Latest news with #Utsunomiya
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."
Japan Forward
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
B.League Finals: Utsunomiya Outplays Ryukyu in Game 1
The Brex sank 16 3-pointers in the Finals opener against the Golden Kings. They led by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter at Yokohama Arena. Utsunomiya Brex point guard Atsuya Ogawa shoots a 3-pointer in the first quarter of the Finals Game 1 on May 24 at Yokohama Arena. The Brex defeated the Ryukyu Golden Kings 81-68. (© YOKOHAMA ― One of the maxims of contemporary basketball states that "you live by the 3-pointer and die by the 3-pointer." Although it's not always the primary reason for a win or a loss, the opening match of the Finals showed how impactful the long-range shot can be. The Utsunomiya Brex sank 16 3-pointers (out of 39 attempts), with seven different players knocking down shots from beyond the arc, in an 81-68 win over the Ryukyu Golden Kings on Saturday afternoon, May 24. Reigning league MVP DJ Newbill, a Penn State alum, scored a game-high 25 points, including 4 of 10 on 3s, to spark the Brex. Backup point guard Atsuya Ogawa added 15 points to match his highest-scoring game from the regular season (on March 15 against the Nagasaki Velca), making 3 of 5 3s. Between them, Newbill and Ogawa made more 3-pointers than the Golden Kings. (Teammate Grant Jerrett also knocked down three 3s to account for all of his points in the win.) Utsunomiya, which had a league-best 48-12 record during the regular season, held Ryukyu to 6-for-23 on 3-point attempts. That 30-point advantage on 3s was one of the key factors in the Brex's Game 1 triumph. Head coach Zico Coronel's team also played aggressive defense, and the Golden Kings didn't handle that pressure well at various times during the game. Ryukyu, which made only 12 of 21 foul shots, committed 14 turnovers. The Brex outscored the Golden Kings 15-8 on points from turnovers before an announced crowd of 13,121. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is on Sunday at Yokohama Arena. Tipoff is 1:10 PM. "It is regrettable that we allowed Utsunomiya to make so many 3-point shots," said Golden Kings shooting guard Yoshiyuki Matsuwaki, who had 11 points. "Offensively, we should have been a little more aggressive individually. "This loss was a great experience for us. We will take advantage of this experience tomorrow." Brex guard DJ Newbill shoots a jumper in Game 1. ( The Golden Kings (46-14 in the regular season) trailed 41-35 entering the third quarter and never pulled ahead in the second half. Newbill dominated in the third quarter, scoring 12 of his team's 18 points to ignite the Utsunomiya offense. At the same time, Ryukyu had a woeful performance in the third, missing 11 of 15 shots from the floor. The combination of Newbill's brilliance and the Golden Kings' scoring woes in the 10-minute period factored mightily in the Brex's commanding 59-45 lead heading into the final quarter. With 7:03 remaining, Jerrett sank a 3 to give the Brex their largest lead of the game (70-53). Golden Kings big man Jack Cooley competes against Brex frontcourt standout Grant Jerrett. ( Ryukyu answered with a 10-3 spurt, cutting it to 73-63 on a Jack Cooley layup. Shogo Taira provided the assist at the 2:42 mark. But that was as close as the Golden Kings would get. Veteran guard Yusuke Endo, a member of the Brex's two championship teams (2016-17, 2021-22), flushed a catch-and-shoot 3 from the right baseline to increase the lead to 76-63. The Golden Kings promptly called a timeout with 2 minutes remaining. Utsunomiya maintained a sizable lead and dribbled out the clock on its final possession. Moments later, Newbill, who had a game-high six assists, addressed the crowd. "It was a great win," he said. "We've still got to win again tomorrow. The job's not finished." Noting that it was a collective effort, Newbill commended his teammates for the energy they exerted in slowing down Ryukyu's offense, which averaged 85.5 points per game (No 2 in the in the regular season. "Our defense really helped us out today," Newbill said before thousands of Brex fans