Championships are won with well-orchestrated teamwork. The Alvark Tokyo did just that and played a polished, patient but aggressive game on Saturday. They showcased flashy plays but mostly stuck with their bread-and-butter offense, moving the ball and taking shots in players' comfort zones. Smart plan. Conversely, the Chiba Jets Funabashi had no sustained answers for the Alvark's methodical offense, and Tokyo controlled large stretches of their showdown. It all added up to a comprehensive 85-60 victory in the B. League Final at Yokohama Arena before an announced crowd of 12,005. The Alvark completed their championship run with nine straight wins, and an East Division club won the title for the second time in as many B. League seasons. (The Tochigi Brex accomplished the feat last May.) After exchanging hugs and high-fives with players and team staff, first-year Alvark bench boss Luka Pavicevic (agency: BeoBasket ) summarized the team's goal moving forward, speaking about games and seasons: 'This team will fight for every one of them that exists.' It was the blueprint of their title-winning campaign, too. Alvark captain Takeki Shonaka was handed the championship trophy after the game ended and joyfully celebrated with his teammates on the court. Former University of New Mexico center Alex Kirk (211-C-91, college: N.Mexico, agency: Pensack Sports) paced Tokyo (50-16 overall) with a game-high 23 points on 11-for-15 shooting. B. League Champion MVP Daiki Tanaka (191-F-91) poured in 15 points and dished out five assists, Yudai Baba (193-SF-95) had 14 points and three steals and ex-NBA forward Jawad Williams added 10 points. 'First of all, I would like to congratulate my team,' Pavicevic told reporters. 'They came in and they had their heads and bodies ready to fight in the championship game in Japan. It's a long season. And it's not an easy thing to do, and it's my congratulations and appreciation (for their effort).' Tanaka called it a 'defensive victory.' He cited the fast break as instrumental in the win, too. Looking back at the game, Pavicevic said, 'OK, so, the game plan against Chiba is to not let them run and that means not give them an easy game going, because they are very talented and fast-moving players. Second is to not let them rebound . . . second-chance offense helps them win many games.' But in the close first quarter, Pavicevic mentioned that three or four turnovers gave the Jets chances to run, and a few rebounds gave the extra scoring opportunities as well. 'In the second quarter, we just tightened the screws on something that doesn't look extraordinary . . . but don't let Chiba score easy on fast breaks and don't let them bring the potency in rebounding,' Pavicevic stated. In Game 2 of the Mikawa series in the playoff semifinals, Pavicevic cited a close-out, one-on-one defensive situation against SeaHorses star Makoto Hiejima (190-G/F-90) last Sunday, in which Tanaka hurt his hamstring, slipping on a wet spot on the floor in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture. Tanaka didn't practice this week and was questionable for the final. 'Daiki has stepped up mentally and physically. He didn't want to let his team down,' Pavicevic said of Tanaka's performance. '. . . He's obviously our offensive option No. 1.' 'He didn't back down from his defensive (assignment),' the coach added. The Alvark held the Jets to 34.6 percent shooting through three quarters, including 3 of 18 on 3-pointers, while making 55.3 percent. Chiba coach Atsushi Ono insisted his team's 17 turnovers were too many in his opening remarks to reporters in the post-game news conference. He commended Tokyo for its impressive pick-and-roll plays, a big part of its title-winning offense. Pavicevic, who hails from Montenegro, effectively made player substitutions time after time and they capitalized on their energy and tenacious defense. Rookie Baba wowed the crowd with a flashy reverse layup from the baseline to give the Alvark a 68-51 lead. Chiba called a timeout with 6:48 left in the game. The timeout didn't quell Tokyo's momentum. Kirk stuffed a putback attempt to make it 70-53. Baba put the game on ice with a crowd-pleasing jam off a steal for an 82-58 Tokyo lead with 1:10 remaining. 'Yudai's role on this team is very important,' Pavicevic said of the 22-year-old small forward. 'He brings energy, he brings courage, he brings initiative and he brings speed and intensity on both ends of the floor. 'Overall, Yudai was of tremendous importance in this game.' 'They won it fair and square,' Jets forward Michael Parker (202-F-81, college: Evergreen St.) said. Jets big man Gavin Edwards (206-F/C-88, college: Connecticut) said the biggest factor in the match was the Alvark's impressive offense. 