Without injured All-Star forward Justin Burrell's commanding presence on the court, the determined Nagoya Diamond Dolphins stayed aggressive and relied on all-around hustle over the weekend against the Alvark Tokyo.
Nagoya rebounded from a four-point Saturday loss by outlasting the hosts in overtime on Sunday, winning 81-77 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium No. 2.
Burrell, a former St. John's University player who was the 2011-12 bj-league regular-season MVP while suiting up for the Yokohama B-Corsairs, has missed the past three games while nursing a right-calf injury. With a bye coming up, the veteran big man will have more time for his leg to heal. He is averaging 18.1 points and 8.8 rebounds in 33 games.