applauded in the stands. Teamwork: Utsunomiya's Gavin Edwards (right) helps teammate DJ Newbill get back up after a play. Edwards scored 15 points and had four assists in the win. (BLEAGUE) In addition to Newbill and Ogawa, Gavin Edwards also scored in double figures (15 points) and blocked two shots for Utsunomiya. Longtime teammates Endo and Makoto Hiejima added six and five points, respectively. Hiejima, who averaged 13.2 points in the regular season, scored in single digits for the third straight playoff game. The floor leader, who dished out five assists, said Ogawa's productivity helped secure the win. "Ogawa gives us momentum off the bench and is an indispensable player," Hiejima told a postgame news conference. "I think today's performance was normal for him." Utsunomiya's Makoto Hiejima ( Coronel was pleased with the Brex's effort, saying, "We played hard and we played together." In May 2024, the Golden Kings beat the Hiroshima Dragonflies 74-62 in Game 1 of the Finals, then lost the next two games. Which is why Coronel reminded his players and the assembled crowd in Yokohama that the championship series isn't over yet. "We didn't come here to win one game," Coronel proclaimed, standing on the court shortly after Game 1 ended. The New Zealander added, "We came here to win a series. Half the work is done." Enthusiastic chants of "Zico" from the Brex's rabid supporters followed. Brex coach Zico Coronel (left) speaks after the game on the court. ( Coronel, who began the season as an assistant coach, became acting head coach in January when Kevin Braswell was hospitalized in Tochigi Prefecture after suffering a heart attack. Braswell, 46, died several weeks later after undergoing heart surgery. Led by Coronel, the players are unified in their quest to win the title as a lasting tribute to Braswell. Hiejima reminded reporters about this after the game. "We are fighting with a special feeling, so we hope to win tomorrow and make Kevin and Zico the best head coaches in Japan," Hiejima said. Brex guard Atsuya Ogawa attacks the basket in the series opener. ( In a back-and-forth first quarter, Ryukyu took an 11-6 lead near the midway point on a Cooley putback and free throw. A flurry of 3-pointers followed. On back-to-back possessions, Newbill connected on a pair of 3s to pull the Brex within two. Sandwiched between his opponent's baskets, Golden Kings star Vic Law drained a high-arching 3, with the trajectory of a rainbow. Moments later, Jerrett sank a shot from beyond the arc and teammate Ogawa followed with another 3 to put the Brex in front 18-14 with 3:30 to play in the first half. Ogawa was Utsunomiya's top scorer in the first half (11 points), followed by Newbill with 10. Cooley paced Ryukyu with 14 points and nine rebounds (six offensive boards) before intermission, and Law had an 11-point first half. Later in the game, the 190-cm Ogawa also showcased his dribble-drive moves on aggressive forays to the basket while scoring layups. After finishing the afternoon with a 6-for-10 shooting performance in 19-plus minutes, Ogawa said his mindset paid off in Game 1. "The points were the result of my aggressive play," the 22-year-old Niigata Prefecture native told reporters. Ogawa also commented on his outside shooting and the decision on multiple occasions to attack the basket. "I have been working on my 3-point shooting as it has been an issue for me," Ogawa said. "The team tells me to shoot it when it's open, so I try to shoot it when it's open." He added: "I was able to see my driving lanes, so I am glad I was able to attack them. [And] I will continue to aim for that tomorrow." Vic Law led the Golden Kings with 18 points in Game 1. ( Law averaged 16.0 points in the regular season. In six postseason games, he's increased his scoring average to 21.5, which includes 18 in Game 1 against the Brex. Cooley, who joined the Golden Kings in 2019, is appearing in his fourth consecutive Finals. He had 16 points and 11 rebounds for the perennial title contenders. Alex Kirk and Masahiro Waki contributed seven points apiece. Kirk also had a game-high 12 rebounds. Ryukyu center Alex Kirk was an active presence at both ends of