TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — All he scored was two points that night. But he came out of the locker room heavily icing his feet and ankles as if he was a player who had scored 20.
The reality is, there is no easy basket for tiny Takehiko Shimura, who is not blessed with height. At only 160 cm, he is the second-shortest player in the bj-league (Saitama Broncos backup guard Atsushi Inagaki is the shortest at 158 cm).
Still, Shimura is entrusted with numerous responsibilities for his new club, the Sendai 89ers. Even if scoring isn't his primary task on the court, he still plays a significant role.