B1 League Round 8 of Regular Season

After 8 rounds played we can already see who rules in the B1 League and who belongs to weaker ones. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most interesting game of round 8 was a home defeat of 7th ranked Sendai 89ers (3-5) by fifth ranked Shinshu BW (4-4) who outscored them by 15 points 77-62. Shinshu BW made 23-of-27 free shots (85.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Sendai 89ers turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. 26 personal fouls committed by Sendai 89ers helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Yuta Okada (189-1998) who helped to win the game recording 19 points and American forward Josh Hawkinson (208-1995, college: WSU) who added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. American forward Rashawn Thomas (203-1994, college: TAMUCC) responded with 19 points and 9 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line). Sendai 89ers' coach Hiroki Fujita rotated ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Shinshu BW moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams. Newly promoted Sendai 89ers dropped to the fifth position with five games lost. They share it with Tochigi Brex and Akita NH. Shinshu BW is looking forward to face Yokohama BC (#6) at home in the next round. Sendai 89ers will play against Alvark Tokyo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Eighth-ranked Toyama G. (1-7) gave a tough game to second ranked Gunma CT (6-2). Gunma CT managed to secure only two-point victory 102-100. However their fans expected much easier game. The winners were led by American power forward Justin Keenan (202-1989, college: Ferris St.) who scored that evening 26 points and 8 rebounds and Michael Parker supported him with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Even a double-double of 26 points and 23 rebounds by American center Joshua Smith (208-1992, college: Georgetown) did not help to save the game for Toyama G.. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Gunma CT have a solid three-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 4 other teams. Toyama G. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh place with seven games lost. They share the position with Niigata A.. Gunma CT will play against Akita NH (#6) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Toyama G. will play against the league's leader Hitachi SRT to get more than just one victory in their record.
A very close game took place in Tochigi between Alvark Tokyo and Tochigi Brex. Third ranked Alvark Tokyo (5-3) got a very close victory on the road over 4th ranked Tochigi Brex (3-5). Alvark Tokyo managed to escape with a 3-point win 60-57 on Sunday evening. The best player for the winners was Ryan Rossiter who scored 8 points and 15 rebounds. Josh Scott produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds for the hosts. Tochigi Brex's coach tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Alvark Tokyo keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Defending champion Tochigi Brex dropped to the fifth place with five games lost. They share the position with Sendai 89ers and Akita NH. Alvark Tokyo will meet at home Sendai 89ers (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Tochigi Brex will play against the league's leader Chiba Jets and hope to secure a win.

There were no shocking results in the other games in round 8: Ryukyu GK won against Akita NH on the opponent's court 77-67. Hitachi SRT managed to outperform Shimane SM in a home game 102-95. Ibaraki R. managed to beat Yokohama BC on the road 84-77. Nagoya DD crushed Hokkaido L. on its own court 112-77. Niigata A. was smashed by Kyoto H. in a road game 88-64. Hiroshima D. won against FE Nagoya at home 99-95. Shiga L-Stars was outscored by Chiba Jets on the opponent's court 90-58. Osaka E. recorded a loss to San-en NP in a home game 70-78.
The most impressive stats of the last round was 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals by Kyle Collinsworth of San-en NP.

Akita NH - Ryukyu GK 67-77

Very expected game when 5th ranked Akita NH (3-5) was defeated at home by first ranked Ryukyu GK (7-1) 77-67 on Sunday. Ryukyu GK outrebounded Akita NH 49-29 including a 26-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was power forward Jack Cooley (206-1991, college: Notre Dame, agency: Pensack Sports) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points and 16 rebounds. Power forward Allen Durham (198-1988, college: Grace Christian) chipped in a double-double by scoring 12 points and 17 rebounds. Durham is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Stanton Kidd (202-1992, college: Colorado St.) produced 25 points and 6 assists and center Steve Zack (211-1992, college: La Salle) added 9 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Ryukyu GK have an impressive five-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 7-1 record. Akita NH lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the fifth place with five games lost. They share the position with Sendai 89ers and Tochigi Brex. Ryukyu GK will meet league's second-placed Hiroshima D. on the road in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Akita NH will play against the league's second-placed Gunma CT and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Akita NH: S.Kidd 25+4reb+6ast, S.Zack 9+9reb+1ast, H.Noboru 8+1reb+1ast, T.Nakayama 7+2reb+4ast, R.Yasuoka 5+2reb+1ast, T.Furukawa 5+3reb
Ryukyu GK: J.Cooley 25+16reb+1ast, J.Duncan 15+9reb+3ast, A.Durham 12+17reb+3ast, R.Kishimoto 9+2reb+3ast, K.Imamura 7+3reb+1ast, K.Flippin 4+2ast

