Inside muscle and all-out hustle propelled the Tokyo Apache to a 79-78 triumph over the Sendai 89ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Sunday at Ariake Colosseum.
Sendai forward Josh Peppers missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining. Teammate Kenichi Takahashi grabbed the offensive rebound and Peppers missed a shot in the lane seconds later. Then center Chris Holm grabbed a rebound but was unable to score on a putback in the final seconds.
"I don't know if that was a foul or not but they didn't call it," Holm said. That's the way it goes."