Entering this season, six-time All-Star Cohey Aoki had made 1,255 baskets — plus 983 free throws, while converting an astonishing 89.2 percent of his shots at the foul line — in 8,642 minutes of playing time in the regular season since the league's inception in 2005. Many of his most important points have come when the shot clock is winding down or in the closing seconds of quarters or games, and he's often come through in the clutch.
The numbers add up to one important fact: Aoki has earned a reputation as one of the league's most reliable scorers.
So it was only appropriate that the former Tokyo Apache icon was entrusted with the ball in his hands in crunch time once again on Sunday, this time playing for his new team, the Tokyo Cinq Reves, at Funabashi Arena.