Four teams have opened the season with 7-1 records: Iwate and Toyama in the East and Hamamatsu and Kyoto from the West. Shiga, meanwhile, coming off a bye week, is 5-1.

The Phoenix's super start under veteran coach Tomoya Higashino is the result of new players coming together quickly and giving the veteran mainstays a boost. They've meshed well together, and now they have a bye week before facing the Grouses Nov. 8-9 in Toyama Prefecture.

Since a season-opening 77-67 defeat to defending champion Ryukyu, Hamamatsu has strung together seven straight wins, holding foes to 76 or fewer points in all of those games, including a 70-49 dismantling of Shimane on Oct. 11.