“It’s a great victory to be able to bounce back from yesterday’s defeat.”
On March 24, the Chiba Jets played on the road against Alvark Tokyo. Despite low scoring and a stifling game, Chiba J won 70-69, with the defense remaining focused until the end and the offense committing only 5 turnovers, with solid play on both offense and defense.
From the start of the match, Chiba J quickly responded to A Tokyo’s internal attack by taking advantage of his size and finding rhythm on defense. Then, with their signature pace of play, they were able to hit shots at good odds, including Sabia Cooks’ drives, to take a 20-13 lead. Even in the second quarter, they continued to maintain control thanks to the energetic defense of rookie Sori Uchio and increased their lead to 13 points with six and a half minutes left. However, from this point on, the pace was disrupted by A-Tokyo’s solid defense and the attack remained completely stagnant. As a result, they scored just eight points in the second quarter, ending the first half with a 28-29 lead.
The back and forth battle continued into the second half and Chiba J found themselves in a tough spot, down by three points with three and a half minutes left in the match. However, they continued to stop A Tokyo’s attacks in front of goal with their physical defense, and managed to turn the game around with consecutive points in transition, giving them a three-point lead with 17 seconds left. Additionally, Yuki Togashi earned a free throw due to foul play, almost guaranteeing the victory.
However, Togashi missed two free throws in a row. There was an uproar on the court, but even on the next possession, they maintained a no-three with high concentration, allowing Leonardo Meindel to dunk with two seconds left, and ran away.
Chiba J made a spectacular comeback after a 62-81 loss the previous day. Coach John Patrick explains the reasons for the victory as follows. “Yesterday we lost against Boro and we didn’t concentrate well from the start. Today we did our best defensively, except in the middle of the third quarter, when we scored consecutively from pick-and-rolls for about two minutes. And we scored five points. Our opponent had 15 turnovers. I’m proud that we were able to beat Tokyo in a physical game against such a difficult schedule.”
John Mooney, supporting Chiba J’s goal, worked at full capacity for 36 minutes and 51 seconds today, and was the driving force of the victory with his 21 points, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks, making 9 of the 12 field goals .Ta.
“It’s a huge win because we were able to bounce back from yesterday’s loss,” Mooney said, adding that he felt a postseason-like excitement coming from the venue. “It was such a close match, the venue was really exciting and it was an exciting match. There is no doubt that Alvark Tokyo is a team that will participate in the (CS) championship, and today was a great match CS- like the atmosphere.”
Coach Patrick: “I think he’s the best role model for young players.”
Since the start of this season, Chiba J has been plagued by injuries due to a difficult schedule as he competes in the East Asian Super League (EASL), which runs parallel to the league. However, Mooney only missed a few games. Furthermore, in the matches in which he participated, it is normal for him to work at full capacity for more than 30 minutes and, while he is on the pitch, he always shows an exceptional game with full energy and hard work.
It is no exaggeration to say that the two EASL and Emperor’s Cup titles are due to Mooney’s presence. Mooney is showing the same level of dominance as all-time ace Togashi, but coach Patrick said: “Of course, his match performance is fantastic, but as a coach, what I appreciate most is his commitment to daily training and his leadership.” His behavior off the field is also highly appreciated.
“Training on days off like tomorrow is voluntary participation, but Moon (Mooney’s nickname) always comes and does weights and pulls and stretching. I think he’s the best role model for young players.”
When I asked Mooney about it, he said, “It’s to keep me in good condition. I have a routine and sticking to it keeps me fresh during the game and allows me to get into the rhythm quickly.” I will,” she says.
Above all, Mooney has a strong sense of pride as a star athlete and never wants to use a busy schedule as an excuse for poor performance. “It’s better to keep your body fit than to do nothing (the day after the match). The schedule is tough, but as a professional player it’s natural for you to manage yourself well. Tonight I slept well and tomorrow I will train again. I think I’ll make some.”
In addition to staying physically fresh, Mooney continues to stay mentally fresh. “We are still hungry for titles. We have already won two, but our main objective is the scudetto and that is what we are focusing on at the moment. Of course, the disappointment of losing in last year’s final is still fresh on our lie. “I’m here”
Currently, Chiba J has a big game difference between East Division leaders Utsunomiya Brex and second-placed A Tokyo, so it may be unrealistic to reverse the rankings and get home court advantage for CS. However, even if their regular season results are inferior, there is no doubt that the strength of their current team is on the same level as Utsunomiya and A-Tokyo. As long as Mooney continues his high performances, it is quite possible for Chiba J to get the triple crown by winning the championship.
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