NEWSWORTHY
Donte' Hill hoping to return Iwate to respectability in second half of season
In the rapidly changing Japan pro basketball landscape, the Iwate Big Bulls' run to the bj-league Final Four in 2015 is, well, ancient history. The team has experienced its share of ups and downs since then, when Dai Oketani completed his distinguished three-year run as ...
Victorious Brave Thunders see large lead evaporate down the stretch against rival Jets
The Kawasaki Brave Thunders jumped out to a big lead in the second and third quarters, then held off the pesky Chiba Jets Funabashi down the stretch on Friday. The Brave Thunders recorded an 87-80 victory over their East Division rival at Todoroki Arena. Chiba, which ...
Big Bulls sign Clyde Drexler's son
The Iwate Big Bulls recently signed basketball Hall of Famer Clyde "The Glide" Drexler's son Adam. The B. League's second-division Big Bulls are currently 2-12, and the younger Drexler, a 196-cm forward, is expected to make his Iwate debut after the league's current wide bye ...
Geary has Nagoya thriving with defense
The Nagoya Diamond Dolphins have opened the new season with a strong overall showing over the first three weeks. Second-year coach Reggie Geary's team has won four straight games and shares the league lead for the best record (5-1) through Sunday. Four other teams — ...
Tohoku Cup offers fans early treat
An annual tradition is growing. The Tohoku Cup, now in its fifth year, is a preseason event set up to help teams get prepared for the upcoming season. It has become a key testing ground for players as they get ready for the long grind of ...
Fate of stats from former leagues uncertain
Should statistical records from the bj-league, the JBL and its successor (NBL), the JBL2 and its successor (NBDL) be kept handy and recited frequently for the B. League? Or should the accomplishments of players and teams in Japan's men's basketball circuits be stored away and ...
Questions abound as teams prep for new league
What kind of rivalries will develop in the early days of the B. League? Will former foes from the now-dissolved bj-league have the same spirited competition they did in the upcoming inaugural season of the new league? Will a former NBL team or two quickly emerge ...
Toyama stages fourth-quarter comeback against Iwate, wins 12th straight
The red-hot Toyama Grouses collected their 12th straight victory on Saturday, a wild 70-61 home triumph over the Iwate Big Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinal series opener. Coach Bob Nash's club held fifth-seeded Iwate to three points in the fourth quarter while scoring 20 ...
Playoff action heats up with conference semifinals
Eight teams remain in the hunt for the 11th and final bj-league title. Of the eight who survived the opening round, two teams — the Ryukyu Golden Kings and Osaka Evessa — both have a shot at winning a record fourth championship later this month. The ...
Conference semifinals set after opening weekend of bj-league playoff action
With one action-packed weekend of playoff games in the books, the number of title-chasing teams is now down to eight. Now, the focus shifts to the upcoming conference semifinals. In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Toyama Grouses will face the No. 5 Iwate Big Bulls, ...
Iwate escapes with victory, sends Tokyo to 38th consecutive defeat
The Tokyo Cinq Reves stayed within striking distance, but failed to halt their epic losing streak on Friday night. The visiting Iwate Big Bulls edged Tokyo 81-76 in Machida, sending the Cinq Reves to their 38th straight loss in the bj-league. Alandise Harris led Iwate (27-20) ...
Hamamatsu relies on outside shooting to edge Iwate
Strong 3-point shooting carried the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix past the Iwate Big Bulls on Saturday night. The Phoenix recorded a 69-68 victory in Toyohashi, Aichi Prefecture. The defending champions (31-14) shot 12-for-27 from beyond the arc. Seven Phoenix players made at least one 3-pointer. DeAngelo Kirkland ...