the floor. ( Ryukyu coach Dai Oketani didn't rattle off a slew of statistics while speaking to reporters after the game. Instead, Oketani focused on what he considered a decisive factor in the outcome of the championship series opener. "I feel that Utsunomiya No 7, Atsuya Ogawa, decided the game for us today," Oketani said. "It is difficult to defend all of Utsunomiya's attacks, which are among the best in the league. However, some attacks we wanted to prevent, we were able to correct our defense in the fourth quarter and successfully defended through them, which was a good thing." Looking ahead to Sunday's rematch, Oketani said, "You never know what will happen in a game. We will do our best again tomorrow to maximize our chances of victory." Ryukyu guard Tatsuya Ito runs the offense as Utsunomiya's Atsuya Ogawa defends. ( In the teams' only regular season series, the Brex defeated the Golden Kings 105-86 on January 25 at Okinawa Arena. The next day in a rematch, Ryukyu bounced back with a 97-88 win. 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 Forward
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
B.League Playoffs Get Underway with a Slew of Games
Reporting on the playoffs, Mai Yamamoto's exit from the WNBA, Jiyai Shin's latest golf title and boxer Kazuto Ioka's rematch against Fernando Martinez. Ryukyu Golden Kings shooting guard Masahiro Waki runs the offense as Shota Tsuyama of the Shimane Susanoo Magic defends in Game 2 of a quarterfinal series on May 10, 2025, at Okinawa Arena. (© Four teams remain in the hunt for the 2024-25 title. Over the weekend of May 9-11, the Japan men's pro basketball circuit staged a quartet of best-of-three quarterfinal series, and the Ryukyu Golden Kings, Chiba Jets, San-en NeoPhoenix, and Utsunomiya Brex punched their tickets to the semifinals. The semifinal pairings are San-en (47-12 in the regular season) vs Ryukyu (46-14) and Utsunomiya (48-12) vs Chiba (42-18). Head coach Trevor Gleeson's Jets have won 11 straight games ― in the regular season and playoffs. Semifinal matches are scheduled for May 17-19. Ryukyu was the first team to advance to the Final Four ― its series against the Shimane Susanoo Magic began a day earlier than the other quarterfinals showdowns ― on Saturday, May 10. The Golden Kings' Vic Law shoots a jumper in Game 2 on May 10. ( The Golden Kings opened the series with a 79-71 triumph on Friday at Okinawa Arena. Vic Law scored a team-high 15 points. A day later, Ryukyu outscored Shimane 20-5 in the third quarter and pulled away for an 88-70 win. Law, a Northwestern University alum, was the high scorer (26 points) once again. Teammates Keve Aluma and Alex Kirk poured in 19 and 18 points, respectively, and Masahiro Waki finished with nine. San-en NeoPhoenix big man Yante Maten shoots a layup against the Gunma Crane Thunders in the fourth quarter on May 11 in Hamamatsu. ( After escaping with a narrow victory (83-80) over the visiting Gunma Crane Thunders on Saturday, May 10, the NeoPhoenix completed the series sweep with a 93-84 triumph the next day. San-en led 50-32 at halftime in Game 2, but the pesky Crane Thunders whittled away at the lead in Hamamatsu. Former NBA shooting guard/small forward David Nwaba led the NeoPhoenix with 26 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field in the series-clinching win. Four teammates also reached double digits in points, including Ryusei Sasaki and Hirotaka Yoshii with 16 apiece. Utsunomiya Brex guard Yusuke Endo in action against SeaHorses Mikawa forward Jake Layman on May 11 in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture. ( Elsewhere, Eastern Conference champion Utsunomiya prevailed 93-81 over the SeaHorses Mikawa in the series opener and recorded an 89-75 victory the next day. In Game 2, Makoto Hiejima led the Brex's balanced offensive attack with 18 points and made three steals. Chiba Jets star Yuki Togashi shoots a 3-pointer as Alvark Tokyo forward Ryan Rossiter defends on May 11 at Ariake Coliseum. ( In Game 1 of the Alvark-Jets series on Saturday at Ariake Coliseum, Tokyo faced a 23-8 deficit at the end of the first quarter. The Alvark's nightmare, including 18-for-70 