Japanese B3 League round 54 best performance: Blake Preston (by Hoops Agents)

- April 20, 2026

POSTED BY: Eurobasket News

Blake Preston

Blake Preston

American Forward Blake Preston (206-F-2000) had a great game in the last round for Gifu Swoops, receiving a Hoops Agents B3 League Player of the Week award for round 54.
The 25-year old player had a double-double of 20 points and 20 rebounds, while his team beat Kanazawa (#8, 26-26) 75-66. Swoops maintains the 10th position in Japanese B3 League. Gifu is a typical solid league team placed somewhere in the middle or a little bit lower in the standings. They need more victories to improve their 23-29 record. In the team's last game Preston had a remarkable 80.0% from 2-point range. He turned to be Swoops's top player in his first season with the team. Former Northwestern University star has very solid stats this year. Preston is in league's top in rebounds (2nd best: 12.4rpg) and averages impressive 1.3bpg and 53.6% FGP.

The second best player in last round's games was young American Eugene Phelps (198-F-1990) of Niigata Albirex. Phelps had a very good evening with a double-double of 24 points and 13 rebounds. Of course he led Albirex to another comfortable win 91-78 over slightly higher-ranked Saitama (#3, 39-13) being unquestionably team leader. Niigata A.'s 5th position in the standings has not changed. His team lost some distance to top teams. But a 32-20 record is not bad and everything may still change. Phelps is a newcomer at Niigata A., but is already one of team's top players.

Third on the list of top players last round was American forward Jeremy Combs (201-F/C-1995) of Earthfriends Tokyo Z (#12). Combs scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds (!!!). Despite Combs' great performance the Earthfriends lost 65-72 to the higher-ranked Tokyo Utd (#7, 29-23). But his team cannot count on just a single player as he also needs help of the other teammates. The chances of Tokyo Z not to end season at such low position in the league, however are less than slim as they have already lost 36 games, recording just sixteen victories. With bigger assistance of his teammates, Combs could try to bring Tokyo Z's a little bit higher in the standings. Combs has individually a great season in Japan. After 52 games, he made it on the list of the league's leaders in points with 19.4ppg (4th best) and rebounds with 9.4rpg (8th best).

Other top performing players last week:
4. Victor Hart (203-F-2001) of Shinagawa - 17 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists
5. Jacob Polakovich (208-C-2000) of Shanan Utd - 14 points, 14 rebounds and 5 assists
6. Jordan Faison (201-F-1994) of Tokyo Utd - 15 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists
7. Rokas Gustys (206-F/C-1994) of Tachikawa - 11 points, 20 rebounds and 3 assists
8. Grantas Vasiliauskas (204-PF-1999) of Shinagawa - 19 points, 7 rebounds and 2 assists
9. Devin Oliver (203-PF-1992) of Saitama - 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists
10. Tavrion Dawson (202-F/C-1996) of Tokushima Gam. - 27 points, 2 rebounds and 4 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 Hoops Agents. Hoops Agents is the most complete website about the agencies and players they represent. With more than twenty years of experience, Hoops Agents is already recognized as the most reliable destination for the players who wish to continue their career in professional basketball and are searching for a reputable and connected representation. Hoops Agents is also most complete source of transactions news.

Tags : BLAKE PRESTON, GIFU SWOOPS, JAPANESE BASKETBALL,