Coming off a championship game loss to the Ryukyu Golden Kings last spring, the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix have been on a mission to reclaim the title that was theirs in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
To do so, the Phoenix must reach the Final Four as a member of the Western Conference this spring. Having moved from the Eastern Conference to the West, second-year coach Ryuji Kawai's club finds itself in the thick of things in the ultra-competitive West.
The Phoenix are one of the most talented clubs, assembling an experienced, versatile roster, and know what it takes to turn it up a notch as it did over the weekend against the host Osaka Evessa. Hamamatsu completed a weekend sweep on Sunday, winning a fiercely competitive 87-83 decision at Sumiyoshi Sports Center and getting major contributions from a host of players.