Ryukyu Golden Kings sweep Chiba Jets for first B. League title

Koh Flippin

The Ryukyu Golden Kings claimed their first B. League championship with an 88-73 win over the Chiba Jets on Sunday. The Okinawa-based team completed a 2-0 sweep of the best-of-three finals at Yokohama Arena a day after winning Game 1 96-93 in double overtime. Guard Koh Flippin (190-G-1996, college: Doane) had a team-high 21 points and eight assists off the bench for the Golden Kings, while center Jack Cooley (206-C/F-1991, college: Notre Dame, agency: Pensack Sports) contributed 19 points and 15 rebounds. Jets guard Yuki Togashi (170-PG-1993) led all scorers for the second straight game with 24 points to go with six assists. Ryukyu's raucous traveling fans once again created a home atmosphere inside the stadium, where their team erased unhappy memories of last year's 2-0 finals loss to Utsunomiya Brex. 'This stadium looked just like Okinawa Arena,' Ryukyu head coach Dai Oketani said in his postgame interview. Oketani said the Jets, whose league-best 53-7 regular season included a record 24-game win streak, were 'without a doubt the strongest team this year.' 'For us to win, we needed to play to 100% of our ability. The players really stuck to the game plan,' Oketani said.
Courtesy of: japantimes.co.jp

Tags : KOH FLIPPIN, RYUKYU GOLDEN KINGS OKINAWA, JAPANESE BASKETBALL