Injuries took their toll on Nishinomiya Storks co-captain Akitomo Takeno over the past several years.

The veteran guard, one of the most electrifying Japanese players during the bj-league's 11 seasons, officially announced his retirement this week. The 31-year-old Takeno will remain with the Nishinomiya Storks organization, the team announced on Monday.

Takeno joins the Storks coaching staff as an assistant under Kensaku Tennichi, who guided the club to the second-division title in May. The team earned a promotion to the top flight for the 2017-18 campaign.