Sendai 89ers - Shinshu BW 62-77

The most interesting game of round 8 was a home defeat of 7th ranked Sendai 89ers (3-5) by fifth ranked Shinshu BW (4-4) who outscored them by 15 points 77-62. Shinshu BW made 23-of-27 free shots (85.2 percent) during the game. They also forced 22 Sendai 89ers turnovers. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. 26 personal fouls committed by Sendai 89ers helped opponents get some easy free throw opportunities. Worth to mention a great performance of the former international guard Yuta Okada (189-1998) who helped to win the game recording 19 points and American forward Josh Hawkinson (208-1995, college: WSU) who added 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists during the contest. American forward Rashawn Thomas (203-1994, college: TAMUCC) responded with 19 points and 9 rebounds (was perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line) and his fellow American import forward Justin Burrell (207-1988, college: St.John's) scored 14 points and 9 rebounds. Sendai 89ers' coach Hiroki Fujita rotated ten players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. Shinshu BW moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams. Newly promoted Sendai 89ers dropped to the fifth position with five games lost. They share it with Tochigi Brex and Akita NH. Shinshu BW is looking forward to face Yokohama BC (#6) at home in the next round. Sendai 89ers will play against Alvark Tokyo and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Sendai 89ers: R.Thomas 19+9reb+2ast, J.Burrell 14+9reb+1ast, W.Shota 8+1reb+4ast, T.Kato 8+5ast, O.Taiki 5, N.Boothe 5+8reb+4ast
Shinshu BW: O.Yuta 19+3reb+3ast, A.Matthew 11+1reb+1ast, W.Marshall 11+6reb+2ast, J.Hawkinson 10+8reb+4ast, M.Reo 9+1reb+3ast, K.Ko 8+2reb+2ast

Hitachi SRT - Shimane SM 102-95

The game between closely ranked teams ended with first ranked Hitachi SRT's (5-3) home victory over second-ranked Shimane SM (6-2) 102-95 on Sunday. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Hitachi SRT made 22-of-26 free shots (84.6 percent) during the game. Hitachi SRT outrebounded Shimane SM 45-26 including 16 on the offensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was American forward James McAdoo (206-1993, college: UNC, agency: Slash Sports) who had a double-double by scoring 25 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. The other American import forward Kevin Jones (206-1989, college: WVU) chipped in a double-double by scoring 29 points and 12 rebounds. Hitachi SRT's coach Tsutomu Isa used entire bench and allowed the starting five to rest. American forward Perrin Buford (198-1994, college: MTSU, agency: Pensack Sports) produced 32 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals and the former international guard Seiya Ando (184-1992) added 26 points respectively for the guests. Four Shimane SM players scored in double figures. Hitachi SRT maintains first position with 5-3 record, which they share with 3 other teams. Shimane SM at the other side still keeps top place with two games lost. They share the position with 4 other teams. Hitachi SRT will meet Toyama G. (#8) on the road in the next round and are hoping to win another game. Shimane SM will play against Shiga L-Stars (#8) and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Shimane SM: P.Buford 32+9reb+6ast, S.Ando 26+1reb+3ast, N.Kay 13+7reb+4ast, N.Williams 11+2reb, R.Travis 8+5reb, T.Shota 5+4ast
Hitachi SRT: K.Jones 29+12reb+1ast, J.McAdoo 25+11reb+7ast, K.Ishii 14+5reb+5ast, N.You 8+2reb, S.Tawatari 6+2reb, R.Watanabe 4+5reb+1ast

