Between them, Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill and Shimane Susanoo Magic bench boss Zeljko Pavlicevic have decades of experience leading basketball teams at the highest levels, in the NBA for Hill and in the Euroleague for the Croatian veteran.
This detail was a minor, yet interesting subplot to a well-played game on Saturday.
Pavlicevic's squad won the first meeting between the bj-league teams, an entertaining 94-85 decision that was decided in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter at Yoyogi National Gymnasium.