B2 League Round 2 (Regular Season): Kobe S. defeat Toyama G.

There were only 2 rounds played so far and it's still very beginning of the Regular Season in B2 League. Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Grouses in Toyama on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by Storks 99-81. Kobe S. shot 60.7 percent from the field. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists. American guard Chaundee Brown Jr. (195-1998, college: Michigan) orchestrated the victory by scoring 33 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Nigerian-American power forward Morris Udeze (206-1999, college: N.Mexico, agency: Pensack Sports) contributed with 17 points and 8 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) for the winners. American center Mitchell Watt (208-1989, college: Buffalo, agency: Octagon Europe) replied with 21 points and 6 rebounds for Toyama G.Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
An interesting game for Orange Vikings which played road game in Fukushima against Firebonds. Orange Vikings had an easy win 92-77. American guard Jonathan Stark (184-1995, college: Murray St., agency: Pensack Sports) scored 27 points to lead the charge for the winners and Nigel Spikes chipped in 11 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks during the contest. American-Hungarian forward Mikael Hopkins (206-1993, college: Georgetown) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds. Firebonds' coach rotated ten players and allowed the starting five to rest.
An interesting game for Watts which played road game in Nara against Bambitious. Watts managed to get a 5-point victory 96-91. Yuichi Ikeda notched a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 assists to lead the effort. Watts' coach used entire bench in such tough game. Even a double-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists by Stephen Zimmerman did not help to save the game for Bambitious.

There were no big surprises in other games of round 2: winless Fukuoka R. lost to undefeated Kagoshima on the road 72-79. Fukui B. won against Shinshu on its own court 91-76. Chiba outscored Kumamoto V. in a road game 107-85. Winless Yamagata lost to undefeated Shizuoka at home 66-80.
The most impressive performance of 2nd round was 14 points and 7 rebounds by John Harrar of Shizuoka.



Kagoshima - Fukuoka R. 79-72

No shocking result in a game when Kagoshima beat Rizing in Renova 79-72 on Sunday. Dutch center Matt Haarms (221-1997, college: BYU) notched 18 points and 8 rebounds to lead the effort and American swingman Anthony Gaines Jr. (195-1993, college: LCU) supported him with 11 points and 7 rebounds. Even a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds by American center Joshua Smith (210-1992, college: Georgetown) did not help to save the game for Fukuoka R.. Spanish Pablo Aguilar (204-1989, agency: Octagon Europe) added 17 points and 18 rebounds for the guests. Four Fukuoka R. players scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Fukuoka R.: J.Smith 24+14reb+2ast, P.Aguilar 17+18reb+3ast, T.Nakamura 11+3reb+2ast, T.Nishikawa 10+2reb+5ast, H.Taniguchi 4+2reb+2ast, K.Aita 3+1ast
Kagoshima: M.Haarms 18+8reb+3ast, A.Gaines Jr. 11+7reb+3ast, B.Diouf 10+1reb+1ast, T.Kodama 8+1reb+4ast, Y.Ametani 8+1reb+1ast, Y.Morita 7+2ast

Toyama G. - Kobe S. 81-99

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Grouses in Toyama on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by Storks 99-81. Kobe S. shot 60.7 percent from the field. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 28 assists. American guard Chaundee Brown Jr. (195-1998, college: Michigan) orchestrated the victory by scoring 33 points (!!!), 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Nigerian-American power forward Morris Udeze (206-1999, college: N.Mexico, agency: Pensack Sports) contributed with 17 points and 8 rebounds (perfect from the field making all seven shots !!!) for the winners. American center Mitchell Watt (208-1989, college: Buffalo, agency: Octagon Europe) replied with 21 points and 6 rebounds and American-Filipino forward Eugene Phelps (198-1990, college: LBSU) added 18 points and 9 rebounds in the effort for Toyama G.Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches used bench players which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games.
Top scorers:
Toyama G.: M.Watt 21+6reb+3ast, E.Phelps 18+9reb+1ast, T.Kennedy 11+4reb+1ast, A.White 10+3reb+2ast, Y.Nozaki 7+1reb+2ast, T.Mito 6+1reb
Kobe S.: C.Brown Jr. 33+7reb+5ast, S.Kawashima 18+3reb+5ast, M.Udeze 17+8reb+3ast, P.Kalonji 11+5reb+1ast, N.Adrian 8+2reb+4ast, Y.Tsunai 3+1reb+9ast

Fukushima - Ehime OV 77-92

An interesting game for Orange Vikings which played road game in Fukushima against Firebonds. Orange Vikings had an easy win 92-77. Ehime made 19-of-24 charity shots (79.2 percent) during the game. American guard Jonathan Stark (184-1995, college: Murray St., agency: Pensack Sports) scored 27 points to lead the charge for the winners and the other American import center Nigel Spikes (208-1989, college: Marshall) chipped in 11 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks during the contest. American-Hungarian forward Mikael Hopkins (206-1993, college: Georgetown) responded with a double-double by scoring 17 points and 10 rebounds and Lithuanian forward Rapolas Ivanauskas (208-1998, college: Cincinnati) produced a double-double by scoring 13 points and 11 rebounds. Five Ehime and four Fukushima players scored in double figures. Firebonds' coach rotated ten players and allowed the starting five to rest.
Top scorers:
Fukushima: M.Hopkins 17+10reb+3ast, R.Ivanauskas 13+11reb+3ast, W.Weijia 12+2reb, T.Tada 12+1reb+3ast, R.Tawatari 9+2reb+8ast, S.Kanno 6
Ehime OV: J.Stark 27+4reb+2ast, T.Furuno 16+3ast, K.Lawson 13+8reb+2ast, Y.Toshino 12+1reb+3ast, N.Spikes 11+11reb+1ast, R.Aoki 6+1reb

