B.League All-Star Game Defined by Endless Array of 3-Pointers

By the end of the fast-paced first quarter, B.Black and B.White had attempted 28 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. This became the centerpiece of the 2025 B.League All-Star Game.

The two teams combined for 211 shots from the floor, 113 of which were 3-point attempts.

B.White, led by the tone-setting performances of former NBA player Yuta Watanabe, his Chiba Jets teammate Yuki Togashi and others, built a 62-48 lead by halftime and held on for a 119-114 victory on Sunday, January 19.

Fan favorite Togashi earned MVP honors with a 15–point performance, knocking down 5 of 11 3-point shots.

At LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, an announced crowd of 9,636 saw a contest that was a near carbon copy of the 2024 B.League All-Star Game. In the previous January's midseason showcase, B.White beat B.Black 128-123, and the two All-Star squads launched a combined 119 3-point attempts at Okinawa Arena.

A Fun Experience for the B.League All-Star Game MVP

After being selected as All-Star Game MVP, Togashi spoke about the enjoyment of All-Star weekend from his perspective.

"I have been playing for Chiba Jets for a long time (since 2015), and I enjoyed the two days of [events], including being selected by many votes, playing as a starter, and winning the MVP award," Togashi said.

He added, "I enjoyed the events, the guests and all the people who came to make the event a great success. … I am very happy that we were able to hold a very successful All-Star event in Funabashi city."

Showmanship was on display from start to finish, with razzle-dazzle passes and slam dunks. Indeed, there was also an overemphasis on long-range shots.

The opening tipoff was contested by 188-cm Jeff Gibbs (Koshigaya Alphas) for B.White and 204-cm Koya Kawamata (Nagasaki Velca) for B.Black, who nabbed the opening possession.

Seconds later, Kawamata converted a layup for the game's first points. Velca teammate Yudai Baba was credited with the assist.

Watanabe banked in a 3-pointer for B.White's first bucket, pulling his team to within 4-3 in the early going.

Back and forth, the teams traded baskets, with open looks and exaggerated mannerisms by the shooters adding to the visual spectacle and the entertainment.

Early Advantage for B.White

B.White took a 31-26 lead into the second quarter after Watanabe (seven points) and Ryukyu Golden Kings big man Jack Cooley (six) scored nearly half of the team's points in the opening period.

Kawamata led all scorers with eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in the first quarter. Also for B.Black, Kawasaki Brave Thunders playmaker Ryusei Shinoyama and Utsunomiya Brex floor leader DJ Newbill had six points apiece in the 10-minute period.

B.Black chipped away at the lead in the second half, but B.White still led 92-80 entering the final quarter. And that proved to be a big enough cushion to hold off their opponent's comeback attempt.

SeaHorses Mikawa All-Star Yutaro Suda paced B.White with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, followed by Watanabe's 16-point effort supplemented by three assists, two steals and two blocks. Cooley finished with 16 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. San-en NeoPhoenix small forward Hirotaka Yoshii added 14 points.

For B.Black, Alvark Tokyo big man Sebastian Saiz had a team-best 19 points, Newbill poured in 18, Kawamata had 15 and Dwayne Evans (Hiroshima Dragonflies) added 14. Gunma Crane Thunders Al-Star Naoto Tsuji chipped in with 11 points, all of which he scored in the fourth quarter. Utsunomiya's Yusuke Endo scored nine points, while Josh Hawkinson (Sunrockers Shibuya) added seven points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

B.League All-Star Game Notes

Gibbs, the oldest player in the B.League All-Star Game, is retiring at the end of his 21st season this spring. The 44-year-old frontcourt dynamo provided seven points, 12 rebounds and eight assists for B.White and smiled countless times, from the pregame introductions to the final buzzer, delighting the fans.

"Thank you @B_LEAGUE and to all the fans who voted for me," Gibbs wrote on X. "I had a great time playing in the All-Star game. What a great experience."

All-Star Weekend festivities included the Skills Challenge, the Dunk Contest and the 3-Point Contest on Saturday, January 18.

Shinoyama captured the Skills Challenge title. It involved an impressive display of dribbling, passing and shooting.

Shooting guard Anthony Gaines Jr of second-division club Kagoshima Rebnise triumphed in the Dunk Contest, capping his victory with a crowd-pleasing reverse jam.

"I wish I would have got it on the first try but seeing the replay I'm proud of the dunk," he said during a live interview on the court after his final dunk.

Gaines was asked about teaming up with Togashi for the final dunk. The Japanese superstar provided the high lob for him to catch and jam with both bands. A winning tandem.

Said Gaines, "I never gave him a clear idea of what we were doing, I just told him I may grab him and so that's why the confusion was at the beginning. But I did tell him before."

Utsunomiya's Makoto Hiejima won the 3-Point Contest. (Watch the full competition on the B.League's official website.)

The 2026 All-Star Game will be held at Happiness Arena in Nagasaki.

NBA and B.League Announce Partnership

All-Star weekend provided an opportunity for the B.League and the NBA to promote their growing relationship and collaborative plans for the future.

Kazufumi Watanabe, head of NBA Japan, emphasized this point in a post on his LinkedIn page on Monday, January 20.

"[I'm] very proud to announce the strategic collaboration between [the NBA and [the] B.League at their All-Star Weekend last week," Watanabe wrote. "The collaboration will include elite player development, cross promotions and merchandising.

"Super excited to be part of raising basketball in Japan to [the] next level and potentially witness [multiple] Japanese players on the NBA court in the future. More to come!"

Brex Coach Braswell Hospitalized with Heart Condition

Utsunomiya head coach Kevin Braswell had emergency heart surgery on Friday, January 17, the B.League team announced two days later.

Braswell, who turns 46 on January 23, remains hospitalized, according to published reports.

The American-born coach, a former Georgetown University guard, led the Brex to a 25-5 record in the first half of the B.League season. He's in his first season at the helm. Braswell served as the team's associate head coach in 2023-24.

"We wish Head Coach Braswell a speedy recovery and the entire team will do its utmost to support him," the Brex said in a statement.

A coaching replacement will be named for the Brex's next game on January 25 against the Golden Kings at Okinawa Arena.

RELATED:

• San-en NeoPhoenix Take a 10-Game Win Streak into B.League All-Star Break
• Gunma Crane Thunders are Playing High-Caliber Defense This Season
• In the 2024 B.League All-Star Game, Ryuichi Kishimoto Excites Fans

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.