Kimitake Sato lit up the scoreboard for a game-high 32 points, including 5 of 10 3-pointers, to lead the visiting Niigata Albirex BB to an 88-72 victory over the Sendai 89ers on Thursday in the opener of a three-game bj-league series.
The series was originally scheduled to begin on Friday, but Thursday's contest was a makeup game that was postponed due to a Dec. 7 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku.
Sato also converted 8 of 9 shots from inside the arc for Niigata (19-7), which led 46-30 at halftime. Forward Rodney Webb scored 20 points on 8-for-11 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. Nile Murry added 11 points, 10 boards and four assists. Sato and Hirotako Kondo each had five assists, while Yuichi Ikeda dished out four.