There are a number of notable facts connected to the upcoming B.League Finals.
For starters, the Ryukyu Golden Kings are the first team in league history to advance to the championship round in four consecutive years. Their previous three trips included a pair of championship runner-up finishes, including in 2024 against the Hiroshima Dragonflies.
In addition, the Utsunomiya Brex have a shot at becoming the first B.League franchise to win the title three times. Led by American bench boss Tom Wisman, the team then known as Link Tochigi Brex captured the title to conclude the inaugural 2016-17 season.
And the Brex, then guided by head coach Ryuzo Anzai, won their second championship with a two-game sweep of the Golden Kings in a best-of-three showdown in May 2022. In doing so, they joined the Alvark Tokyo (2017-18, 2018-19) as the only teams with two titles. (The championship round was switched from a single game to the current format the previous year.)
Just like the Golden Kings, the Brex will be making their fourth appearance in the B.League Finals. In 2021, the Chiba Jets topped Utsunomiya, handing the Brex their lone loss in the championship round.
When and Where: Info on the 2025 B.League Finals
Game 1 of the series is on Saturday, May 24, at Yokohama Arena. Tipoff is 2:30 PM.
On Sunday, Game 2 is slated to start at 1:10 PM, also at the same venue.
If necessary, Yokohama Arena will also host a deciding Game 3 on Tuesday, May 27, with a 7:05 PM tipoff.
B.League Coaches Chasing Championships
Two years after winning the B.League Finals against Chiba, Ryukyu coach Dai Oketani has a chance to become the second bench boss in league history with two titles. Former Alvark sideline supervisor Luka Pavicevic became the first to do so.
Another coaching distinction, one touched by tragedy, could occur in the championship series. Zico Coronel could become the first in-season coaching replacement to win a title. The New Zealander took over as acting head coach when Kevin Braswell was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack in January. Braswell died several weeks later at age 46 after undergoing heart surgery in a Tochigi Prefecture hospital.
Since then, the Brex have displayed a framed photo of Braswell on the bench for every game. It's a touching dedication to their former leader.
The Golden Kings' Path to the B.League Finals
After winning the Western Conference title with a 46-14 record in the regular season, Ryukyu eliminated the Shimane Susanoo Magic in two games in the playoff quarterfinals (May 9-10).
That set up a scintillating showdown with the Central Division champion San-en NeoPhoenix (47-12) in Hamamatsu with a berth in the title series up for grabs.
Their longtime rivalry, which was spawned in an earlier era, has continued.
Between them, the Golden Kings (four titles) and the three-time champion NeoPhoenix (formerly known as the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix) captured seven titles in the final eight seasons of the bj-league, a forerunner of the B.League.
The NeoPhoenix opened the series with an 87-85 home win on Saturday, May 17. Ex-NBA player David Nwaba had a game-high 23 points for the hosts.
Interestingly enough, after Ryukyu's Vic Law nailed a 3-pointer with 1:05 remaining in the fourth quarter, neither team scored again.
The Golden Kings then faced their biggest test to date this season ― needing a win in Game 2 to extend the semifinal series.
Nobody said it would be easy. And it wasn't.
Ryukyu outlasted San-en 100-98 in double overtime on May 18 to force a Game 3. A play that will long live in Golden Kings lore ― a Yoshiyuki Matsuwaki putback at the buzzer ― sent the game into the first OT period.
The Golden Kings' big standouts in Game 2 were Jack Cooley (26 points, 16 rebounds, six steals), Law (23 points, seven rebounds, six assists), and Masahiro Waki (17 points), while Alex Kirk had seven of his 16 points in 20T.
Nwaba paced the NeoPhoenix with 26 points.
Game 3 Showdown in Hamamatsu
On Monday, May 19, a day after Law logged a team-high 45:52 out of 50 minutes for Ryukyu and Nwaba played 46:36 for San-en, there was no rest for the weary. A trip to the B.League Finals was at stake.
Entering the second half, the Golden Kings led by the slimmest of margins, 43-42.
Ryukyu's tough-as-nails defense was a big factor in the second half. The NeoPhoenix were held to 27 points and 10-for-33 shooting from the field the rest of the way, including 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Law spearheaded the Golden Kings' winning effort with 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 77-69 triumph. Veteran playmaker Tatsuya Ito handed out a team-high five assists.
