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Japan Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Utsunomiya Brex clinch record third B. League title in decisive Game 3
Utsunomiya Brex claimed a record third B. League championship title Wednesday, defeating Ryukyu Golden Kings 73-71 in the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three finals at Yokohama Arena. The victory marked Utsunomiya's first title in three seasons and its third overall, including one won under its former identity as the Tochigi Brex. American guard Scottie James Newbill was named Most Valuable Player for the finals. After struggling in the first half, with its three-point shooting stifled and the offense stalling at 28-40, Utsunomiya rallied after the break. The team chipped away at the deficit with inside scoring and sealed the comeback in the final quarter with less than a minute remaining, with a clutch three-pointer by veteran shooter Makoto Hiejima. From the left wing, the seasoned guard launched a high-arcing three-pointer that swished through the net, giving his team a lead they would not relinquish. 'It was a shot I made with everything I had,' Hiejima said, smiling broadly after the emotional win. Hiejima had been quiet throughout the finals, held to single-digit scoring in the first two games and shut out entirely in the first half of Game 3. But he kept his composure, scoring 17 points in the second half to lead the comeback. Ryukyu's quest for a championship double — having already won the Emperor's Cup — thus ended in disappointment. 'There were moments when we felt the title was within reach,' said head coach Dai Oketani. 'But Utsunomiya showed they're masters of the game.' Ryukyu had early momentum, starting three guards to seize control on defense. But turnovers in the second half began to shift the tide. Center Jack Cooley, a key presence in the paint, fouled out with over five minutes remaining, leaving the team without its anchor on both ends of the floor. Despite missing injured captain Ryuichi Kishimoto, Ryukyu reached the finals for the fourth consecutive season, a testament to their organizational depth. 'Everyone played their role well,' Oketani said. 'I'm proud of the effort they gave.' On the court after Utsunomiya's title-clinching win, acting head coach Antonio Colonell fought back tears. 'There's no team more special than this one,' he said, standing beside a framed photo of Kevin Braswell, the team's late head coach, who passed away in February after a hospital stay that began in January. Braswell's death left the team in emotional turmoil. Stepping in to guide the players through their grief, Colonell — a close friend of Braswell for over a decade — offered quiet strength. 'He must've been hurting the most, but he never showed it,' said player Yusuke Ogawa. 'That made us want to follow him even more.' In a team meeting, captain Takehiko Tabuse urged his teammates to channel their sorrow into purpose. 'Kevin wouldn't want us to keep our heads down. Let's win this,' he said. With renewed unity, Utsunomiya surged to the title. Fulfilling the promise they made to Braswell, Colonell offered a heartfelt message: 'You believed in this team. Thank you.' 'Everyone played with a special sense of purpose,' Hiejima said. 'At the end, I felt like Kevin had my back.' Translated by The Japan Times
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I don't watch it' – Damon Heta slams Premier League Darts in brutal assessment and reveals two ways to improve it
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) DAMON HETA has delivered a brutal assessment of the Premier League and admitted he doesn't even watch it. The Aussie believes the current format has become far too repetitive and has lost its excitement. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Damon Heta slammed the Premier League and admitted he doesn't even watch it 2 Heta claims the Premier League is too repetitive with Luke Humphries and Luke Littler always facing each other World No1 Luke Humphries and World Champion Luke Littler have faced off seven times in this year's campaign. But Heta hasn't tuned in once this season and says he prefers to spend his Thursday nights on the practice board instead. He told Sporting Life: 'No I don't watch it. I haven't watched it this year. 'I see the results obviously they come up on social media all the time. 'But I didn't watch it. I might have watched a few games last year. 'I think it's too much. It's the same people in the match ups and then I'm seeing them every week at darts. 'I'm on the dartboard practicing when they're playing the thing. 'I mean you are getting those prestigious games but all the time so you're flooding the good darts. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'The Luke [Littler] vs Luke [Humphries] you're going to see them twenty plus times a year probably play each other. 'I'm not even sure how many times we have seen a Phil [Taylor] vs MvG [Michael van Gerwen] game. Fans sing along to Luke Littler's walk-on song as darts star shares footage from stage 'It just makes it more prestigious.' Aussie thrower Heta called for the return of relegation - a system scrapped after the 2021 season - to raise the stakes for struggling players. He revealed: 'I did like the relegation back in the day. I thought it was pretty good. 'Because the first half of the season they are playing to stay in it. 'And then the people probably towards the back end — when you've got a long season — if they're doing bad, you know they're probably not going to show up or put 100 percent in. 'B League' 'It's like, what are they playing for if they are not making the top four? 'I mean for £10,000 — but is that enough for them?' World Cup winner Heta even floated the idea of a potential 'B League' — giving more players a shot at proving themselves and earning promotion to the main Premier League stage. He added: 'Yeah I think that would be alright. Whether the B League plays behind closed doors to get to that stage. 'It gives that person — whoever wins the second league — that chance to prove themselves. 'I've done it for 17 weeks and now I've won it, then you get the promotion into the Premier League.'
