Lee's 23 and Baba's 14 deliver maiden B.League title to Nagasaki Velca in 72-64 finals clincher

Nagasaki Velca were crowned 2025-26 B.League champions for the first time in club history on Tuesday, holding off Ryukyu Golden Kings 72-64 in Game 3 at Yokohama Arena to claim the Risona Group B.LEAGUE Finals.
Championship MVP Hyun-Jun Lee (195-F-1979) was the standout, finishing with 23 points on 6-of-12 shooting (including 3-of-4 from two and 3-of-8 from three), 5-of-11 from two-point... wait the Korean guard finished with 23 points (6-of-12 FG, 3-of-8 from three, 8-of-11 from the line), five rebounds, and an assist for a game-high 29 efficiency.
The Finals Award went to Yudai Baba (196-SF-1995), who delivered 14 points on a scorching 5-of-7 shooting (4-of-5 from two, 1-of-2 from three) along with three rebounds, an assist, and a steal in 24 minutes despite foul trouble that briefly threatened to derail him. Jarrell Brantley (201-PF-1996, college: Charleston) added 14 points and Kumagai contributed six points with six assists. Hayato Yamaguchi (195-F/G-1998) (5) and Kenshin Hoshikawa (190-G-2001) played crucial supporting roles as Baba had warned might be necessary.
The defensive performance was the story. Nagasaki held Ryukyu one of the league's most potent offenses to 64 points on just 33 percent shooting from the field (23-of-70) and a disastrous 21 percent from three (6-of-28). Head coach Mordi Maor's side, known all season for their B.League-record offensive output, demonstrated they could win with defense too.
"Our hearts are exceptional," Maor said after the game. "From the front office to the players and staff, everyone fought with intense passion. We have the best offense in B.League history, but we also have the toughness to hold a great Ryukyu team to the 60s. This is a truly complete team."
Lee paid tribute to his teammates: "Even when Yudai (Baba) got into foul trouble, I always believed someone would step up. The trust we have in each other allowed us to achieve this. My shots and stats this season would have been impossible without my incredible teammates."
For Ryukyu, captain Victor Law (201-F-1995, college: Northwestern, agency: Pensack Sports) led with 14 points (4-of-12 FG, 7 reb), while Alex Kirk (211-C-1991, college: N.Mexico, agency: Pensack Sports) had 11 with 14 rebounds and Jack Cooley (206-C/F-1991, college: Notre Dame, agency: Pensack Sports) added 10 with 13 rebounds. Kishimoto had 13 (4-of-6 from two, 0-of-9 from three) but his perimeter struggles symbolized Ryukyu's frustrations from deep. The Golden Kings outrebounded Nagasaki 53-32 but could not overcome their shooting woes.
The emotional moment of the night belonged to Baba, who dedicated the title to retiring teammate Masaya Karimata (178-PG-1988). "We spent every day of this season for Masa," he said. "I'm grateful we could share this championship moment together."