The NBL approved a new management company to run the financially distressed Tsukuba Robots in Thursday's general meeting in Tokyo, the league office officially announced Friday.
A total of 11 Robots players had been released as they didn't agree to new contracts with the new management by the end of last month, while only four players remained on the team, including a pair of Americans (Lamar Sanders and Justin Reynolds).
But the new management, led by ex-NBL chief operating officer Takashi Yamaya as president, had secured 10 players, which is the minimum number required for a roster, in time.
Among the newly acquired players were Jonathan Inoue, a former guard for the Tokyo Apache and Hyogo Storks, Yuki Sato Mcfarlane, an ex-guard for the Daytrick Tsukuba of the JBL second division and the Tokyo Cinq Reves, and Max Matsumoto, also a former Stork who landed the team on loan.
Guard/forward Tomoya Nakamura was originally included in the 11 that were put on the free agent list, but wound up re-signing with the team.
The team also announced that head coach Donte' Hill didn't agree to a new contract and his assistant, Keita Iwashita, would be its interim sideline supervisor for the rest of the season.
The Robots, who are winless with a 0-16 record, sinking to last place in the Eastern Conference, will host the Chiba Jets on Saturday and Sunday at Kuji Sunpia Hitachi Sports Center in Ibaraki Prefecture.