Last year’s runner-up Fukuoka University Ohori (Fukuoka) disappeared in the third round. Last year, the strong confrontation with the top four Higashiyama (Kyoto) was inferior from the start. In the first half, the high inside of Higashiyama centered on Mutombo Jean-Pierre (3rd year), an international student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who is 206 cm tall, was not destroyed, and the first quarter was 7-23. After the first half, there was a big difference of 20 | 48. This delay in starting the engine was fatal.

“Even if I said that I got a point difference, it was in the 20s, so if I put up with it and defended, I thought that I could catch up if a shot came in. I could not get that shot easily. Communication was also less than the opponent “Maybe,” said Captain Katsuki Hiramatsu (3rd year), regretting the frustrating content of the match.

On the eve of the match, Fukuoka Daiichi’s captain Muneshi Matsumoto (3rd year), who played in the final last year, contacted me on the line. “Win tomorrow.” We were aiming for the final confrontation between Fukuoka prefectures for the second consecutive year. “I’m full of regret that I couldn’t realize the Fukuoka showdown in the final. First of all, I want you to win.” Hiramatsu finally sent an ale to a rival school in the prefecture.