After a 20-day break and a minor overhaul of their roster, the Saitama Broncos returned to the court on Saturday.

Facing the visiting Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix, coach Kazuaki Shimoji's Broncos led after the first and second quarters, but they were outplayed in the second half and lost 91-81 in Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture.

Saitama (0-11) is the 22-team bj-league's only winless squad. The team failed to make the playoffs or finished above .500 in each of the bj-league's previous nine seasons.