Alvark, Jets ready for marquee showdown
The Alvark Tokyo and Chiba Jets Funabashi are ready to rumble in their championship game rematch. One day before the B. League Championship final, both teams tuned up for the final time, practicing at Yokohama Arena on Friday. The Alvark (44-16 in the regular season) will ...
Alvark outplay Golden Kings in semifinal series finale, advance to title game against Jets
Strength in numbers defined the Alvark Tokyo's performance on Tuesday night. Seven of nine Alvark players who stepped onto the court scored eight or more points against the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Game 3 of their B. League Championship semifinal series. In addition, the defending champions ...
Alvark, Jets post victories in semifinal series openers
The Alvark Tokyo scratched and clawed their way to a third-place finish in the brutal East Division during the regular season. Forty-four wins in 60 games was what they accomplished. Indeed, it wasn't easy. On Saturday, the resilient defending champions moved a step closer to achieving ...
Sensational start propels Nagoya past Ryukyu in series opener
The Nagoya Diamond Dolphins overwhelmed the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the first quarter of Saturday's B. League Championship quarterfinal series opener. The Diamond Dolphins' 21-4 scoring spurt over the first 10 minutes paved the way for a 69-53 victory in Okinawa City. And now the pressure's ...
Tochigi pounds Kawasaki in playoff opener
The Tochigi Brex were locked in at both ends of the court on Friday night. The Brex offense fired on all cylinders in Game 1 of their B. League Championship quarterfinal series against the Kawasaki Brave Thunders. Coach Ryuzo Anzai's club buried 10 of 21 ...
B. League entering playoffs riding wave of popularity
With the popularity of Japanese basketball continuing to grow, it's expected that arenas will be filled to capacity during the upcoming B. League Championship playoffs. "On Feb. 24, the Japanese men's national team clinched a berth in the World Cup, which gave us a spot ...
League powers Jets, Alvark set for title tilt
With the biggest of stakes on the line, the Chiba Jets Funabashi and Alvark Tokyo renew their rivalry on Saturday afternoon. The site: Yokohama Arena. The occasion: the B. League Championship final. Tipoff is set for 2:05 p.m. as Jets bench boss Atsushi Ono and ...
Josh Peppers and Michael Parker reaping rewards after years of hard work in Japanese hoop scene
John Neumann gave the green light to bring American forwards Josh Peppers and Michael Parker to Japan. He had a good reason: He needed good players to make Rizing Fukuoka competitive during the expansion team's inaugural 2007-08 campaign in the bj-league. An astute talent evaluator, ...
Jets, Alvark advance to B. League Championship final
The Chiba Jets Funabashi were tough on defense, applying additional pressure at key moments in the fourth quarter. The Jets were confident on offense, making key baskets when they needed them. The Jets, only in business since joining the now-disbanded bj-league for the 2011-12 campaign as ...
Alvark edge SeaHorses in overtime in Game 1 of playoff semifinal series
The SeaHorses Mikawa dominated the first three quarters of Saturday's series opener against the visiting Alvark Tokyo. The fourth quarter was a different story. The Alvark overcame an 11-point deficit entering the final stanza and forced overtime by making clutch plays down the stretch at Wing ...
Jets outlast Brave Thunders in mini-game tiebreaker to reach B. League Championship semifinals
A strong bond — really unflappable team chemistry — has carried the Chiba Jets Funabashi to great heights this season. The Jets aren't finished yet. They soared even higher on Sunday afternoon after first stumbling, losing Game 2 of their B. League Championship quarterfinal series to ...
SeaHorses overpower defending champion Brex in Game 1 of quarterfinal playoff series
It was a stellar start for the SeaHorses Mikawa to begin their quest for a title this postseason. Sharpshooter Kosuke Kanamaru scored a game-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting. Center Isaac Butts also made a big impact with 14 points and 18 rebounds. The result? The ...
