Japan, 16th Century. People were locked in a cycle of endless conflict over territory, and countless lives were being lost on the battlefield. In the midst of this sengoku  era, the regional lords gathered and reached an agreement to achieve national unification through a peaceful alternative. The method they chose was "Temari," a traditional ball game that had been popular since the Heian period. The ninjas, who once excelled in combat within their respective territories, traded their swords and shuriken for balls, dedicating themselves to mastering this new craft to unite the nation. The sport, where players scored by tossing the ball into peach baskets—symbols used to ward off evil spirits—gradually became known as "Basketball.” As the ninjas integrated their movements and unique ninjutsu into the game, a one-of-a-kind basketball culture began to take root and flourish across the island nation.