Gunma Crane Thunders are Playing High-Caliber Defense This Season

The Gunma Crane Thunders (20-8) have surprised many people by reaching the upper echelon of the B.League this season.

After all, the Crane Thunders went 31-29 in the 2023-24 campaign and had a 29-31 the season before that.

Six B.League teams have won 20 or more games entering the final weekend of the first half of the 2024-25 season. The others: the Alvark Tokyo and the SeaHorses Mikawa (both with 20-8 records), the Ryukyu Golden Kings (21-7), the Utsunomiya Brex (23-5) and the San-en NeoPhoenix (23-4).

Now, as the midway point of the 60-game season approaches, it is quite clear that Gunma management made a smart decision by hiring Kyle Milling to be the team's new coach last summer. He replaced Kota Mizuno in the offseason.

Milling guided the Hiroshima Dragonflies to their first championship in May 2024, so he brought a proven track record of success in the B.League, including an 82-37 record over the two previous seasons, to Gunma. 

Now at the helm of his new team, the results have been impressive, including a six-game win streak in December. Gunma is the league's most-improved team.

Stingy Defense Pays Off for the Gunma Crane Thunders

Through games of January 5, the Crane Thunders are allowing the third-fewest points per game (71.4) among the league's 24 teams. The Sunrockers Shibuya are second (70.8) and the Alvark are No 1 (70.4).

In addition, the Crane Thunders have held opponents under 80 points on 21 occasions this season. This includes 10 of Gunma's 12 December games and five of its last six to end 2024.

Teamwork is the name of the game for the Crane Thunders, whose collective effort is setting their new benchmark for success.

For example, Gunma is allowing nearly 10 fewer points per game than it did in 2023-24 (81.9).

That's significant over the course of a long season, especially in games when its offense is struggling.

A Strong Comeback for the Gunma Crane Thunders

In their most recent victory, an 80-77 triumph over the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins on Saturday, January 4, the Crane Thunders held the hosts to 27 points in the second half.

Nagoya led 50-41 at halftime.

An 8-0 scoring spurt to open the third quarter began with a Trey McKinney-Jones 3-pointer, pulling Gunma to within one point. It helped set the tone for a comeback win, and he finished with a game-high 26 points.

"In the first half, we really let Nagoya play the pace of basketball that they wanted to play, so I think it was good that we were able to make it our own [tempo] in the second half," American-born coach Milling told reporters after the January 4 game. 

A direct challenge to the players to play better after the intermission paid off, according to Milling. 

"At halftime, I didn't give them any specific instructions on how to play," he said. "I just told them that they didn't do what they were supposed to do in the first half, so let's do what we are supposed to do."

Although he devises tactics for the team, Milling insists that the players are part of a collaborative approach to the decision-making process.

"I ask the players how they want to defend before the game, and after listening to them, I have decided on what I want them to do, so I tell them to do it," Milling pointed out on January 4. 

The Diamond Dolphins (15-13) bounced back with an 86-78 victory the next day in the series finale.

Planting the Seeds for Success

In looking at how Gunma secured its first victory of 2025 in the weekend opener against Nagoya, McKinney-Jones and teammate Kazuki Hosokawa both spoke about the importance of controlling the tempo in the second half.

"It was good to finish with a win," said McKinney-Jones, a former University of Miami (Florida) player. "But we were slow to respond to Nagoya's pace of fast transition basketball, so I'm glad we were able to make it our own in the third and fourth quarter, and there are still areas we can improve on."

Hosokawa agreed.

"From the beginning of the first half, we let the opponent [run its transition offense], which we did not want them to play, and the first half ended without us being able to create our own flow," the veteran guard told reporters. "I think we were able to get into our own rhythm, which led to today's victory."

In the broader analysis, the Crane Thunders are equipped to play tenacious defense. Their roster features a number of effective on-ball defenders and players who can force turnovers.

Yuma Fujii and Michael Parker, still a dynamic defensive presence at age 43, are both averaging 1.1 steals per game, followed by McKinney-Jones' 1.0. Koh Flippin and German big man Johannes Thiemann, a key newcomer to the squad this season, are averaging 0.9 steals while Naoto Tsuji is contributing 0.7.

Trademarks of Gunma's Defense This Season

Watching bits and pieces of various games gives one a vivid picture of the Gunma Crane Thunders' overall quality of defensive and opportunistic, pesky play.

For instance, on December 21, against the Shimane Susanoo Magic, you see Parker jump and tip a pass, forcing a turnover on an inbound pass late in the first quarter. Then he passed the ball to teammate Flippin for a layup, which put his team ahead 16-11 at the end of the opening period en route to a 71-54 road triumph.

And on December 28, facing the visiting Alvark, you observe Fujii make a steal in Tokyo's backcourt, leading to a McKinney-Jones layup that increased Gunma's lead to 33-15 with about 3:30 remaining in the second quarter. The Crane Thunders triumphed 74-62.

After the game, Parker commented on the Crane Thunders' ability to raise their level of intensity against the Alvark.

"We knew they would come aggressive every time (each possession), so we had to play more aggressive than that, that's all we fought for," Parker told reporters at Open House Ota Arena in Ota, Gunma Prefecture. 

It's also notable that the Crane Thunders have a 12-2 record in home games.

Coach Milling's squad returns to action on the road on Saturday and Sunday, January 11 and 12 against the Osaka Evessa.

RELATED:

• Yuta Watanabe Becoming a Vocal Leader for the Chiba Jets
• Gunma Overpowers Defending B.League Champion Hiroshima in the Season Opener

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.