The Ryukyu Golden Kings failed to reach the Final Four for the first time since 2007-08, their inaugural season in the bj-league. That result proved to be unacceptable to team management.
Thus, despite a league-record 42-10 record, head coach Koto Toyama's contract was not renewed. The decision to not bring Toyama back for a second season in charge was quietly announced on Sunday, when all attention was focused on the Final Four at Ariake Colosseum.
The Yokohama B-Corsairs captured the championship with a 101-90 win over the Rizing Fukuoka, and before the dust settled on the first title captured by a Kanto team there was another blockbuster basketball story competing to grab people's attention.