Back in the locker rooms, Aomine is angered by a Touou bench member badmouthing Kuroko. Kagami tells Kuroko that he doesn't think that they can win by just working together anymore, and Kuroko hits a slump, his passes in the next two games becoming inaccurate. Seirin loses both games, and therefore the Inter High tournament. Seirin's last chance for the year is the Winter Cup, to be held in Tokyo. With his legs finally healed, Kagami returns to practice but seems to have reverted to not relying on the team. Kuroko and he don't seem to be speaking either. Kiyoshi Teppei, the former ace and founder of the Seirin basketball team, returns from having been in hospital, and gives some words of encouragement to Kuroko and challenges Kagami to a one-on-one match to see who will play starting power forward ("ace") for Seirin in the Winter Cup.