Rebounding is all about desire, technique, hustle and even a few lucky bounces here and there.
And a 19-rebound game is also about basketball IQ, which is something Ryukyu Golden Kings big man Jeff Newton has a lot of.
A five-time champion in the bj-league — more titles than any player in league history — Newton has displayed a desire to win and a hunger to rebound like nothing else matters throughout his brilliant pro career. So there he was on Saturday night in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, pulling in 19 rebounds and producing a 13-point performance as Ryukyu rebounded from a two-game sweep against the Shimane Susanoo Magic last weekend by beating host Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix 87-84 before 2,511 spectators.