Brave Thunders, Sunrockers setting early pace in standings
Nearly a month into the new B. League season, it's already quite clear that parity among teams is a defining characteristic of the 2019-20 campaign. Consider the following: Only two teams have one loss through Wednesday (the Sunrockers Shibuya, who are 5-1, and the 7-1 ...
Many Japan alumni a part of marquee summer event
The Basketball Tournament has grown in prominence as a new summer tradition during its brief history. Since its inception in 2014, numerous pro players with ties to Japan have competed in the single-elimination tournament. Consider: Nagoya Diamond Dolphins star Justin Burrell is one of the leaders ...
NeoPhoenix turn to veteran coach Brian Rowsom in quest to make playoffs
The San-en NeoPhoenix's victory total has decreased in each season of the B. League era. Therefore, team management decided it was time to make a coaching change, opting for a more experienced mentor to pilot the team. Brian Rowsom, who guided the CLS Knights Indonesia to ...
Impressive outside shooting carries Brex past Sunrockers
The Tochigi Brex didn't have a single player carrying the offense on Saturday. Instead, it was an across-the-board effort that produced a 91-71 victory over the Sunrockers Shibuya at Brex Arena Utsunomiya. Hironori Watanabe (22 points), Jeff Gibbs (18 points) and Ryan Rossiter (11 points) score ...
Tochigi flourishing with solid team play
The Tochigi Brex are playing at an astonishingly high level this season. But it really shouldn't be a big surprise. After all, the nucleus of the team's 2016-17 B. League championship campaign is still mostly intact. At the same time, head coach Ryuzo Anzai, an assistant on ...
Tochigi trounces Toyama in series opener
The Tochigi Brex played opportunistic pressure defense against the Toyama Grouses on Friday night. And the Brex capitalized on the Grouses' miscues in a big way, scoring 23 points off turnovers in a 104-84 home victory. Tochigi committed just seven turnovers, while Toyama had 15 at ...
Tough defense makes difference for Tochigi
All teams were in action on Wednesday, providing Golden Week entertainment for fans across the nation. A one-day spectacle that deviates from the back-to-back days of regular-season action, the tactical adjustments that take place between games and the physical and mental exhaustion that teams ...
Golden Kings whip SeaHorses in clash of title-chasing titans
Takatoshi Furukawa scored 11 of his team-high 18 points in the second half and four teammates also reached double figures in points as the Ryukyu Golden Kings outplayed the host SeaHorses Mikawa, winning 82-70 on Saturday afternoon. In a potential preview of this year's B. ...
Brex make pivotal plays in closing seconds to beat Jets
The defending champion Tochigi Brex didn't have the same swagger and chemistry when the season began. But they have made steady progress over the past few months, with veteran leader Jeff Gibbs returning to a starring role after an Achilles injury in the title game ...
Tochigi trounces Shiga in teams' first game after All-Star break
The Tochigi Brex ushered in the second half of the B. League season with a resounding victory over the visiting Shiga Lakestars on Thursday night. The Brex extending their winning streak to four, recording an 80-64 decision in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. Tochigi held Shiga to 11 ...
All-around team effort carries Brex past Albirex in comeback victory
The Tochigi Brex were a slow-starting team on Friday night. But they heated up in the second half against the host Niigata Albirex BB, turning the tide in their favor. The defending B. League champions rallied for a 71-62 victory in their series opener in Nagaoka, ...
Evessa coach Dai Oketani brings passion to the game
While Japan pro basketball dealt with massive changes over the past dozen years, Dai Oketani built his credentials as one of the most respected, accomplished head coaches here. Oketani has been one constant in a sea of swirling changes, what with the arrival and end ...
