Championship experience and crunch-time poise carried the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix to an 87-78 victory over the expansion Yokohama B-Corsairs in the bj-league's Eastern Conference final on Saturday at Ariake Colosseum.
Two-time defending champion Hamamatsu, under first-year coach Ryuji Kawai, faces the winner of the Western Conference final (Ryukyu Golden Kings vs. Kyoto Hannaryz) in Sunday's championship game. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:10 p.m., preceded by the third-place game.
In the fourth quarter, the Phoenix took control of the game and wrested momentum away from the B-Corsairs, outscoring them 31-16 in the final frame.