100th Emperor’s Cup ‍2nd Round 4th Match: ‌Shiga Lakes ⁣vs Shinagawa

Game Summary

The Shiga Lakes faced off against Shinagawa in the 100th Emperor’s Cup 2nd Round 4th Match. The game ⁣was⁢ held⁣ at the Naruto Amino⁢ Value Hall on September 21.

Game Statistics

Player Statistics

POINTS

• Brock Mortam: 22PTS
• Marquise Cummings: 14 points
• Shuto Moriyama: 8 points

REBOUNDS

• Brock Mortum: 14REB
• Javier Carter: 10 REB
• Shuto Moriyama: 6 REB

Assists

• Marquise Cummings:‌ 5AST
• Block ‌Mortum: 2AST
• Daichi Nomoto: 2AST
• Moriyama Shuto: 2AST

Post-match Comments

Head Coach Kenjiro Maeda

First of all, we as​ the Shiga Lakes team must not accept this loss, and I think it is absolutely ⁣unforgivable. I take full responsibility ​for not being able to express myself through my play. At the same time, I think ⁢we‌ gave Shinagawa a chance, ⁢which is why we lost today.

Since the beginning of the season, we have been talking about what we should not‍ allow our opponents⁤ to do and what is most important in order to play the game well, and we have⁤ been working on⁣ that. We⁣ have always been conscious ‌of that, and⁤ this morning, when we were ‍preparing for the match against ​Shinagawa, ⁤we were focusing on not allowing easy layups and transitions, but in the ‍first half, those ⁢situations ‌easily occurred due to our careless defense.

I think ​that all it took was giving​ the Shinagawa players⁢ and team the opportunity to take the lead.

You can’t change the past. I can’t accept this‌ result, and I think that from now on, starting from this moment on, we have to change ⁤as a team. In that regard, I want to make a change starting from me, then bring that⁣ change to the whole team, and move the team forward.

Many of you came to Tokushima, and I ⁤believe many of you made time to watch the games on your screens, full of high ⁢hopes for this⁢ season. I am very sorry⁢ that⁤ we were not able to meet your expectations.

I believe that it is ⁤necessary for us as a professional club, coaches​ and players to clearly⁢ demonstrate our changed image from here on out, and as we will certainly be changing, I hope we⁢ do not disappoint those ⁤expectations. So I would like you to first see that and then ask you to continue​ to support us.

#21 Takanori Tahara

During the preseason, there were​ some areas of our basketball that were not ⁢so good, but I think we started off well in terms of trying ⁢to improve on those areas.‌ However, after that, we‌ had many instances where⁤ we were easily scored on due to our ‌own light reactions, easy mistakes due to our weaknesses being exposed, or the opponents taking easy layups and open⁣ shots.

We weren’t able to dominate rebounds either, and we also didn’t get many offensive rebounds.

I felt that we were a little stiff in the game because we started on the bench. We had some good ​points, but I think that was‌ the ⁣reason we couldn’t win. The whole team⁢ has to switch⁢ gears, so each individual‌ has to switch gears, and then we have the preseason, and we still have the Koshigaya match, so we’ll⁣ get back on track and fight well in the opening home game.

Now, under Head Coach Maeda, we have been⁣ working on the small details, defense, offense, and the Japanese players since mid-July, and although things were going well at first, I don’t think they were satisfied as time went on, and I think ⁢they may have become a⁤ little complacent. If we take action to improve our practice by ⁢even 1%, we should be heading in a ​good direction.

As a team, we have been trying to improve ⁣that​ area ⁤this week, but the current situation is that⁤ we are not seeing results. We just⁣ have to keep​ doing it, so we need to believe in the basketball that Kenny is playing, and be conscious of the small details, such​ as defense and⁣ offense, and the situation can change completely with just a little detail, so if we keep working on those things, I think we will see results.

Although I cannot accept this result at the moment, it’s over now,⁣ so I want to think carefully about what ⁣lies ahead, prepare what I can ⁤now, and move forward.

So⁤ many supporters came all the way to⁢ Tokushima and sat on the​ bench, across from the bench, or​ on the side of the bench, ‌and I’m really sorry that we lost. ‌We have no choice but to take this as a lesson and take⁢ it as a positive,​ so⁢ we⁤ will learn from what we need to do and reflect on it. The opening game is in two weeks, so we’ll work hard in preparation for that, so I ​hope ‌you will continue ⁣to support us with your enthusiastic support.