The Sendai 89ERS lost to the Gunma Crane Thunders 64-85, suffering their second five-game losing streak this season. While LaShawn Thomas (28) and Shota Watanabe (24) are missing the main players due to injuries, Yuta Kobayashi (31) shows a career-high 19 points and leads 55-53 until the third quarter (Q). . However, in the 4th quarter alone, Gunma’s onslaught was 9-32, resulting in a crushing defeat by 21 points.
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I succumbed to peer pressure. Gunma, who was promoted in the 2020-21 season, led Sendai, who was promoted last season, 34-29 in the first half. In the 3rd quarter, Juichi Kato (29) came into contact with an opponent player and hurt his right leg, leaving the team, but the team managed to maintain its lead. However, in the 4th quarter, Sendai scored only 2 points in the first 5 minutes, conceding 16 points, and was completely deprived of the initiative. After that, the game ended without being able to wipe out the bad flow. Head coach Hiroki Fujita (HC = 36) said, “In the second half, I played a very embarrassing basketball game. I played a game that didn’t deserve to be shown as a professional,” with a bitter expression on his face.
Conceding 30 points from a turnover (replacement of offense and defense due to mistakes), and as HC Fujita recalls, “The way the offense ended was too bad,” there are still issues with offensive make-up without Thomas and Watanabe. rice field. Kodera Hamilton Gary (38), who has experience playing in Gunma, gave 5 assists, which is the highest in the team, but referred to the scoring power, saying, “I have to decide the shot I should decide.” “We didn’t do what we were supposed to do. It was a match that made us realize that we have to do better,” he reflected.
For the second round, HC Fujita said, “I want to go back to our basket and fight again.” Kodera enthusiastically said, “I want to show a match that won’t disappoint (the boosters), win and return to Sendai.” Pursuing the basketball of Sendai 89ERS, defeating seniors promoted to B1 and getting the first victory in 23 years.[Hamamoto Kamui]