shooting, led to a 78-53 defeat. Chiba jumped out to a 22-14 advantage by the end of the first quarter in the rematch and gradually pulled away, winning 92-65. Star guard Yuki Togashi scored 16 of his 18 points in the second quarter, igniting the Jets with five 3-pointers on five attempts in an electrifying performance in the 10-minute stanza. Teammate Christopher Smith had a game-high 20 points. The Alvark, who won both regular-season meetings with the Jets by a combined eights points, trailed 50-28 at the half. Game 2 was another atrocious shooting performance for Tokyo (20-for-68 from the field). "I think that all five [Chiba] players on the court yesterday and today were able to do what the team had prepared for the entire 80 minutes," Togashi told reporters on Sunday. "And in these two matches, all of our players really got into a rhythm from defense in order not to bring out the best in our opponent." Playoffs Tip Off with Compelling Matchups in the Quarterfinals Mai Yamamoto (KYODO) The Dallas Wings cut two players, including Japanese guard Mai Yamamoto, on Sunday, May 11. WNBA teams are required to pare their rosters down to 12 players before May 15, one day before the league's 29th season tips off. Yamamoto, 25, appeared in two preseason games for the Wings. The Hiroshima Prefecture native began her pro career with the WJBL's Toyota Antelopes in 2017. Yamamoto was Japan's leading scorer (17.0 points per game) at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jiyai Shin holds mementos for the winner after capturing the the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup in a playoff on May 11 in Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki Prefecture. (KYODO) Jiyai Shin won the World Ladies Championship Salonpas Cup on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff on Sunday, May 11 at the Ibaraki Golf Club. The South Korean made a birdie putt on the par-5 18th hole to secure the victory, her 29th JLPGA Tour title. In her successful career in Japan, Shin has won five majors, including the Salonpas Cup for the first time in 2018. Shin had a four-round total of 7-under 281. She shot a 1-over 73 in Sunday's fourth round in Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki Prefecture. Runner-up Saiki Fujita carded a 3-over 75 in the final round but also cobbled together a 281 to ensure a playoff. Fujita made par on the playoff hole and had to settle for second. Rumi Yoshiba finished third at 6-under 283, followed by Min Young Lee (283) and Mi Jeong Jeon a further shot back. [ODDS and EVENS] Saiki Fujita Makes JLPGA History with Her 7th Hole-in-One Kazuto Ioka (left) and Fernando Martinez trade punches in the 10th round of their WBA super flyweight title match on May 11 at Tokyo's Ota City General Gymnasium. (©SANKEI) Challenger Kazuto Ioka dropped WBA super flyweight champion Fernando Martinez to the canvas with a well-executed left hook in the 10th round of their title rematch on Sunday, May 11. Martinez (18-0, nine knockouts) got back up and stood tall in the eyes of the ringside judges at Ota City General Gymnasium for his overall performance in the 12-round match. Ioka lost on points (114-113, 115-112 and 117-110) on the three scorecards. As a result, Ioka, who turned 36 on March 24, fell short of his goal of becoming the oldest Japanese man to capture a boxing world title. In September 2016, Hozumi Hasegawa set the record (35 years, 9 months), winning the WBC super bantamweight title. "I hope I can continue to do something meaningful with this record at stake in my next match," Ioka said, according to Nikkan Sports . Ioka slipped to 31-4-1 (16 KOs). The Martinez-Ioka bout was originally penciled in for December 31, 2024, but it was rescheduled when Martinez caught the flu. Martinez, an Argentine, also outpointed Ioka in their 12-round showdown on July 7, 2024, at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. The Central League's Hanshin Tigers and the Pacific League's Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters are tied for Nippon Professional Baseball's best record (20-14-1) through Sunday, May 11. 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 .