Yokohama BC - Ibaraki R. 77-84

There was a minor upset when their close opponent Yokohama BC (2-6) was defeated at home by sixth ranked Ibaraki R. (4-4) 84-77 on Sunday. The best player for the winners was American forward Chehales Tapscott (195-1990, college: Portland St.) who scored 32 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists. The other American import Eric Jacobsen (208-1994, college: Arizona St.) chipped in 8 points and 15 rebounds. American center Charles Jackson (208-1993, college: Tenn Tech) produced a double-double by scoring 19 points and 12 rebounds and the former international guard Yuki Kawamura (169-2001) added 10 points, 5 rebounds and 14 assists respectively for the hosts. Five Yokohama BC players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players and allowed the starting five to rest. Ibaraki R. have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams. Yokohama BC at the other side keeps the sixth position with six games lost. They share it with 3 other teams. Ibaraki R. will meet at home Hokkaido L. (#8) in the next round where they are favorite. Yokohama BC will play against Shinshu BW in Nagano and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Yokohama BC: C.Jackson 19+12reb+2ast, M.Morikawa 14+1reb+1ast, K.King 12+3reb+1ast, D.Oliver 10+7reb+3ast, A.Raita 10+2reb, K.Yuki 10+5reb+14ast
Ibaraki R.: C.Tapscott 32+8reb+8ast, A.Hirao 17+1ast, T.Kennedy 13+3reb+1ast, N.Kohei 8+4reb+4ast, E.Jacobsen 8+15reb+2ast, A.Tajima 3+2ast

Nagoya DD - Hokkaido L. 112-77

Everything went according to plan when fourth ranked Nagoya DD (6-2) outscored at home 8th ranked Hokkaido L. (2-6) 112-77 on Sunday. Nagoya DD dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Hokkaido L.'s 42 and made 17-of-21 free shots (81.0 percent) during the game. It was a great shooting night for Nagoya DD especially from behind the arc, where they had solid 52.4 percentage. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 35 assists comparing to just 18 passes made by Hokkaido L.'s players. The best player for the winners was American forward Coty Clarke (201-1992, college: Arkansas) who scored 27 points. Senegalese Maurice Ndour (206-1992, college: Ohio) chipped in 14 points, 9 rebounds and 5 assists. Australian forward Brock Motum (208-1990, college: WSU) produced 20 points and 6 rebounds and Filipino guard Dwight Ramos (193-1998, college: CPP) added 10 points and 5 assists respectively for the guests. Both teams had five players each who scored in double figures. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Nagoya DD keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 4 other teams. Hokkaido L. at the other side dropped to the sixth place with six games lost. They share the position with 3 other teams. Nagoya DD will meet Kyoto H. (#6) on the road in the next round where they are favorite. Hokkaido L. will play against Ibaraki R. in Mito and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Hokkaido L.: B.Motum 20+6reb+1ast, A.Murphy 11+5reb+1ast, R.Hashimoto 11+1reb+6ast, D.Ramos 10+4reb+5ast, S.Long 10+5reb+1ast, S.Terazono 6+1ast
Nagoya DD: C.Clarke 27+3reb+2ast, P.Ray 16+5reb+1ast, S.Eatherton 15+8reb+2ast, M.Ndour 14+9reb+5ast, Y.Suda 12+2reb+4ast, S.Seiga 8+2ast

Gunma CT - Toyama G. 102-100

Eighth-ranked Toyama G. (1-7) gave a tough game to second ranked Gunma CT (6-2). Gunma CT managed to secure only two-point victory 102-100. However their fans expected much easier game. Gunma CT dominated down low during the game scoring 62 of its points in the paint compared to Toyama G.'s 40 and made 19-of-25 charity shots (76.0 percent) during the game. Strangely Toyama G. outrebounded Gunma CT 54-32 including a 37-21 advantage in defensive rebounds. Their players were unselfish on offense dishing 27 assists. The winners were led by American power forward Justin Keenan (202-1989, college: Ferris St.) who scored that evening 26 points and 8 rebounds and naturalized American forward Michael Parker (202-1981, college: Evergreen St.) supported him with 21 points and 9 rebounds. Even a double-double of 26 points and 23 rebounds by American center Joshua Smith (208-1992, college: Georgetown) did not help to save the game for Toyama G.. His fellow American import guard Cody Demps (193-1993, college: Sacramento St.) added 17 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists for the guests. Four Gunma CT and five Toyama G. players scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players in such tough game. Gunma CT have a solid three-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 4 other teams. Toyama G. lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the seventh place with seven games lost. They share the position with Niigata A.. Gunma CT will play against Akita NH (#6) at home in the next round where they are favorite. Toyama G. will play against the league's leader Hitachi SRT to get more than just one victory in their record.
Top scorers:
Toyama G.: J.Smith 26+23reb+3ast, C.Demps 17+6reb+6ast, B.Johnson 15+11reb+1ast, S.Faye 12+5reb+4ast, K.Matsui 10+1reb+2ast, K.Hareyama 9+2reb+1ast
Gunma CT: J.Keenan 26+8reb+2ast, T.McKinney-Jones 21+4reb+5ast, M.Parker 21+9reb+2ast, N.Namizato 19+3reb+9ast, A.Chambers 8+3reb+5ast, S.Teru 5+1ast

