Despite a dreadful 0-8 start to their season in the fall, the Kyoto Hannaryz never pushed the panic button.
Coach Honoo Hamaguchi, a demanding coach who sees the big picture, recognized that his team needed time to develop into a cohesive unit, especially since a number of key newcomers were getting acclimated to their team.
Kyoto's hard work paid off. The Hannaryz secured the fifth seed for the Western Conference first-round series against the host Shiga Lakestars, and they completed a two-game sweep with an 89-75 victory on Sunday.