NEWSWORTHY
Jets place premium on continuity
After a championship runner-up finish and the team's first East Division regular-season title, the Chiba Jets Funabashi aren't making wholesale changes as they prepare for the upcoming season. Head coach Atsushi Ono, who has guided the Jets to 44- and 46-win campaigns in 2016-17 and ...
Alvark capture B. League title
Championships are won with well-orchestrated teamwork. The Alvark Tokyo did just that and played a polished, patient but aggressive game on Saturday. They showcased flashy plays but mostly stuck with their bread-and-butter offense, moving the ball and taking shots in players' comfort zones. Smart plan. Conversely, ...
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, ...
Chiba triumphs over Ryukyu, claims East Division crown
It all started with a logical offensive strategy: get the ball to the big guys inside. And it worked in a big way. Which also created frequent scoring opportunities on the perimeter, too. Frontcourt mates Michael Parker and Gavin Edwards combined to make 16 of 19 ...
Jets dig deep to hold off Sunrockers
For the Chiba Jets Funabashi, their 42nd victory of the season in game No. 55 was a hard-earned triumph on Sunday. It was a win that wasn't determined until the final buzzer sounded. In succession, Josh Harrellson and Leo Vendrame missed 3-pointers in the closing ...
Readers weigh in on top underrated players
It's often easy to identify the superstars in sports. After all, people talk about their accomplishments repeatedly and recognize their faces from widespread exposure in the social media era. But what about the more unheralded players who fill roster spots and contribute to their respective teams? They ...
Ryumo Ono playing pivotal role in Chiba's success this season
Ryumo Ono doesn't receive the same recognition as talented teammates Yuki Togashi, Michael Parker and Gavin Edwards. But the veteran forward is an integral part of the Chiba Jets Funabashi's success, including back-to-back Emperor's Cup titles, since the league's inception. Ono, an energetic presence, has ...
High-powered offense propels Jets past Sunrockers
Points came in a hurry for the home team at Funabashi Arena on Saturday, especially in the first and third quarters. The Chiba Jets Funabashi led 25-11 after one quarter. It was a sign of things to come in a 89-48 demolition of the Sunrockers Shibuya ...
Jets rally in second quarter to seize control against B-Corsairs
The Chiba Jets Funabashi faced a 10-point deficit entering the second quarter on Saturday against the visiting Yokohama B-Corsairs. The Jets recovered in a big way. First, they outscored the B-Corsairs 30-17 in the second quarter. Coach Atsushi Ono's club then outscored Yokohama in the final two ...
Crisp offensive execution, tight defense propel Jets past Golden Kings
Sometimes, it's all about the numbers. Case in point: The Chiba Jets shot the ball nearly 20 percent better than the host Ryukyu Golden Kings on Friday night from 2-point range. That proved to be a significant factor in the Jets' 72-61 victory in Okinawa City. Gavin ...
Chiba's Michael Parker hits milestone with 10,000th point
Michael Parker has quietly compiled impressive numbers throughout his pro basketball career in Japan. The veteran forward's success speaks for itself. He won four scoring titles in the bj-league, including a league-record 27.3 points per game in the 2010-11 season, establishing himself as a prolific point ...
High-flying Jets seek to build off preseason success, maintain status as East contender
The Chiba Jets Funabashi are riding a wave of positive momentum. They defeated five teams in as many days last week to capture the title at The Super 8, a new international tournament in Macau. Coach Atsushi Ono's club completed its impressive run with an 83-73 ...