'They're like a machine,' he said. On the other end, Edwards said, the Tokyo defense 'forced us into taking some bad shots.' Edwards led Chiba with 16 points and a game-high 11 rebounds. Parker and Leo Lyons finished with 12 points apiece and Ono scored eight. Yuki Togashi contributed seven points and five assists, while Parker had five steals. The East Division champion Jets (52-16) took the first lead on a Parker layup on their first possession of the game. The Alvark, making their second trip down the court on offense, knotted it at 2-2 on Tanaka's drive to the hoop. Then Togashi made it 4-2 on a nifty inside move. Chiba's Aki Chambers (190-G-90, college: Cal Merced) picked up his second foul at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter and went to the bench. Tanaka sank a stop-and-pop 3 from the left wing to put the Alvark ahead 11-8 before Edwards made two free throws to trim the lead to 11-10. The big men had the center stage in the early going. For instance, as the quarter neared its finish Kirk caught a lob from Genki Kojima and scored on a forceful dunk, and on the next sequence Edwards knocked down a straightaway 3, tying it at 13-13. The Alvark scored the last two points of the opening stanza on a pair of Baba free throws. That gave them a 19-18 advantage. In the second quarter, Ono converted a smooth post-up jumper in the lane to put the Jets in front 20-19 with about 9 minutes before halftime. The Alvark used a 9-0 spurt to build some breathing room between them and their East Division rival, pulling ahead 40-31. Baba and Seiya Ando capped the run with a pair of layups, the last of which came after a Jets turnover. The lead changed 11 times in a tight, back-and-forth opening half. Lyons ended the run with a layup, but Williams had the final highlight of the half, dribbling from midcourt and pulling up a few steps later for a long 3-pointer. Alvark teammates congratulated a fired-up Williams immediately, and they strolled off the court with a 43-33 lead. That emotion carried over to the second half for the champs. "In the second half, I think we were very focused on both ends of the floor,' Pavicevic stated. 'After Jawad's 3-pointer, I think the players understood that we needed to stay calm,' was the way he prefaced the team's effort in the latter half. Dealing with strong on-ball defense from Tokyo, Chiba shot 38.2 percent, including 2 of 10 on 3s, from the floor in the first half, while the Alvark made 56.3 percent of their shots. Kirk had 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting by halftime and Lyons had 11 off the bench for the Jets. The third quarter began with Tanaka burying a fadeaway jumper, and the Alvark extending their lead to 47-33 on a Kirk layup. The Jets responded, pulling within 47-39 when Ono drained a 3 from the top of the arc with about 6:30 remaining in the third. Then, after a Tokyo timeout, Zack Baranski (193-G/F-92) made a left-baseline 3 for a 50-39 Tokyo lead. The Jets, who never led in the third, trailed 61-49 entering the fourth. They were held to 11 fourth-quarter points as Tokyo's defense sealed the title. 'They are so competitive and proud athletes,' Paviecevic said of his team. 'It would be a waste if we don't (make a) run for championship even if it's the first year. Commenting on the team's 2017-18 goal, he added this: 'I told my players they are good now, but let's go for it now, and let's work on getting better later. We still need to get better.' Courtesy of: japantimes.co.jp
ANTONE WARREN Saitama Broncos (B League D3) landed 25-year old American center Antone Warren (208-120kg-93, college: Antelope Valley CC). He started the season at Kagoshima. In 32 B League D3 games in Japan he averaged impressive 19.6ppg, 10.7rpg, 1.1apg and 1.3bpg this season. The last season Warren was tested by Independiente (TNA) in Argentinian league. He was selected to All-Western State Conference East Division Team in 2017. Warren graduated from Antelope Valley College in 2017 an... [read more]
ANTONE WARREN
Saitama Broncos (B League D3) landed 25-year old American center Antone Warren (208-120kg-93, college: Antelope Valley CC). He started the season at Kagoshima. In 32 B League D3 games in Japan he averaged impressive 19.6ppg, 10.7rpg, 1.1apg and 1.3bpg this season. The last season Warren was tested by Independiente (TNA) in Argentinian league. He was selected to All-Western State Conference East Division Team in 2017. Warren graduated from Antelope Valley College in 2017 and it is his second season in pro basketball.
