Four teams remain in the hunt for the 2024-25 B.League 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 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.
More Highlights from the B.League Quarterfinals
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.
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.
Jets Stun Rival Alvark with Pair of Blowout Wins
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."
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WNBA's Dallas Wings Release Japanese Guard Yamamoto
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.
Golf
Shin Triumphs at Salonpas Cup
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.
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Boxing
Ioka Loses Super Flyweight Title Rematch by Unanimous Decision
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.
Did You Know?
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.
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