Fukui B. - Shinshu BW 91-76

Rather expected game when Brave Warriors lost to Blowinds in Fukui 76-91 on Sunday. Fukui B. looked well-organized offensively handing out 27 assists. American players dominated the game. Ryan Kelly (211-1991, college: Duke, agency: Slash Sports) notched 20 points and 7 rebounds to lead the effort and forward Perry Ellis (203-1993, college: Kansas) supported him with 16 points. Even a triple-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists by forward Perrin Buford (198-1994, college: MTSU, agency: Pensack Sports) did not help to save the game for Shinshu. Guard Terrance Woodbury (203-1987, college: Georgia) added 20 points for the guests. Both teams had four players each who scored in double figures. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Shinshu BW: T.Woodbury 20+4reb+3ast, P.Buford 16+12reb+10ast, L.Kurihara 14+4reb, H.Watanabe 14+8reb+3ast, K.Ishikawa 8+1reb+3ast, E.Kojima-Donley 4
Fukui B.: R.Kelly 20+7reb+3ast, P.Ellis 16+4reb+3ast, K.Kimura 14+1reb, M.Hosoya 12+6ast, B.Lawson 9+6reb+4ast, T.Hasegawa 5+1ast

Kumamoto V. - Chiba 85-107

Very predictable result when Chiba rolled over Volters in Kumamoto 107-85 on Sunday. Chiba outrebounded Kumamoto V. 40-25 including a 28-15 advantage in defensive rebounds. Chiba looked well-organized offensively handing out 34 assists comparing to just 21 passes made by Kumamoto V.'s players. Guard Takaaki Kida (188-1995) notched 30 points to lead the effort and American forward Trey Porter (210-1996, college: Nevada) supported him with 15 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Even 13 points and 9 assists by forward Ryosuke Motomura (182-1996) did not help to save the game for Kumamoto V.. Swingman Yuma Noguchi (192-2001) added 17 points and 5 rebounds for the hosts. The winner was already known earlier in the game, so both coaches allowed to play the bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Kumamoto V.: Y.Noguchi 17+5reb+1ast, R.Motomura 13+3reb+9ast, K.Clark 9+1reb+6ast, M.Lightfoot 9+3reb, S.Yamamoto 8+3reb+1ast, A.Yamada 8+1reb+1ast
Chiba: T.Kida 30+1reb, D.Pardon 16+10reb+1ast, T.Porter 15+11reb+4ast, Y.Otsuka 12+1reb, K.Kurokawa 9+5ast, R.Maeda 6+2reb+4ast

Bambitious N. - Aomori W. 91-96

An interesting game for Watts which played road game in Nara against Bambitious. Watts managed to get a 5-point victory 96-91. Aomori W. looked well-organized offensively handing out 21 assists. Point guard Yuichi Ikeda (183-1997) notched a double-double by scoring 21 points and 10 assists to lead the effort and American center Max Hisatake (203-1998, college: IlIinois Tech, agency: Slash Sports) supported him with 20 points and 8 rebounds. Watts' coach used entire bench in such tough game. Even a double-double of 21 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists by American center Stephen Zimmerman (211-1996, college: UNLV, agency: Slash Sports) did not help to save the game for Bambitious. His fellow American import power forward Cameron Jackson (203-1996, college: Wofford) added 18 points for the hosts. Four Aomori W. and five Bambitious players scored in double figures.
Top scorers:
Bambitious N.: S.Zimmerman 21+12reb+4ast, C.Jackson 18+3reb+2ast, Y.Otsuka 14+1reb+5ast, S.Hines 14+4reb+2ast, E.Hayashi 11+3reb+1ast, E.Nakatani 4+1reb+1ast
Aomori W.: Y.Ikeda 21+1reb+10ast, M.Hisatake 20+8reb+3ast, R.Kelly 13+8reb+3ast, M.Hall 13+3reb, N.Kamizato 11, S.Tokairin 9+2reb+4ast

Yamagata - Shizuoka 66-80

Not a big story in a game when Wyverns lost to Shizuoka in Yamagata 66-80 on Sunday. Shizuoka dominated down low during the game scoring 48 of its points in the paint compared to Wyverns's 24. Guamanian forward Takumi Takumi (190-2000) notched 16 points and 8 rebounds to lead the effort and American forward John Harrar (205-1999, college: Penn State) supported him with 14 points and 7 rebounds (on 7-of-8 shooting from the field). Four Shizuoka players scored in double figures. Even 9 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists by point guard Shinya Murakami (173-1991) did not help to save the game for Yamagata. American James Bell (196-1992, college: Villanova, agency: Slash Sports) added 12 points for the hosts. Both coaches tested many bench players saving starting five for next games.
Top scorers:
Yamagata: T.Shirato 15+1reb+1ast, J.Bell 12+4reb+1ast, K.Okajima 9+2reb, S.Murakami 9+6reb+4ast, R.Adams 8+7reb, L.Demetrio 5+7reb+3ast
Shizuoka: T.Takumi 16+8reb+2ast, J.Harrar 14+7reb+2ast, Y.Okada 13+2reb+7ast, N.Hashimoto 12, F.Delany 9+8reb+1ast, A.Brandt 7+2reb+2ast