Japanese B League round 40 best performance: Nick Fazekas - 5 days ago
POSTED BY:
EUROBASKET NEWS
follow us on
NICK FAZEKAS
Naturalized American Power forward Nick Fazekas (211-F/C-85) had a very impressive game in the last round for second-ranked Kawasaki BT, receiving a Interperformances Player of the Week award for round 40.
The 33-year old player had a double-double of 30 points and 15 rebounds, while his team beat San-en (#5, 17-23) 84-75. Kawasaki BT maintains the 2nd position in their group in Japanese B League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier... [read more]
NICK FAZEKAS
Naturalized American Power forward Nick Fazekas (211-F/C-85) had a very impressive game in the last round for second-ranked Kawasaki BT, receiving a Interperformances Player of the Week award for round 40. The 33-year old player had a double-double of 30 points and 15 rebounds, while his team beat San-en (#5, 17-23) 84-75. Kawasaki BT maintains the 2nd position in their group in Japanese B League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Kawasaki BT will need more victories to improve their 24-16 record. In the team's last game Fazekas had a remarkable 64.3% from 2-point range. He has many years of experience at Kawasaki BT, through which he has constantly improved. Former The University of Nevada star has very solid stats this year. Fazekas is in league's top in points (6th best: 22.3ppg), rebounds (8th best: 11.1rpg) and averages impressive 51.9% FGP.
The second best player in last round's games was 27-year old American Davante Gardner (203-PF-91) of league's leader Niigata Albirex. Gardner had a very good evening with 27 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Of course he led Niigata Albirex to another comfortable win outscoring the lower-ranked Hokkaido L. (#6, 10-30) 84-60. Of course Niigata Albirex still keep Central's top spot. His team has currently 29-11 record. Gardner is one of the most experienced players at Niigata Albirex and has a reputation of one of team's most reliable players. He belongs to the best scorers in the league with 26.6ppg (#1). His other stats are also decent: 10.7rpg and 3.9apg.
Third on the list of top players last round was American forward Justin Keenan (202-F/C-88) of Akita NH (#5). Keenan got into 30-points club by scoring 34 points in the last round. He went also for nine rebounds and four assists. Despite Keenan's great performance Akita NH lost 94-95 to slightly higher-ranked SeaHorses (#3, 22-18). But his team cannot count on just a single shooter as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Akita NH not to end season at such low position in East, however are less than slim as they have already lost 27 games, recording just thirteen victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Keenan could try to bring Akita NH's a little bit higher in the standings. Keenan has individually a great season in Japan. After 34 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 22.6ppg (5th best).
Other top performing players last week: 4. Dexter Pittman (208-C-88) of Fukuoka Rizing - 33 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists 5. Kosuke Kanamaru (193-F/G-89) of SeaHorses - 41 points and 2 assists 6. Benjamin Lawson (216-F-95) of Fukuoka Rizing - 25 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists 7. Ryan Kelly (211-PF-91) of Hitachi SR - 26 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists 8. Julian Mavunga (203-PF-90) of Kyoto Hannar. - 26 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists 9. Leo Lyons (206-F-87) of Toyama Grouses - 28 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists 10. Dwight Coleby (206-F-94) of Akita NH - 16 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists
The Player of the week is selected based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc. The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy. The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3* (REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4* (2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3* (2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3* (3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)
The Player of the Week awards are presented by Interperformances. Interperformances is a full-service agency specializing in the representation of professional athletes the world-over. With more than forty-eight years of experience, INTERPERFORMANCES is well known to all professional teams and clubs. General Managers trust and rely on our opinions and recommendations.
