Slam Dunk Showdown: Yokohama B Corsairs Face Off Against Viatin Mie in Thrilling 100th Emperor’s Cup All Japan Basketball Championship 2nd Round Matchup
Yokohama B-Corsairs faced off against Viatin Mie in the 2nd round of the 100th All-Japan Emperor’s Cup Basketball Championship on Saturday, September 21.
Game Summary
Match Report
The Emperor’s Cup second round match against Mie was the first official match of the season. Yokohama BC took control from the start with a strong defense and a fierce offense that scored 30 points in the first quarter. In the second half, Yokohama BC maintained their strength on defense while showing coordination on drives and cuts on offense, with the team tallying 26 assists. They did not give up the lead from start to finish and won with 28 points. The scoring leader was No. 24 Matsuzaki with 18 points. All participating Yokohama BC players scored points, with five players scoring in double figures.
Starting Lineup
#8 Gary Clark
#15 Kiefer Ravenna
#21 Mike Coetzer
#23 King Kai
#30 Koya Sudo
Player Statistics
#8 Gary Clark 13 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
#9 Yusei Sugiura 10 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal
#21 Mike Coetzer 11 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals
#23 King Kai 17 points 2 assists 3 steals
#24 Hiroki Matsuzaki 18 points, 2 rebounds, 4 steals
Quarter Breakdown
1st Quarter
Yokohama 30-15 Mie BC
Mie conceded the lead, but No. 23 King quickly responded. Both teams exchanged points at a good pace from the start, and while Mie continued to score inside, Yokohama BC was able to hit outside shots with good chances and gradually increase the point difference. She also induced the opponent’s mistakes on defense and successfully made a fast break after a steal to reach double figures at midfield. Yokohama BC played strong defense from the 1st quarter, not getting any points for the middle 3 minutes, and on offense they showed a fierce attack by scoring 30 points including 4 3-point shots, closing the 1st quarter with a 15-point lead.
2nd Quarter
Yokohama 43-28 Mie BC (Yokohama 13-13 Mie BC)
From the start, both players made mistakes and things were hectic, but #24 Matsuzaki scored the first point of the quarter with a 3-point shot. Yokohama BC allowed Mie to score consecutive points inside and called a timeout when the momentum was starting to change, but they stepped up on defense and #23 King stole the ball from a 1-on-1 and scored. Also, #9 Sugiura hit a 3-point shot after an opponent’s turnover, and #23 King scored a point with an early attack, extending the lead to 20 points with 4 minutes left. In the closing stages, when Yokohama BC’s score was stagnant, Mie scored consecutive points, but the game ended with them still leading.
3rd Quarter
Yokohama 71-47 Mie BC (Yokohama 28-19 Mie BC)
Yokohama BC had more opportunities to score inside through attacks and cuts, and continued to score at a good pace from the beginning of the 3rd quarter. On defense, they use their legs to protect even when they are in a small formation and do not give away points easily to the opponent. They showed quick transitions, such as steals and fast breaks, and the lead increased to 20 points again at the half. Yokohama BC showed good coordination in ball movement and showed a strong offense with 28 points in this quarter, heading into the final quarter with a 24-point lead.
4th Quarter
Yokohama 88-60 Mie BC (Yokohama 17-13 Mie BC)
They allowed Mie, who showed her inner strength, to score consecutive points from the start, but they regained their defensive rhythm, with #18 Morii showing a fierce defense that did not allow the opposing handlers to easily carry the ball. #8 Clark’s dunk from a steal, #9 Sugiura’s offensive rebound with his body gave him a second chance, and from the set play, #14 Ohba made a 3-point shot and once again released Mie, reducing the strength of the defense until they finally won by 28 points.
Post-Game Comments
Lassi Tuovi HC Comments
It was a very physical game, but for us at this time it was important because it gave us the experience of playing without a size advantage. It was difficult to fight inside and compete for rebounds, but everyone was always moving and could continue to play the basketball they wanted. I am very happy that we were able to cause 31 turnovers to our opponent and have an active attack. It was also great that all nine players were able to play together and share the time. I am looking forward to tomorrow’s game.
#8 Gary Clark Comments
Today’s game was a good experience for us as a team and I think we prepared well for tomorrow’s game. Everyone listened to what coach Rassi said and tried their best to execute the instructions correctly, so the finer points of defense and the ability to execute in offense improved. But this team can still improve. As I think you all saw at the end of today’s game, we did a good teamwork, no one was taking a selfie and the system created by coach Rassi where anyone could shoot really suited us. That’s why I think tomorrow’s game will be a good test for us.
#9 Yusei Sugiura Comments
First of all, I am relieved that we were able to win. It was good that we had time to play the up-tempo basketball that we want to play, but personally there are some areas that we need to work on for tomorrow, like our ability to make shots and fight for rebounds, so we need to improve. We don’t know who our opponent will be tomorrow, but we will fight to be able to express on the court what we have achieved. We look forward to your continued support tomorrow.
#23 King Kai Comments
Today’s game was a game where we were able to play the basketball we wanted from start to finish. I think we were able to play focusing on the second half, which was a problem for us, so we want to continue like this. Tomorrow’s opponent has not been decided yet, but no matter who our opponent is, we will play the basketball we need to play and prepare to win.