Kyoto H. - Niigata A. 88-64

The game between closely ranked teams ended with 7th ranked Niigata A.'s (1-7) road loss to sixth ranked Kyoto H. (4-4) 64-88 on Sunday. Kyoto H. dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Niigata A.'s 28. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 25 assists. Great defensive blocking was one of the keys in this match when Kyoto H. made 7 blocks. The best player for the winners was American forward Jarrod Uthoff (203-1993, college: Iowa) who had a double-double by scoring 22 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks. Mali power forward Cheick Diallo (206-1996, college: Kansas) chipped in a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds. Four Kyoto H. players scored in double figures. Kyoto H.'s coach Roy Rana felt very confident that he used 11 players and allowed the starting five to rest. Hungarian-American Rosco Allen (208-1993, college: Stanford, agency: Pensack Sports) produced 25 points and 7 rebounds and guard Keigo Kimura (188-2000, college: St.Joseph, CT) added 7 points and 8 assists respectively for the guests. Kyoto H. have a solid three-game winning streak. They moved-up to third place, which they share with 4 other teams. Niigata A. lost fourth consecutive game. They keep the seventh position with seven games lost. They share it with Toyama G.. Kyoto H. will meet at home Nagoya DD (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Niigata A. will play against Kawasaki BT (#5) and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Niigata A.: R.Allen 25+7reb+3ast, T.Sugimoto 11+5reb, K.Aluma 9+6reb+3ast, J.Crawford 8+6reb, K.Kimura 7+4reb+8ast, Y.Ikeda 2+2reb
Kyoto H.: J.Uthoff 22+12reb+3ast, C.Diallo 16+10reb+1ast, K.Yoshiaki 14+1reb+4ast, K.Mizuno 11+3reb+8ast, M.Wright 9+3ast, J.Mitsuda 7+1reb+1ast

Tochigi Brex - Alvark Tokyo 57-60

A very close game took place in Tochigi between Alvark Tokyo and Tochigi Brex. Third ranked Alvark Tokyo (5-3) got a very close victory on the road over 4th ranked Tochigi Brex (3-5). Alvark Tokyo managed to escape with a 3-point win 60-57 on Sunday evening. The best player for the winners was international forward Ryan Rossiter (204-1989, college: Siena) who scored 8 points and 15 rebounds. The former international guard Shuto Ando (189-1994) chipped in 18 points. American power forward Josh Scott (208-1993, college: Colorado, agency: Pensack Sports) produced a double-double by scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds and Tongan-New Zealand Isaac Fotu (203-1993, college: Hawaii) added 13 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the hosts. Tochigi Brex's coach tested ten players in this game, but that didn't help. Alvark Tokyo keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Defending champion Tochigi Brex dropped to the fifth place with five games lost. They share the position with Sendai 89ers and Akita NH. Alvark Tokyo will meet at home Sendai 89ers (#7) in the next round where they are favorite. Tochigi Brex will play against the league's leader Chiba Jets and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
Tochigi Brex: J.Scott 16+10reb+3ast, I.Fotu 13+7reb+1ast, M.Hiejima 6+4reb+3ast, Y.Endo 6+1reb+3ast, J.Yang 6+1reb, S.Ikaruga 5+6reb+4ast
Alvark Tokyo: S.Ando 18+1reb+2ast, J.Cobbs 12+2ast, Z.Baranski 9+3reb+4ast, R.Rossiter 8+15reb+2ast, S.Saiz 7+8reb+1ast, A.Kirk 4+3reb

