Loss to Jundai: Why Meiji University Needs a Map Between Offense and Defense!
Oh, what a glorious train wreck we have here! The Meiji University women’s basketball team thought they were heading for a competitive ride but ended up tripping over their shoelaces in an away match against Jundai, losing by 35 points. Talk about a reality check — the kind of check that your bank sends right after you’ve splurged on an impulse buy!
◆ 9.4-10.27 74th Kanto University Women’s 2nd Division League A Block (Higashimachi Sports Center, etc.)
▼ 10/26: Battle against Jun (Jun University Sakura Campus)
Meidai 48 {5-21, 28-23, 4-20, 11-19} 83 Jundai〇
To get the ball rolling, let’s break down the starters ; let’s just say a “captain” might not cut it if you’re sailing in choppy waters! We’ve got:
- PG Captain Miyu Shinbayashi (Science and Engineering 4 = Shohoku Yuzawa)
- PF Ryona Yamamoto (Bun 4 = Hamamatsu Kaiseikan)
- SF Nanho Kamiyama (Bun 3 = Hakuoh Dai Ashikaga)
- CF Goto Hanoka (Science and Engineering 3 = Kugenuma)
- PG Kana Hagiwara (British 2 = Hamamatsu Kaiseikan)
“From the very get-go, it was like watching someone run a marathon in flip-flops,” commented Kokoro Obana from Seikei 1. They simply couldn’t find their groove. Sure, Shinbayashi started strong with a stunning 3-pointer, but like a magician’s rabbit, it quickly vanished!
As the first quarter rolled on, Jundai must have felt like they were playing against a team of mannequins – absolutely no resistance! Then, just when Meiji’s fans thought things were looking up, Hagiwara began shooting hoops as if her life depended on it. They even managed to narrow the gap to mere 11 points. Too bad it wasn’t a race; it was a basketball game, and oh, the competition picked up the pace again!
But hold onto your seats because the third quarter was where the game became a spectacle of missed opportunities, like a blindfolded darts game at a pub. The offense and defense were like two fighters in separate rings, neither willing to engage. Turnovers? Oh, they’ve got those in spades – handing Jundai a lead as big as my ego after telling a particularly bad joke.
Wondering how they ended up trailing by 27 points by the fourth quarter? Picture a group of cats trying to herd mice. That’s your visual right there! And as for the rookies like Non Nakaue and Reina Tsugane, let’s just say they put in valiant efforts throughout, but the scoreboard still ticked up like a countdown clock on New Year’s Eve.
Tomorrow brings the final match of the league, and let’s hope the Meiji team grabs their armor and shields (and maybe a decent GPS system) before it starts, as Ozaki has pointed out about their “bad start.” “If we begin like today, we may as well hit the snooze button for good!”
Comments after the match
Ozaki:
“Looking back, we really stumbled into the opponent’s rhythm instead of carving out our own path in the wild! We need to channel our inner Picasso and start painting a more coordinated picture.”
Obana:
“What’s on the agenda for tomorrow? Easy – let’s eliminate those pass errors and fine-tune our rebounding. I want us moving like synchronized swimmers – in perfect harmony but on a court!”
So, as they gear up to face Kyoei University, one fact remains clear: There’s a fine line between chaos and strategy, and Meiji University best figure out which side they’re on before tip-off! Will they finally rise to the occasion or is it too late for dramatic plot twists? Only time will tell, and as the saying goes, it’s better to fail spectacularly than to fade quietly into obscurity!
[春田麻衣]
Oh, bless that article’s heart—it’s a rough ride! The Meiji University women really learned a lesson in the art of team synergy, hammered home by the worst kind of smackdown. But hey, tomorrow’s another day, and who knows — it could be a Cinderella story, or at least one worthy of a chat over pints later! Let’s get ready to rumble, and fingers crossed they don’t turn it into a slapstick comedy.
