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Japan Forward
15-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Utsunomiya Brex Triumph in BCL Asia Final
Tournament MVP DJ Newbill nailed a game-winning 3-pointer in the final minute to lead the Utsunomiya Brex past Al Riyadi in the title game in Dubai. Utsunomiya Brex guard Hironori Watanabe and his teammates celebrate after winning the 2025 Basketball Champions League Asia in Dubai on June 13. (©BCL ASIA/via KYODO) After losing their first game at the 2025 Basketball Champions League Asia, the Utsunomiya Brex rattled off four straight victories to capture the title on Friday night, June 13. In the title match in Dubai, the 2024-25 champions defeated Al Riyadi Beirut Club 94-93 at Coca-Cola Arena. Utsunomiya star DJ Newbill, a former Penn State standout, sank a go-ahead 3-pointer with 33 seconds remaining to account for the final score. Al Riyadi's Hayk Gyokchyan missed a potential game-winning shot from the right side with 7 seconds remaining. Makoto Hiejima shoots a jumper in the BCL Asia championship game. (©FIBA) Star guard Makoto Hiejima paced the Brex with 30 points, including 6-for-10 from 3-point range. He added nine rebounds and five assists. Newbill, who was named tournament MVP, finished with 21 points, making 5 of 10 attempts from beyond the arc, and dished out five assists. In five games in Dubai, Newbill, who was also named MVP in each of the past two seasons, averaged 24.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.4 assists. BCL Asia MVP DJ Newbill (©FIBA) New Zealand-born forward Finn Delany, who signed a short-term contract to play for the Brex at this tourney, poured in 19 points, snared seven rebounds and handed out five assists. Isaac Fotu finished with 12 points and Yusuke Endo had six points, while Seiji Ikaruga contributed a team-best two steals. The Brex held a 50-46 lead over the reigning BCL Asia champs at halftime. The title-winning Utsunomiya Brex revel in the post-final euphoria. (©FIBA) After the match, Utsunomiya head coach Zico Coronel praised his players' competitive spirit. "This is kind of what we've continued to do: no matter what situation we're in, we just fight," Coronel said, according to "We stayed together and made big plays." He described the team's second championship in as many months as "very pleasing." Hiejima said his team made important adjustments in the final. "The other team got into a rhythm at the start of the game, but we gradually got into a rhythm from our defense and focused on rebounding," Hiejima told reporters. "It was a game that either team could have won. But in the end we were able to win by doing the small things, so it was a good game." DJ Newbill shoots a layup in the championship match. (©FIBA) In the tourney's group stage, the Brex dropped their opener, losing 97-86 to the Meralco Bolts of the Philippines on June 8. A day later, Utsunomiya beat Dubai's Shahab Al Ahli 105-99. In the quarterfinals on June 11, the Brex topped Iran's Tabat Basketball 94-93. On Thursday, June 12, Utsunomiya outplayed Mongolia's Broncos, winning 94-93 to clinch a berth in the championship match. Joji Takeuchi (©SANKEI) Osaka Evessa forward/center Joji Takeuchi, who has played in the since its inception in 2016, represented the team at a ceremony at Toyonaka City Hall on Friday, June 13. During the ceremony in Osaka Prefecture, Yoshitsugu Iwamoto, Toyonaka's superintendent of education, gave Takeuchi a letter of appreciation for the Evessa's recent donation of 68 basketballs to 17 junior high schools throughout the city. The Evessa teamed up with local charity partner Asahi Denso, an outdoor advertising company, to make the donation. It's a part of the club's SDGs initiative (Sustainable Development Goals), The Sankei Shimbun reported. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks starter Livan Moinelo pitches to a Yokohama DeNA BayStars batter on June 13 in Fukuoka. (©SANKEI) Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks starter Livan Moinelo improved to 6-0 in the 2025 NPB season on Friday, June 13. The veteran left-hander allowed three hits and went the distance in the Hawks' 4-1 victory over the visiting Yokohama DeNA BayStars in interleague play. Moinelo struck out 13 batters in his first complete game of the season. He threw 118 pitches. Looking back on his performance, Moinelo said fatigue was not a factor. "I didn't [throw] many pitches, so I felt I had a lot of energy left in me," he said, according to Jiji Press, referring to the eighth inning. The Hawks, who are in fourth place in the Pacific League, improved to 30-27-3 with Friday's triumph. Moinelo has a Pacific League-best 89 strikeouts in 78⅓ innings. The Cuban-born pitcher has issued only 16 walks. He has a sparkling 1.26 ERA. "My main goal is for the team to win no matter what the situation is," Moinelo was quoted as saying by Jiji Press. "As long as we win, that's all that matters." On June 6, Moinelo fanned 18 batters, one shy of the NPB record, in eight innings against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows. The 29-year-old made his NPB debut with SoftBank in 2017. Japanese players depicted on manhole covers. (Courtesy of MLB) Major League Baseball and innovative artists have joined together to promote the 12 current Japanese MLB players. Twelve unique manhole covers, one representing each of the dozen players, will be installed in cities across Japan where they grew up, starting on Monday, June 16. A trio of Iwate Prefecture natives ― Shohei Ohtani, Yusei Kikuchi and Roki Sasaki ― will have their manhole covers unveiled on Monday in Oshu City, Morioka and Rikuzentakata, respectively. The list includes Lars Nootbaar, a St Louis Cardinals outfielder who played for Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Although he was born in the United States, Nootbaar's mother is from Higashimatsuyama, Saitama Prefecture, where his manhole cover will be displayed. This celebration of the players through public displays of art will also incorporate modern technology to transform the manhole covers into