For the Iwate Big Bulls, eight was a key number on Saturday.
They had eight blocked shots, and they held the reigning champion Ryukyu Golden Kings to eight second-quarter points.
But for coach Dai Oketani's club, the biggest numbers were the final score: Iwate 69, Ryukyu 66. The championship final-type atmosphere in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, also produced this: the Big Bulls' 19th straight victory, extending their bj-league record.