Loss to Jundai due to lack of interaction between offense and defense/Kanto University Women’s 2nd Division League A Block
The second match was an away game against Jundai, where Meiji University faced a disconcerting start that allowed their opponents to rapidly extend their lead within the first quarter. Despite a brief resurgence that left fans hopeful in the second quarter, the team ultimately fell apart in the second half. As defensive lapses and poor communication plagued their gameplay, they found themselves unable to narrow the gap, ultimately suffering a significant 35-point defeat.
◆9.4-10.27 74th Kanto University Women’s 2nd Division League A Block (Higashimachi Sports Center, etc.)
▼10/26 Battle against Jun (Jun University Sakura Campus)
Meidai 48 {5-21, 28-23, 4-20, 11-19} 83 Jundai〇
The starting lineup featured PG Captain Miyu Shinbayashi (Science and Engineering 4 = Shohoku Yuzawa), PF Ryona Yamamoto (Bun 4 = Hamamatsu Kaiseikan), SF Nanho Kamiyama (Bun 3 = Hakuoh Dai Ashikaga), CF Goto Hanoka (Science and Engineering 3 = Kugenuma), and PG Kana Hagiwara (British 2 = Hamamatsu Kaiseikan). These players were expected to set the tone for the match but struggled to find their rhythm throughout.
“From the beginning, the game went with the flow of the opponent, and we allowed them to play the basketball they wanted to play,” stated Kokoro Obana from Seikei 1, Shimotsuma Daiichi, highlighting that Meidai couldn’t find a proper rhythm from the start. Shinbayashi initially attempted to spark the offense with a 3-point shot within the first three minutes, but after that, her shots fell flat as the team struggled collectively on the boards against Jundai. The opening quarter ended with Meiji overwhelmed and trailing significantly.
In the second quarter, however, Hagiwara ignited a glimmer of hope with several mid-range and 3-point shots, energizing the offense as the team appeared to regain their footing. Goto and Risaki Ozaki (Science and Engineering 2 = Tokyo Seitoku) made notable contributions in rebounding and defensive efforts, which saw Meiji cut the deficit to just 11 points by the time the first half concluded.
The hope, however, was short-lived, as the third quarter proved to be another struggle. The team’s offense took a backseat, failing to synchronize effectively with their defense, allowing Jundai to seize complete control of the match. The frequency of turnovers exacerbated the situation, resulting in a staggering expansion of Jundai’s lead to 27 points before heading into the final quarter. Although Ozaki and Shinbayashi managed to land a few 3-point shots, every attempt to orchestrate a comeback fell short. Rookies like Non Nakaue (Science and Engineering 1 = Kugenuma) and Reina Tsugane (Politics and Economics 1 = Konodai Jogakuin) faced immense pressure against a staunch defense that denied Meiji any substantial progress, ultimately leading to a deflating defeat.
As the final match of the league looms tomorrow, Ozaki emphasized the necessity for improvement, saying, “Our problem is that we have a bad start to the game. If we start like we did today, we will lose tomorrow as well, so we want to switch things up and do our best from the start.” There remains a crucial question: Can the team leverage the lessons learned from today’s loss and secure a victory in their concluding league match?
Comments after the match
Ozaki
――Please look back on today’s match.
“From the beginning, we were going at the opponent’s pace, and the flow was bad. We recovered in the second quarter, but in the third quarter, we were back at the opponent’s pace again, which determined the significant point difference.”
――What would you like to try your best at tomorrow’s match?
“We have an international student who I think will be a source of points, so I want to do my best to stop them and play with all my strength on offense.”
Obana
――Before entering the second quarter, what did you discuss with your team about areas for improvement?
“First, we talked about eliminating pass errors, getting more rebounds, and creating movement on offense.”
――Considering today’s loss, how do you want to play in the final match against Kyoei University?
“There’s only one game left, so I want to switch things up and do what I didn’t do today; I want to ensure we play Meiji basketball again.”
[春田麻衣]
