Ace scorer Davante Gardner secured the ball that was shot by Kawasaki's Ryusei Shinoyama, ran out of the paint area and threw it high — really high — into the air just before the buzzer sounded.
That was the dramatic moment when the Niigata Albirex BB defeated their division rival Brave Thunders 80-78 and, more importantly, clinched the B. League Central Division crown at Todoroki Arena on Saturday night.
The Albirex, who now have the third-best record in the league at 43-15, will be able to play at home in the first and second rounds of the playoffs. Niigata will host the Alvark Tokyo in the first round, which begins April 27.