Hiroshima D. - FE Nagoya 99-95

Everything could happen at the game between two tied teams. Both third ranked Hiroshima D. and 5th ranked FE Nagoya had identical 5-2 record. This time Hiroshima D. used a home court advantage and won against the opponent from Nagoya 99-95 on Sunday night. It was a key game for the top position in the league. Hiroshima D. made 19-of-24 free shots (79.2 percent) during the game. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 22 assists. Americans were the main players on the court. The best player for the winners was forward Dwayne Evans (201-1992, college: St.Louis, agency: Pensack Sports) who scored 25 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists. Forward Kerry Blackshear Jr (208-1997, college: Florida) chipped in 16 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Hiroshima D.'s coach Kyle Milling used entire bench in such tough game. Forward Andrew Randall (198-1990, college: Temple) produced a double-double by scoring 29 points and 15 rebounds and forward Jeremy Jones (201-1996, college: Gonzaga) added 13 points respectively for the guests. Four Hiroshima D. and five FE Nagoya players scored in double figures. Hiroshima D. have a solid four-game winning streak. They keep a position of league leader, which they share with 4 other teams. FE Nagoya lost third consecutive game. Newly promoted team still keeps top place with three games lost. They share the position with 3 other teams. Hiroshima D. will meet at home league's leader Ryukyu GK in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. FE Nagoya will play against Osaka E. and hope to secure a win.
Top scorers:
FE Nagoya: A.Randall 29+15reb+3ast, T.Sasayama 16+1reb+2ast, K.Ishikawa 14+3ast, J.Jones 13+4reb+2ast, N.Reiya 10+2reb+3ast, L.Evans 8+4reb+2ast
Hiroshima D.: D.Evans 25+9reb+6ast, T.Ryo 20+3reb+3ast, K.Blackshear Jr. 16+6reb+4ast, N.Tsuji 15+2reb+4ast, G.Stutz 8+5reb, S.Asayama 6+1ast

Chiba Jets - Shiga L-Stars 90-58

Very expected game when 8th ranked Shiga L-Stars (2-6) were crushed on the road by first ranked Chiba Jets (6-2) 90-58 on Sunday. Chiba Jets outrebounded Shiga L-Stars 45-32 including 33 on the defensive glass. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 23 assists. The best player for the winners was American guard Christopher Smith (193-1994, college: Utah St.) who scored 24 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. The other American import forward John Mooney (206-1998, college: Notre Dame, agency: Pensack Sports) chipped in a double-double by scoring 11 points and 15 rebounds. Four Chiba Jets players scored in double figures. American forward Kelvin Martin (196-1989, college: Charleston So.) produced a double-double by scoring 15 points and 10 rebounds and American-North Macedonian center Jacob Wiley (203-1994, college: EWU, agency: BeoBasket) added 9 points and 9 rebounds respectively for the guests. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games. Chiba Jets have a solid three-game winning streak. They maintain first position with 6-2 record, which they share with 4 other teams. Shiga L-Stars lost fourth consecutive game. They dropped to the sixth place with six games lost. They share the position with 3 other teams. Chiba Jets will meet Tochigi Brex (#5) on the road in the next round. Shiga L-Stars will play against Shimane SM and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Shiga L-Stars: K.Martin 15+10reb+2ast, K.Isaac Ravena 13+2reb+2ast, J.Wiley 9+9reb+1ast, K.Toews 5+6reb+6ast, T.Kashiwagura 5+1reb+2ast, M.Naoto 3+1reb
Chiba Jets: C.Smith 24+9reb+4ast, V.Law 19+1reb+1ast, G.Edwards 13+7reb+3ast, J.Mooney 11+15reb+1ast, Y.Togashi 6+1reb+2ast, O.Sota 6+1reb+7ast

Osaka E. - San-en NP 70-78

Very predictable result when second ranked San-en NP (5-3) defeated on the road 7th ranked Osaka E. (2-6) 78-70 on Sunday. The best player for the winners was American guard Kyle Collinsworth (198-1991, college: BYU) who scored 16 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Filipino guard Ferdinand Ravena (189-1996) chipped in 13 points and 6 assists. Four San-en NP players scored in double figures. San-en NP's coach Branislav Vicentic used an eleven-player rotation and allowed the starting five to rest. American-Jamaican power forward Kyle Hunt (208-1989, college: USAO, agency: BIG) produced 16 points and American power forward Sean OMara (208-1995, college: Xavier, agency: Inception Sports) added 14 points and 7 rebounds respectively for the hosts. San-en NP keeps a position of league leader, which they share with 3 other teams. Osaka E. lost third consecutive game. They dropped to the sixth place with six games lost. They share the position with 3 other teams. San-en NP will meet at home Sea Horses M. (#3) in the next round, which may be the game of the day. Osaka E. will play against FE Nagoya and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Osaka E.: K.Hunt 16+4reb+3ast, S.O'Mara 14+7reb+1ast, I.Brown 11+7reb+4ast, K.Makoto 9+1reb+1ast, T.Hashimoto 9+1reb+1ast, D.Newbill 8+3reb+3ast
San-en NP: K.Collinsworth 16+6reb+5ast, H.Kazuki 13+3reb, F.Ravena 13+2reb+6ast, Y.Maten 11+5reb+2ast, K.Kanamaru 8+1reb, I.Hicks 6+6reb



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