Basketball Mar 31, 2013
Evessa hammer Shining Suns for eighth straight victory
by Ed Odeven
Trailing 11-7 after the opening quarter, the Osaka Evessa were playing a rather ordinary game against the host Miyazaki Shining Suns.
Basketball | BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK Mar 30, 2013
Cartwright's impact on Evessa more profound by the day
by Ed Odeven
Like a bullet train zooming across the Japanese countryside, Bill Cartwright has rapidly transformed the Osaka Evessa into a much-improved basketball team. It's been an impressive turnaround. The numbers clearly show that: 12 wins in 18 games, and seven straight victories under his tutelage. The Evessa ...
Basketball Mar 27, 2013
Basketball providing quality diversion in Miyagi Prefecture
by Ed Odeven
Taking a look back at an action-packed Sunday in the bj-league. News, notes and observations... *On Sunday morning, I briefly conversed with a middle-aged train engineer at Sendai Station while en route to Minamisanriku, Miyagi Prefecture, for the Sendai 89ers-Osaka Evessa series finale. The friendly ...
Basketball Mar 25, 2013
Team spirit carries Evessa past 89ers
by Ed Odeven
In Bill Cartwright's view, team spirit is a unifying force that can deliver results and guide a team on the path to success. And he should know, having played a starring role for the Chicago Bulls' first three-peat (1990-91, 1991-92 and 1992-93) and absorbing hoops ...
Basketball Mar 18, 2013
Evessa sweep Brave Warriors, extend winning streak to five games
by Ed Odeven
With nearly one-third of the season now spent under Bill Cartwright, the Osaka Evessa have made great strides since a miserable 5-19 start under two former bench bosses, Zoran Kreckovic and Takao Furuya. Cartwright has instilled discipline, a commitment to fundamentals and a hunger for ...
Basketball | HOOP SCOOP Mar 10, 2013
Rickert says Cartwright emphasizing defense for Osaka
by Ed Odeven
With 12 games in the books since Bill Cartwright took over as the Osaka Evessa’s new head coach, his message at the gym, wherever practices and games are held, has been simple and constant. Cartwright preaches "defense, defense, defense," Evessa big man Rick Rickert told ...
Basketball Mar 3, 2013
Broncos outplay Evessa, stretch winning streak to four games
by Ed Odeven
Suddenly, the Saitama Broncos are one of the hottest clubs in the 21-team bj-league.
Basketball Feb 25, 2013
Evessa finish strong in fourth, end three-game skid
by Ed Odeven
In the season's first 24 games, the Osaka Evessa, the bj-league's first powerhouse team, collected five victories. They've now played 10 games under new head coach Bill Cartwright. Their record in that span? Five wins and five defeats. The Evessa snapped a three-game losing streak on ...
Basketball Feb 11, 2013
Evessa gather steam with win over HeatDevils
by Ed Odeven
The Osaka Evessa do not look like a championship contender. And it will probably take a minor miracle for the Western Conference club to qualify for the playoffs this season. But this much is certain: The Evessa are headed in the right direction under new ...
Basketball Feb 3, 2013
Osaka coach Cartwright puts focus on fundamentals
by Ed Odeven
Osaka Evessa bench boss Bill Cartwright reveals what he thinks are important traits for the team leader after landing his first head coaching job since guiding the Chicago Bulls from 2001-03.
Basketball Jan 28, 2013
Cartwright makes immediate impact as Evessa beat Shining Suns
by Ed Odeven
It's only been two games, but new coach Bill Cartwright's no-nonsense challenge to the Osaka Evessa — to play a smart, aggressive brand of basketball, as revealed by several players — is paying off. Osaka took control of the game in the third quarter and ...
Basketball Jan 25, 2013
Cartwright confident he can turn lowly Osaka around
by Ed Odeven
Former NBA center Bill Cartwright looks forward to his first weekend as the Osaka Evessa head coach, leading the team in action against the visiting Miyazaki Shining Suns.