The 100th Kanto University Basketball League (Division 2)
Monday, August 26, 2024 vs. Kokushikan University @Musashino Forest Sport Plaza
For Hosei University, which is aiming to be promoted to the first division this season, the autumn league has begun. The first match was against Kokushikan University, which lost all of its matches last season. Hosei University played their own basketball and won 73-62. They won their important first match with a splendid victory.
▲Communicating #23 Tsutsumi (left) and #18 Yaezawa (right)
Total match results
| 1Q |
|---|
| 2Q |
| 3Q |
| 4Q |
Hosei University starting members
| Player name | position | School of origin | score | rebound | assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hosei University bench players
| Player name | position | School of origin | score | rebound | assist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Match progress and schedule (1st round)
| Battle | date | Opponent | result |
|---|---|---|---|
Battle Review
In the first quarter, the outstanding performance of the Hosei University inside players set the tone of the game. #18 Yaezawa Ren’s performance stood out especially in the early part of this quarter. First, he received a pass from #7 Motoyama Ryoki, and the ball he shot from the 3-point line was sucked into the ring. Next, he received a pass from a teammate under the basket, and easily slipped through the tall defense of the opposing foreign student to score. After that, #75 Yanagida Daito, who is 2 meters tall, won a scramble under the basket, and #21 Fujihira Kosei, who received a skillful pass from #0 Suginobu Ifeani, scored with a brilliant roll turn. Towards the end of the quarter, #8 Ishida Taizo shot a beautiful 3-point shot from a pass from #75 Yanagida, and the score went into the second quarter with a score of 19-14.
2nd quarter. #75 Yanagida scored under the basket and #7 Motoyama made two 3-pointers, and Hosei University took the lead from the beginning. After that, #23 Tsutsumi Reita scored on a pass from #21 Fujihira, and #21 Fujihira scored on a mid-range shot from a pass from #7 Motoyama, and Hosei University continued to score steadily. However, at the end of the 2nd quarter, the score difference was narrowed by the opponent’s 3-pointer and #15 Bongo Giron’s spectacular dunk, but Hosei University still went into halftime with a 3-point lead of 36-33.
![[Basketball]First league match starts with a win! / 100th Kanto University Basketball League, first round against Kokushikan University](https://sports-hosei.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/phonto-6-scaled.jpg "[Basketball]First league match starts with a win! / 100th Kanto University Basketball League, first round against Kokushikan University")
▲#18 Yaezawa was named to the starting lineup.
In the third quarter, the opposing team, Kokushikan University, introduced two foreign students to strengthen their rebounding, but Hosei University continued to play a calm game. #75 Yanagida assisted a point with an exquisite one-handed pass to #23 Tsutsumi, who was waiting under the basket. #25 Nabeta Noriyuki then scored a 3-pointer after receiving a pass from #10 Sakamoto Atsuto, and #0 Suginobu scored a point under the basket after receiving a pass from #21 Fujihira, showing Hosei University’s momentum is still unstoppable. The second half of the third quarter was a transition game with frequent changes in offense and defense, but the game went into the final quarter with a score of 54-50.
In the 4th quarter, starting with a 3-pointer from #18 Yaezawa, followed by a basket count from #23 Tsutsumi and a 3-pointer from #21 Fujihira, Hosei University quickly widened their lead to 64-55. They continued to not let their opponents get the flow, with #8 Ishida and #10 Sakamoto scoring 3-pointers in succession to widen the lead to 10 points at 70-60. At the end of the 4th quarter, #25 Nabeta made a deep three-pointer from the center circle, and on the court he showed off the “good night” pose, which is synonymous with NBA player Stephen Curry. Hosei University won 73-62, taking revenge on Kokushikan University, who had defeated them in all league matches last year!
▲#75 Yanagida, who was just as physically strong as the international students and gave his all
This summer, Hosei University has been working hard at training camp under the theme of “Going beyond the limit.” The goal of the players, who have been practicing harder than usual, is of course promotion to the first division. Looking at the games this season, the game was calmer than last season, and each player’s scoring ability seems to be steadily improving. Hosei University has once again taken a step towards their long-cherished dream of promotion to the first division. Keep an eye on the heated battles that will unfold over the next two months.
(Article by Takase Maho)
Photo courtesy of Hosei University Men’s Basketball Club
▲Players celebrate their teammates’ good plays
◆Comments◆
Director: Shunji Sato
Looking back on today’s game
We lost two games in a row to this team last year, so it was just the start of the league, but I’m glad we were able to win.
-What is your game plan for Kokushikan University?
I thought that if we could keep the opposing shooters and the foreign students under control and execute our own offense, we would be able to put together a decent run of play.
-What did you work on as a team during the summer training camp?
The theme of the training camp was “going beyond our limits,” so we pushed ourselves harder than ever before. In that sense, I think everyone’s bodies got stronger and they also became much tougher mentally, so I think it was a good training camp.
– In the third quarter, the opposing team brought in two international students. Looking back on that quarter, what were your thoughts?
We knew that the other team had strengthened their rebounding, but we also had Tsutsumi (Reita) and Yanagida (Daito) and Fujihira (Kosei) so we made sure to contain the big foreign student and the other big Japanese man. I didn’t think the other team’s rebounding was particularly strong, so if anything, I think that having Tsutsumi on the team gave us the advantage in rebounding.
Q: What are your thoughts on the next match?
We’ve won two games in a row, and the league season has just started, so we want to keep up that good momentum and win again tomorrow.
-To all our fans
The league match has begun. Last year we had to go through a relegation match and couldn’t get into the first division, but this year we will do our best to get into the first division, so please support us.
#25 Noriyuki Nabeta (2nd year law student, Fukuoka University Ohori)
Looking back on today’s game
Our game plan was to work hard on defense and to rebound well because the opponent had a strong rebound. Defensively, we were able to hold the opponent to 60 points, which was really good, and as the game drew to a close, the 3rd and 4th year players in positions 4 and 5 worked really hard on rebounding, which is why we were able to get that score difference, so I think that was good and good. However, personally, we didn’t have many turnovers or make shots at key moments, so I’d like to adjust those things for the next game.
-Looking back on your own play
We weren’t able to pass the ball or attack in places that the opponents didn’t like, and we ended up turning the ball over, which is something we need to reflect on. We will fix that and try to avoid that from next time.
Q: What are your thoughts on the next match?
I will continue to do thorough scouting, and I don’t think what I do will change, so I would like to take each game seriously.
-To all our fans
Thank you for your support. There are still many more league matches to go, but we will do our best as a team, including the players and staff, so please continue to support us.
