch, while the others (Maho, Saki, Hinata and Aoi - who are wearing cheerleader outfits) cheer for Subaru, Tomoka and Airi, the trio manages to take the lead against Ryuuichi's team and eventually beat them too. In a one-on-one match later between Subaru and Ryuuichi, the upper again comes out victorious and he and the girls then claim the basketball court for themselves.

Trivia

• This episode portrays two types of center players in modern-day basketball.
  • Mayumi is a back-to-basket center (i.e. back towards the basket) who uses her superior size and strength to force her way through the basket on offense and overpower the opposing center on defense.
  • Airi, on the other hand, is a face-up center (i.e. face up towards the basket) who uses her speed and length to create mismatches on both offense and defense (i.e. outrun taller players or shoot over smaller ones). While normally she is suited as a back-to-basket center, her shy personality and training from Aoi, herself an undersized center player, made Airi more suited as a face-up center.