Before his 35th birthday, Iwate Big Bulls coach Dai Oketani had already guided his former club, the Ryukyu Golden Kings, to a pair of bj-league championships.
After losing the series opener by five points on Saturday against the expansion Tokyo Cinq Reves, the visiting Big Bulls returned the favor on Sunday, winning 78-69 and giving Oketani a simple, but well-appreciated — call it fitting — 35th birthday present.
The Big Bulls controlled the second quarter, outscoring the host 28-13 in the game's pivotal period and stayed in the lead throughout the fourth quarter to raise their record to 14-6.