The Guardian
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Japan's love hotels, Tom Hanks' daughter, and the double life of Gordi
Happy Saturday! This week André 3000 wore a baby grand piano strapped to his back while holding a garbage bag – 2025 has been full of surprises. Just like this next newsletter, dear readers. It's got your weekend reads sorted with trips, tips and talent. EA Hanks grew up with a very famous father – 'not just the Hollywood Everyman, but America's Dad,' Emine Saner writes, after speaking with the daughter of Tom Hanks about her upcoming memoir. The author has explored the Hollywood side of her childhood, but what she's really trying to make sense of is her late mother's life. 'A lifetime spent on very thin ice': One half of Hanks' early life was spent with her mother, Susan, suffering with addiction and mental health problems, which contributed to an abusive relationship. The other half: EA spent with her father, Tom, on film sets and in a house full of love and structure. She tells Saner about her road trip back into her complicated past – recreating a fraught 1996 journey with Susan nearly 20 years after her death. How long will it take to read: Six minutes. In Australia, support is available at Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14, and at MensLine on 1300 789 978. In the UK, the charity Mind is available on 0300 123 3393 and Childline on 0800 1111. In the US, call or text Mental Health America at 988 or chat The French photographer François Prost has been on a '3,000km pilgrimage of passion', driving south from Utsunomiya, north of Tokyo, to the island of Shikoku, to document the eye-catching architecture of Japan's love hotels in his new book. But could the hotels be getting too seedy, wonders Oliver Wainwright? Prost's images don't venture inside. They do, however, capture the 'dazzlingly imaginative' range of visions. Traditional teahouses to themed palaces: Dating as far back as the 1600s, 'lovers' teahouses' were traditionally discreet from the outside – then, as Wainwright explains, a postwar economic boom saw them 'blossom into elaborate sexual amusement parks in the 1970s and 80s, with themes ranging from fairytale to sci-fi to medieval cosplay'. For babymaking? Yep, Wainwright reckons a good chunk of the country's population could've been 'conceived on a rotating bed, or inside a fantastical tropical grotto surrounded by model dinosaurs'. How long will it take to read: Three minutes. Further reading: Speaking of dinosaurs … check out Australia's best small museums: celebrating apples, bottles, country music, and – yes – dinosaurs. Sophie Payten has been living a double life. 'In one, she is Gordi, the Aria-nominated singer-songwriter who has worked with Bon Iver and Troye Sivan, and made Chris Martin cry,' writes Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen. In the other, somehow, she has time to be a doctor. Fate: When Payten's second studio album came out, she quit her job to tour and focus on music. But when Covid hit, she was back in the hospital. 'I am an intensely emotional person … but in the hospital, you have to really learn how to disassociate in a way, because you're surrounded by suffering, and if you take all that on, you would explode.' – Sophie Payten Silver lining? Her latest album, Like Plasticine, merges both lives. How long will it take to read: Three minutes. Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning after newsletter promotion Further reading: He's one of Gordi's collaborators, and a favourite of mine … Bon Iver on romance, retirement and his rapturous new record. The Guardian has been reporting on a new space online – the 'womanosphere'. Like its manosphere counterpart (a section of the internet promoting masculinity, misogyny … and the awful list goes on), this online corner is all about pushing anti-feminist ideas on to young women. So, what does it have to do with Blake Lively? Remember Johnny Depp v Amber Heard? Blake Lively's situation is a new level ugly, says Steve Rose, who has looked into how conservative personalities such as Candace Owens and the American right declared war on the actor after she sued her director, co-star and co-producer Justin Baldoni, and he sued her back. Candace Owens' view: 'She has proven herself not to be a kind person,' the US commentator said in January. 'And that's largely due to the fact that she is a modern feminist.' How long will it take to read: Five and a half minutes. More tabs to open: Anna Silman's 'womanosphere' deep dive, and Van Badham on the question of whether the 'womanosphere' will succeed. 'Self-checkouts, drive-throughs, hotdog stands, drug stores, and a bottled water stall at a jazz festival' are all places where Americans have told the Guardian they are being asked to tip, Jem Bartholomew writes. 'Before, tipping was considered generosity,' Garrett Petters, a 29-year-old architect in Dallas, says. 'Now, it's about guilt.' Is US tipping culture here to stay? For some consumers, it's the least they can do for workers during tough times. But others are pushing back. A 33-year-old from Massachusetts: Ellen has been avoiding the 'suggested tip' starting at 25%, and instead selects 'the lowest option, or not tipping at all for workers covered by regular minimum wage laws'. A 62-year-old from Florida: Sandra has increased her tip percentage 'from 15% to 20% or 25% recently' for her local workers who have suffered through Covid, and three major storms. How long will it take to read: Three minutes. Enjoying the Five Great Reads email? 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