Echenique's double-double lands him B2 League Interperformances Player of the Week award - 5 days ago
POSTED BY:
EUROBASKET NEWS
follow us on
GREGORY ECHENIQUE
28-year old center Gregory Echenique (206-C-90, agency: Pensack Sports) had a great game in the last round for league's best team Shimane SM and receives a Interperformances B2 League Player of the Week award for round 39.
He had a double-double of 22 points and 15 rebounds, while his team beat Bambitious Nara (#5, 10-28) 89-80. It allowed Shimane SM to consolidate first place in the Japanese B2 League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few gam... [read more]
GREGORY ECHENIQUE
28-year old center Gregory Echenique (206-C-90, agency: Pensack Sports) had a great game in the last round for league's best team Shimane SM and receives a Interperformances B2 League Player of the Week award for round 39. He had a double-double of 22 points and 15 rebounds, while his team beat Bambitious Nara (#5, 10-28) 89-80. It allowed Shimane SM to consolidate first place in the Japanese B2 League. They would have been even better if they hadn't lost a few games earlier this season. Shimane SM has a very solid 29-10 record, but they cannot be too comfortable about keeping top position. Echenique turned to be Shimane SM's top player in his first season with the team. Creighton University graduate has very impressive stats this year. Echenique leads league in rebounds with 14.3rpg. Echenique is in league's top in and averages solid 1.6bpg and 63.7% FGP.
Second best performed player last round was Nigel Spikes (208-C-89) of Tokyo Z. He is American center in his first season at Tokyo Z. In the last game Spikes recorded impressive double-double of 19 points and 21 rebounds. Bad luck as Tokyo Z lost that game 66-73 to slightly lower-ranked Aomori Watts (#6, 12-27). Tokyo Z managed to keep the same 5th spot in East. His team is not often considered as one of the league's best with a mere 13-26 record. Spikes is a newcomer at Tokyo Z and quickly became one of team's most reliable players.
Third place about best performers goes to forward Chehales Tapscott (195-F-90) of league's second-best Kumamoto V.. Tapscott showcased his all-around game by recording 21 points, thirteen rebounds (!!!) and eight assists in the last round. He was a key player of Kumamoto V., leading his team to a 97-85 win against #4 ranked Fukushima in a game of the week. Kumamoto V. needs these victories very badly if they think about taking over top position in East. Their record at this point is 28 victories and 11 lost games. Tapscott has a very solid season. In 33 games in Japan he scored 22.0ppg. He also has 9.1rpg, 4.7apg and FGP: 54.1%.
Other top performing players last week: 4. Terrance Woodbury (201-G-87) of Kagawa FA - 33 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists 5. Daniel Miller (211-C-91) of Sendai 89ers - 13 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists 6. Sotaro Uehara (170-PG-94) of Nishinomiya S. - 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists 7. Rosco Allen (208-PF-93) of Shimane SM - 28 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists 8. Toshio Kan (184-PG-94) of Aomori Watts - 22 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists 9. Josh Duinker (209-F/C-89) of Kumamoto V. - 25 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists 10. Nyika Williams (203-F/C-87) of Fukushima - 19 points and 12 rebounds
The Player of the week is selected based on efficiency calculation, but also including game result, importance of the game, if played recorded double-double/triple-double, etc. The efficiency formula is a combination of various formulas used by different basketball organizations/leagues. We got involved many basketball scouts and journalists to assure it's accuracy. The formula: 1.5*PTS + 3* (REB+AST+ST+BL-TO) - 2*BSAG - 4*PF + 3*PFRV + 4* (2FGPM+3FGPM) + 1.5*FTM - 3* (2FGPA-2FGPM) - 3* (3FGPA-3FGPM) - (FTA-FTM)
The Player of the Week awards are presented by Interperformances. Interperformances is a full-service agency specializing in the representation of professional athletes the world-over. With more than forty-eight years of experience, INTERPERFORMANCES is well known to all professional teams and clubs. General Managers trust and rely on our opinions and recommendations.
WARNING:
Do not copy, redistribute, publish or otherwise exploit information that you download from the site !
Do not encumber, license, modify, publish, sell, transfer or transmit, or in any way exploit, any of the
content of the site, nor will you attempt to do so.
