The Gunma Crane Thunders reached the playoffs last season after a 1-12 start, making necessary adjustments and steady improvement over their remaining 39 regular-season contests under veteran bench boss Charlie Parker.
This season, new head coach Hirokazu Nema, formerly an assistant under Parker, has steered the team to an 8-8 start, including back-to-back victories over the visiting Tokyo Cinq Reves over the weekend.
In Sunday's 106-67 triumph, high-flying forward Thomas Kennedy, one of the most electrifying finishers in league history, grabbed the spotlight. The University of Detroit Mercy product put 31 points on the board and hauled in nine rebounds.