"Nicholas and his friends can't contain their excitement when they're invited to the preseason hosted by Halverton. In the blink of an eye, they find themselves up against the best teams in the country, and things get complicated for Nicholas as he begins to suffer defeat after defeat at the hands of an old enemy. Will a new addition to the team bring Nicholas closer to the rest of the team and build the resilience he needs to succeed? However, Seiji, unlike Nicholas, remains invincible and disappointed in the camp. If Seiji's goal is to learn (rather than win), can Nicholas become a true challenge to him and, as a result, cement his friendship?"--Provided by publisher.