The Kyoto Hannaryz are playing inspired basketball, and it’s producing positive results.Coach Honoo Hamaguchi’s team extended its winning streak to six games by beating the rival Shiga Lakestars 85-69 on Saturday.
Julian Mavunga led the way with 19 points for the Hannaryz (25-16), who committed just eight turnovers. Yuya Nagayoshi had 12 points, Joshua Smith and Tatsuya Ito added 11 apiece and Marcus Dove scored 10 in Ise, Mie Prefecture.
As the season marches on, the steady scoring of Mavunga (No. 9 in the league at 15.6 points per game) and Smith (15.5, 10th in the league) continues to be one of the team’s keys to success.
Ito dished out seven assists to ignite the offense.
Shiga trailed 39-29 at halftime.
D’or Fischer led the Lakestars (12-29) with 19 points and nine rebounds. Narito Namizato provided 15 points and seven assists.
Shiga had 16 assists and 23 turnovers. Kyoto scored 25 points off the visitors’ turnovers.
Dove, who corralled nine rebounds, had a game-best four steals.
The Hannaryz never trailed.
Jets 104, Susanoo Magic 60
In Yonago, Shimane Prefecture, Chiba raced out to a 26-6 lead after one quarter in a runaway victory over the hosts.
Yuki Togashi poured in a team-high 20 points, draining 3 of 4 3-point attempts for the Jets (30-11). Five teammates also scored in double figures: Gavin Edwards and Kosuke Ishii (15 points apiece), Michael Parker and Leo Lyons (both with 13) and Ryumo Ono (11).
Ishii canned 4 of 6 from beyond the arc.
Parker was the team leader in rebounds (nine) and had a game-high four steals and two blocks, while Lyons finished with seven boards and seven assists. Edwards swatted three shots.
Shimane (7-34) trailed 52-23 at halftime and lost for the 15th consecutive time.
Chiba shot 52 percent from the floor; Shimane made 38.7 percent of its shots.
For the Susanoo Magic, Josh Scott had 20 points and 12 rebounds and ex-NBA forward Al Thornton scored 17 points in 16-plus minutes off the bench. Edward Yamamoto contributed seven points and four assists.
The hosts had 21 turnovers and 14 assists.
Brex 84, Diamond Dolphins 72
In Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, Jeff Gibbs, Ryan Rossiter and Kosuke Takeuchi all came very close to posting double-doubles in a hard-earned victory over Nagoya.
Gibbs provided 17 points and nine rebounds with four assists and three steals for the Brex (22-19) and Rossiter added 16 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Takeuchi contributed nine points and eight boards for the reigning champions.
Yusuke Endo and Shuhei Kitgawa scored 13 and 12 points, respectively for the hosts.
The Diamond Dolphins were ahead 41-34 at halftime.
Tochigi seized control in the fourth quarter, outscoring the visitors 26-11 in the final stanza.
The Brex had a 13-0 run capped by a Seiji Ikaruga 3-pointer to take a 76-63 lead with 4 minutes left in the game.
Justin Burrell paced Nagoya with a game-high 28 points. Craig Brackins had 11 points and Tenketsu Harimoto scored eight. Takaya Sasayama added seven points handed out eight assists.
Brave Thunders 99, Storks 75
In Kawasaki, a strong start and an impressive finish guided the hosts past Nishinomiya as they completed a series sweep.
Nick Fazekas scored 22 points, hauled in 12 boards and dished out five assist for the Brave Thunders (29-13). Josh Davis scored 17 points, Yuma Fujii had 16 and Takumi Hasegawa and Takahiro Kurihara both had 10.
The hosts led 26-15 entering the second quarter. They had 35 fourth-quarter points. including an 11-0 run.
Noriaki Dohara scored 22 points for the Storks (7-35), who have lost 12 straight games. Herbert Hill provided 13 points, Cameron Ridley had 12 and Yu Okada 11. Tadahiro Yanagawa doled out six assists.
Evessa 92, Grouses 82
In Osaka, Takuya Hashimoto scored 22 points and Xavier Gibson had 15 and 11 rebounds as the Evessa beat Toyama for the second time in as many days.
Keith Benson added 14 points, seven rebounds and two blocks, while Rei Goda and Shota Konno had 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Evessa (15-27).
Yuki Ueta paced the Grouses with 21 points, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Sam Willard had 13 points and 13 rebounds and Naoki Uto finished with 13 points and 14 assists, but Toyama lost for the 10th straight time.
NeoPhoenix 66, Golden Kings 64
In Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture, despite shooting below 40 percent, San-en found a way to win its series opener against Ryukyu.
Scott Morrison nailed an inside jumper with 3 seconds left to account for the final score.
Ryukyu guard Takumi Ishizaki’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was off the mark.
Robert Dozier led the NeoPhoenix (20-21) with 16 points and Hayato Kawashima scored 15. Two-time bj-league MVP Wendell White had 11 points and Atsuya Ota and Morrison both scored eight. Shuto Tawatari contributed six assists.
Hassan Martin was the top scorer for the Golden Kings ( 32-9), finishing with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Naoki Tashiro made 5 of 8 3s in a 17-point outing and Takatoshi Furukawa scored 11 points. Ira Brown chipped in with eight points and six boards.
Entering the game, the Kings had won six in a row.
Albirex BB 96, B-Corsairs 93
In Yokohama, fan favorite Kei Igarashi scored 18 points and dished out 10 assists for Niigata in a narrow victory over the hosts.
Davante Gardner delivered a 27-point performance for the Albirex (18-23 overall, 10-10 in road contests). He converted 12 of 13 foul shots. Lamont Hamilton added 12 points and Masashi Joho finished with 11. Yuichi Ikeda chipped in with nine points. Both Joho and Ikeda were 3 of 3 from long range.
Takuya Kawamura knocked down 9 of 13 3s in a 32-point effort for Yokohama (11-30). Hasheem Thabeet and William McDonald both had 14 points.
The B-Corsairs were 12 of 23 from beyond the arc.
Alvark 87, Sunrockers 81
In Tachikawa, Tokyo dominated the proceedings for three quarters, then held off Shibuya’s spirited comeback in the fourth.
The Alvark (30-11) led 62-50 after three quarters and ended a three-game skid.
Shohei Kikuchi was Tokyo’s high scorer with 19 points. Alex Kirk had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Joji Takeuchi and Seiya Ando both scored 13 points. Jawad Williams and Daiki Tanaka finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Tanaka also dished out six assists.
Robert Sacre had 25 points for the Sunrockers (22-19), who have lost five straight.
Shibuya’s Josh Harrellson added 14 points and nine rebounds and Leo Vendrame and Kenta Hirose each scored nine points.
Second-division update
Here are the results of Saturday’s B2 games:
Northern Happinets 80, Orange Vikings 75
Robots 110, Fighting Eagles 104
Rizing Zephyr 93, Big Bulls 62
Wat’s 87, Wyverns 80
Firebonds 77, 89ers 70
Bambitious 101, Crane Thunders 96
Earthfriends 67, Five Arrows 62
Samuraiz 76, Brave Warriors 72
Dragonflies 85, Volters 74
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