Chiba set for semifinal clash with Tochigi; Ryukyu faces Tokyo
Motivation can be a powerful emotion in sports. For the Chiba Jets Funabashi, last season's defeat in the B. League Championship final to the Alvark Tokyo has been their motivational force throughout this season. Jets shooting guard Kosuke Ishii admitted as much after Chiba's 96-85, series-clinching ...
Elite teams set pace as title chase heats up
There's an old adage cited by managers and coaches that comes to mind as the B. League regular season winds down. "You want to be playing your best ball at the end of the season," they say. Well, with five games remaining before the eight-team playoffs ...
Veteran coach Bob Nash confident in Jun Nakanishi as Fukuoka's new GM
Jun Nakanishi launched his pro basketball career during a period of major changes — nonstop expansion for a decade — here. And so he has witnessed the ups and downs of Japan pro basketball since the inception of the now-disbanded bj-league in 2005. As a ...
Golden Kings celebrate assistant coach Keith Richardson's return with series sweep against Fukuoka
A familiar face returned to the sidelines this weekend for the Ryukyu Golden Kings. Longtime former assistant coach Keith Richardson, known affectionately as Coach K to legions of Kings fans throughout Okinawa and beyond, joined head coach Norio Sassa's staff for Ryukyu's series against the ...
Kosuke Ishii ignites high-flying Jets
Chiba Jets Funabashi perimeter marksman Kosuke Ishii had the hot hand early in Saturday's contest. The 31-year-old shooting guard took four shots in the first period. He made them all, including 3 of 3 from 3-point range against the visiting Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka. By the end ...
Niigata edges Fukuoka in overtime
The Niigata Albirex BB are tough to beat at home. Saturday's series opener against the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka was a reminder of that fact. Davante Gardner, the B. League's leading scorer, and veteran teammates Lamont Hamilton and Kei Igarashi set the tone for Niigata in an ...
SeaHorses heat up in second quarter, pull away in win over Rizing Zephyr
After the first quarter ended, the SeaHorses Mikawa held the slimmest of margins on Friday night in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture. Then the SeaHorses heated up on offense and seized control of their game against the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka. The hosts dominated the second and third quarters, ...
Masashi Hosoya heating up on offense for Yokohama
Masashi Hosoya doesn't pour in 25-30 points every game. He is, however, a solid scoring option for the Yokohama B-Corsairs. Exhibit A: Sunday's game against the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka, when Hosoya maximized his time on the court. He played with purpose from start to finish, ...
B-Corsairs' 3-point shooting good enough to hold off Rizing Zephyr
The Yokohama B-Corsairs built a large lead early in Sunday's game and remained in the driver's seat from start to finish. Meanwhile, a much-improved performance by the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in the fourth quarter was not enough to overcome a slow start in an 85-73 ...
Bob Nash pilots Fukuoka to first victory, believes team headed in right direction
It's too early to determine if the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka's Saturday victory will have a profound impact on their performance this season. But every pro sports franchise needs a first win to help lay a foundation for any given season. Indubitably, that's what Saturday's shocking ...
Fukuoka hammers Kyoto for first victory of season
After an overtime loss on Friday night, the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka rebounded in a big way, blasting the Kyoto Hannaryz 100-47 in the series finale on Saturday afternoon. Benjamin Lawson scored 23 points, Dexter Pittman had 22 and Masashi Joho poured in 18 as Fukuoka ...
Hannaryz hold off Rizing Zephyr in OT
The visiting Kyoto Hannaryz outlasted the Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka in overtime on Friday night, winning 98-95. Kevin Hareyama sank a pair of free throws at the 4:26 mark of OT to put Kyoto ahead 85-83, and coach Honoo Hamaguchi's club didn't relinquish the lead the ...
