Veteran forward Jawad Williams, rookie point guard Kai Toews bolster Brex for season's stretch run
The Utsunomiya Brex, who are built to win now, upgraded their roster in recent weeks. The addition of veteran forward Jawad Williams, who played an integral role for the Alvark Tokyo in their back-to-back B. League championship seasons (2017-18 and 2019-20), and rookie point guard ...
Strong defense, rebounding help Evessa build solid foundation in pursuit of playoff appearance
After splitting a pair of away games last weekend with the Utsunomiya Brex, the Osaka Evessa passed the midway point of the season with a realistic shot at capturing the West Division title. It all starts with defense, solid rebounding and an effective run-and-gun offense ...
Energized Evessa cruise past Jets
Balanced scoring played a pivotal role in the Osaka Evessa's series-opening victory over the Chiba Jets on Saturday afternoon. What's more, center Josh Harrellson secured the 84-69 win with a 13-point, 20-rebound, eight-assist, three-steal, two-block performance. For the former University of Kentucky and NBA player, ...
Josh Harrellson lifts Evessa past winless NeoPhoenix
Josh Harrellson's 32-point, 10-rebound effort steered the Osaka Evessa to an 80-62 victory over the winless San-en NeoPhoenix on Saturday. Harrellson, a former University of Kentucky and NBA big man, made 13 of 18 shots from the field in the series opener in Toyohashi, Aichi ...
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 ...
Evessa hand NeoPhoenix ninth consecutive loss
The San-en NeoPhoenix are in the midst of their worst stretch of basketball in recent memory. The Osaka Evessa defeated the host NeoPhoenix 86-68 on Saturday afternoon, extending San-en's losing streak to nine games. Osaka big man Josh Harrellson powered the visitors with 30 points, including ...
Naoya Kumagae's shooting touch pivotal for Evessa in victory over Lakestars
As a scorer, Naoya Kumagae is having his best stretch of the season. Kumagae scored a game-high and season-best 26 points in the Osaka Evessa's 76-71 victory over the visiting Shiga Lakestars on Saturday. He had 16 points last Sunday versus the Tochigi Brex, then put ...
Sunrockers exhibit effective defense in comeback triumph over Levanga
The Sunrockers Shibuya played determined defense in the second half, holding the Levanga Hokkaido to 20 points over the final 20 minutes. And that was enough for the Sunrockers to secure a 66-60 victory over the hosts and extended their winning streak to five games. Shibuya ...
Sunrockers coach Geoffrey Katsuhisa counts on team defense
Early in his career, Geoffrey Katsuhisa had the ideal mentor. Longtime NBA bench boss Bob Hill gave Katsuhisa invaluable advice and showed him the ins and outs of leading a pro basketball team. This occurred in the 2010-11 bj-league season, when Hill served as the ...
Alvark bolster roster with signing of Lucas
Landen Lucas needs no introduction to die-hard Kansas Jayhawks fans. But on this side of the Pacific Ocean, it's the perfect time to formally introduce the rookie center to Japan basketball circles. Lucas is a newcomer on the scene for the Alvark Tokyo, but his collegiate ...
Lack of draft impacting competitive balance
In an analysis stretching back to September, there have been a number of important accomplishments during the B. League's inaugural season. The league has witnessed the steady growth of coverage from traditional media outlets plus online platforms. And there's been the encouraging, ubiquitous presence on ...
Rebounding skills a vital part of Joji Takeuchi's game
Joji Takeuchi consistently provides solid numbers for the Alvark Tokyo. The veteran forward brings a blue-collar work ethic to the court. He hustles. He makes the fundamental plays — sets screens, boxes out, hits top-of-the-key jumpers. Takeuchi, 32, also remains one of the premier rebounders in ...
