Kaito Ishikawa demonstrated throughout the 2018-19 season that he was one of the B. League's most dependable point guards.

The Tokyo native shined for the B2 champion Shinshu Brave Warriors, culminating with the second-division playoff MVP award. In the B2 championship final's title-clinching game, Ishikawa scored 21 points, buried five 3-pointers and dished out nine assists in a triumph over the Gunma Crane Thunders on May 5.

And now the 28-year-old floor leader embraces a new challenge: joining the Kumamoto Volters, who are seeking promotion to the top flight.

Kumamoto announced on Tuesday that it had finalized a two-year contract with Ishikawa.

"I want to cheer up Kumamoto with basketball, and I want to fight together with the goal of promotion to B1," Ishikawa said in a statement. "However, I think that the goal is not something that can be easily achieved."

Ishikawa said the goal can only be achieved by working together as a team.

"To the people of Kumamoto Prefecture," Ishikawa said, "we will work hard to be able to step up every day, working hard every day."

In his one season with Shinshu, Ishikawa averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 assists (fourth-best total in B2). He exhibited a real command of the team's offense, as evidenced by his 388 assists and 121 turnovers.

Before his move to the Brave Warriors, the 171-cm Ishikawa suited up for the Sendai 89ers (2016-18), Iwate Big Bulls (2015-16) and Hitachi Sunrockers (2013-15).

This offseason, the Volters are tweaking their roster under new bench boss Nenad Vucinic, Takayuki Yasuda's successor. Yasuda coached the team for three seasons, including a 45-15 campaign in 2018-19.

Vucinic, a former New Zealand national team head coach, was an assistant coach for the Tall Blacks during the 2006 FIBA World Basketball Championship in Japan.

New addition

The Ryukyu Golden Kings on Monday announced that veteran small forward Mao Fukuda has joined the club.

Fukuda, who turns 30 in July, spent the past three seasons with the Volters. He contributed 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in 60 games (46 starts) last season.

Playoff format change

The league has changed its playoff structure for the second flight, opening the door for more teams to compete in the postseason.

Under the previous format, four teams advanced to postseason play. The new plan, unveiled this week, increases that number to eight.