portals of interactive activity. "The manholes will feature content exclusive to those that experience the excitement on-site, through short AR movies that can be viewed on mobile devices by scanning the manholes," a news release explained. Check out the full installation schedule for the manhole covers published in this news release on MLB's official website. Japanese boxers (from left) Daigo Higa, Kenshiro Teraji and Kyosuke Takami attend a news conference on June 11. (©SANKEI) Kenshiro Teraji, the WBA and WBC flyweight champion, will meet American challenger Ricardo Sandoval in the main event of the July 30 fight card at Yokohama Buntai. An announcement was made on Wednesday, June 11. Teraji (25-1, 16 knockouts) earned a 12th-round TKO victory in his previous match on March 13 against Seigo Yuri Akui at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan. Sandoval is 26-2 with 18 KOs in his pro career. Also scheduled to fight in the world title tripleheader, WBA bantamweight champ Daigo Higa vs American Antonio Vargas, and Dominican WBA light flyweight titlist Erick Rosa vs challenger Kyosuke Takami. Junto Nakatani Beats Ryosuke Nishida with a 6th-Round TKO Aiko Sugihara is seen competing at the NHK Trophy on May 17 in Tokyo. (KYODO) Aiko Sugihara maintained her excellent form of late at the 12th Senior Women's Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships. On June 12, in Jecheon, South Korea, Sugihara collected the gold medal in the women's all-around final. Sugihara amassed 54.765 points in the all-around's four disciplines. Japanese compatriot Haruka Nakamura was the runner-up (54.365), followed by Xinyi Qin of China (53.599). The 25-year-old Sugihara triumphed in the same competition at the NHK Trophy on May 17 at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. It was her first all-around title at the prestigious Tokyo meet since 2015, edging Paris Olympian Rina Kishi by 0.033 points. What was Sugihara's reaction after winning at the NHK Trophy? "I never imagined I'd win after 10 years," a thrilled Sugihara told reporters, according to "We all bloom at different times. I'm just glad I found a way to bloom." [ODDS and EVENS] Gymnast Carlos Yulo Honored by Japan's Embassy in Manila A file photo of the Royal Windsor Triathlon. (Courtesy of ROYAL WINDSOR TRIATHLON) Descente is the official triathlon sportswear partner for the 2025 Royal Windsor Triathlon, it was announced on Tuesday, June 10. The Japanese sportswear company has had a long association with the British Triathlon. And now, from a brand visibility standpoint, Descente will receive additional major exposure at another triathlon in the United Kingdom. The Royal Windsor Triathlon, first held in 1991, is scheduled for Sunday, June 15 in Windsor, Berkshire. "Partnering with a global performance brand like Descente is a major milestone for the Royal Windsor Triathlon," said Matt Wood, co-founder of RunThrough, the operator of Royal Windsor Triathlon, according to a news release. "We're thrilled to be the UK platform for Descente's AWAKEN program and proud to showcase our event on a truly international stage. This partnership brings together a world-class brand with [a] strong presence and the unique heritage of Windsor." In highlighting this partnership, a news release stated, "While Descente remains a rising name in the UK sportswear scene, its presence across Asia has long been associated with technical excellence and sleek performance design. By aligning with one of the UK's most distinguished triathlons, the brand aims to introduce its cutting-edge triathlon apparel to a new wave of European athletes." Author: Ed Odeven Find Ed on JAPAN Forward' s dedicated website, SportsLook . Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven .
Japan Times
28-05-2025
- 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
The Mainichi
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The Mainichi
Basketball: Utsunomiya clinches B-League title in Game 3 thriller
Utsunomiya Brex guard Makoto Hiejima, right, attempts a shot during Game 3 of the B-League basketball finals against the Ryukyu Golden Kings at Yokohama Arena on May 27, 2025. (Kyodo) YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Makoto Hiejima poured in 14 fourth-quarter points to lead Utsunomiya Brex to a championship-clinching 73-71 victory over the Ryukyu Golden Kings in Game 3 of the B-League basketball finals on Tuesday. With just three points through the first three quarters, the veteran shooting guard exploded in the final period at Yokohama Arena, hitting 5-of-5 from the floor and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line. Utsunomiya won the best-of-three series opener 81-68 on Saturday before Ryukyu evened things up with an 87-75 victory the following day. Contesting their fourth-straight finals, the Okinawa-based Golden Kings led 51-44 going into the fourth quarter of Game 3 before Brex came back to take their first lead since the opening period at 67-66 on a three-pointer from finals MVP D.J. Newbill with 1:15 left. Hiejima, who finished with 17 points and three assists, gave coach Zico Coronel's squad the lead for good on a corner three-pointer with 33 seconds on the clock. Ryukyu received a lifeline when Keve Aluma was fouled on a three-point attempt with Utsunomiya up 73-70 and less than a second left. The forward miss his second free-throw, however, forcing him to intentionally miss the third in an unsuccessful attempt to score two points off a rebound. The Utsunomiya players dedicated the team's first title since 2021-2022 to former head coach Kevin Braswell, who died aged 46 during the season in February after suffering complications from emergency heart surgery. The team kept a framed photograph of Braswell on the bench throughout the remainder of the season, including the finals, and the players shouted his initials, "KB," for motivation during their huddles. "We've been to funerals and cried together, and now we get to cry tears of joy," said Coronel, who started the season as Braswell's assistant. "It means the world to us to honor Kevin."
