A pair of bj-league franchises took the first step toward building their rosters for the 2012-13 season during Tuesday's draft day event in Tokyo.

In the rookie draft, the Gunma Crane Thunders got the festivities under way by making former TGI D-Rise forward Noriyuki Sugasawa the No.1 pick. The JBL2 product turned 25 in February while suiting up for the team that serves as a developmental squad for Tochigi, Gunma and Ibaraki prefectures for the JBL's Link Tochigi Brex.

The Crane Thunders, led by bench boss Tadashi Hayashi, also picked up 24-year-old guard Tatsuhiko Toshin, a 185-product of Osaka University of Commerce, in the second round.