As expected, Sendai 89ers players, coaches and team staff left Sendai early Friday afternoon for a road trip to face the host and Eastern Conference rival Niigata Albirex BB.
The games were called off, however, along with the rest of the bj-league's six other series this weekend, in the aftermath of Friday's devastating 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sendai that struck at 2:46 p.m. J. League matches, Nippon Professional Baseball exhibition games and other sporting events, including the Nagoya Women's International Marathon, were also canceled this weekend.
Reached via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter, 89ers players and staff described what they experienced Friday and a day later, as well as emerging details about the rough road ahead as recovery efforts begin.