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
‘I don't watch it' – Damon Heta slams Premier League Darts in brutal assessment and reveals two ways to improve it
DAMON HETA has delivered a brutal assessment of the Premier League and admitted he doesn't even watch it. The Aussie believes the current format has become far too repetitive and has lost its excitement. Advertisement 2 Damon Heta slammed the Premier League and admitted he doesn't even watch it 2 Heta claims the Premier League is too repetitive with Luke Humphries and Luke Littler always facing each other World No1 Luke Humphries and World Champion But He told Sporting Life: 'No I don't watch it. I haven't watched it this year. 'I see the results obviously they come up on social media all the time. Advertisement Read More on Darts 'But I didn't watch it. I might have watched a few games last year. 'I think it's too much. It's the same people in the match ups and then I'm seeing them every week at darts. 'I'm on the dartboard practicing when they're playing the thing. 'I mean you are getting those prestigious games but all the time so you're flooding the good darts. Advertisement Most read in Darts Exclusive CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 'The Luke [Littler] vs Luke [ 'I'm not even sure how many times we have seen a Phil [Taylor] vs MvG [Michael van Gerwen] game. Fans sing along to Luke Littler's walk-on song as darts star shares footage from stage 'It just makes it more prestigious.' Advertisement Aussie thrower Heta called for the return of relegation - a system scrapped after the 2021 season - to raise the stakes for struggling players. He revealed: 'I did like the relegation back in the day. I thought it was pretty good. 'Because the first half of the season they are playing to stay in it. 'And then the people probably towards the back end — when you've got a long season — if they're doing bad, you know they're probably not going to show up or put 100 percent in. Advertisement 'B League' 'It's like, what are they playing for if they are not making the top four? 'I mean for £10,000 — but is that enough for them?' World Cup winner Heta even floated the idea of a potential 'B League' — giving more players a shot at proving themselves and earning promotion to the main Premier League stage. He added: 'Yeah I think that would be alright. Whether the B League plays behind closed doors to get to that stage. Advertisement 'It gives that person — whoever wins the second league — that chance to prove themselves. 'I've done it for 17 weeks and now I've won it, then you get the promotion into the Premier League.'
South China Morning Post
05-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Bust-up between LA Lakers star Hachimura, coach threatens ambitious Japan's hoop dreams
Japan has ambitious plans to become a basketball powerhouse but a row involving star player Rui Hachimura and disagreements over the domestic league's direction mean success is anything but a slam dunk. Advertisement Once a minnow on the world stage, Japan qualified for last year's Paris Olympics and took eventual silver medallists France to overtime in the group phase, helped by a handful of NBA-based players including Los Angeles Lakers forward Hachimura. At home, the domestic B League is enjoying record attendances and revenue, with new arenas being built and ambitions to become the second-best league in the world behind the NBA. Chairman Shinji Shimada says the B. League's 'mix of sport and live entertainment' offers Japanese fans something different. 'Lots of people watch a B. League game for the first time and say it's more interesting than football or baseball, and they want to come back,' he told AFP in the B League's plush office in central Tokyo. Chiba Jets' Yuta Watanabe walks across the court after his side's B League game against Sendai 89ers. Photo: AFP Shimada said the B League was already catching up on a business scale with leagues in Europe and China, and was taking steps to close the gap on the court too.
