Teruo Ookawa

Ookawa receives little individual characterization. As a first-year reserve on a team dominated by strong-willed seniors, he remains largely outside the personal disputes that define Toyotama's national-tournament storyline.

His position places him in the younger generation of a program with a strong and sometimes contentious basketball culture.

Ookawa is a member of a nationally competitive high-school basketball program, but the manga does not establish a signature technique or extensive playing record for him.

At 181 cm, he is considerably smaller than Toyotama's starting center and forwards. His reserve status means the team's major competitive responsibilities remain with its experienced starting five.

Ookawa accompanies Toyotama during the national tournament in Hiroshima. The team's main narrative centers on its senior players, their attachment to former coach Jiei Kitano and their match against Shohoku.

Toyotama loses 91–87 to Shohoku in the first round, ending its national-tournament run.

Tsuyoshi Minami is Toyotama's captain and leading senior player.

Minori Kishimoto, Daijiro Itakura, Kyohei Yajima and Mitsuaki Iwata form the established lineup ahead of Ookawa.

Jiei Kitano is the former coach whose offensive philosophy continues to define Toyotama's senior players.