Yante Maten led the NeoPhoenix with 27 points.
Ryukyu Reacts to Game 3 Triumph
After the final buzzer sounded, Law provided instant clarity about the grueling duel with San-en.
"I feel that this was the hardest and toughest game I have played in since joining the B.League," said Law, who starred for Chiba (2022-23) before joining Ryukyu the following season.
Coach Oketani commended his players for their spirited effort in the semifinals.
"All three games were close and could have been won by either side," Oketani said at Hamamatsu Arena. "In the midst of all this, the players kept their feet on the ground and fought tenaciously until the very end.
"Throughout the season, we have been conscious of continuing to do what we can do, and I think the trust that we have built up with the entire team came into play here."
The Brex's Path to the B.League Finals
After winning the Eastern Conference with a league-best 48-12 record, Utsunomiya ousted the SeaHorses Mikawa in the quarterfinals (May 10-11).
That set up a clash of East heavyweights in the semifinals: The Brex vs the Jets (42-18).
Chiba entered the series as the league's hottest team, winning 11 straight games, including a two-game sweep by a combined 52 points over the Alvark in the first round.
In Game 1, Utsunomiya cruised to an 82-67 victory on May 17. The big story was the Brex's 50 second-half points and the Jets' 33.
Facing elimination on Sunday, Chiba bounced back with a 74-55 decision. In the blowout win, the Jets outscored the hosts 26-9 in the third quarter. Chiba's Christopher Smith was the high scorer (23 points) in Game 2. Only Grant Jerrett (12 points) and reigning B.League MVP DJ Newbill (10) reached double figures for the Brex, who shot 22-for-63.
Game 3 Showdown in Utsunomiya
The Brex jumped out to a 43-31 lead by halftime in the series finale on Monday, May 19. Utsunomiya seized momentum with a 30-point second period. It included a dynamic 12-point effort from Jerrett, who had an eight-game stint in the NBA in 2014-15, in his 8:42 of court time in the quarter.
Coronel's squad maintained a 12-point advantage (61-49) heading into the final stanza.
Jerrett provided a closing spark in the fourth quarter with nine more points. He finished with 27, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range, in his highest-scoring game since dropping 40 on the Levanga Hokkaido on March 2.
Facing the daunting task of a double-digit comeback and their third game in as many days, Chiba fell short in the final stanza despite a 22-point effort in the last 10 minutes. Smith had 11 of his 22 points in the fourth.
The Jets trailed 75-71 with 1:05 to play, and didn't score again.
As a result, the final numbers on the scoreboard were the following: Utsunomiya 82, Chiba 71.
In addition to Jerrett's banner performance, Brex veteran Gavin Edwards had 21 points, Newbill had 10, and Japanese teammates Atsuya Ogawa and Makoto Hiejima finished with eight and seven, respectively.
Utsunomiya Coach Shares Insights After Game 3
In the postgame news conference, Coronel expressed relief and satisfaction that his team overcame the Jets.
"I think you can see the respect our group had for Chiba when you see how pleased and happy we were when we finally secured the result," Coronel commented at Nikkan Arena Tochigi.
Coronel cited Chiba's overall strength as a team and difficulty as an opponent.
"It took everything we had," he said, "and we made some learnings today, which we applied, and we are very pleased to have another week to continue to get better and challenge ourselves to play even better basketball in Yokohama."
A Look Back at Brex-Golden Kings Games from the 2024-25 Season
On January 25, the Brex topped the Golden Kings 105-86 at Okinawa Arena. Jerrett had a double-double (20 points, 10 rebounds).
In the teams' rematch the next day, Ryukyu salvaged a series split with a 97-88 triumph. Keve Aluma ignited the Golden Kings with 31 points.
RELATED:
- SPORTS SHORTS | B.League Playoffs Get Underway with a Slew of Games
- B.League Playoffs Tip Off with Compelling Matchups in the Quarterfinals
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Tributes to Kevin Braswell as Basketball World Mourns His Passing
- Ryukyu Golden Kings Playing with Pride and Showing Toughness
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login