B3 REGULAR SEASON 2025-26: Kagawa Five Arrows Secure Victory Over Tokyo United Basketball Club
October 4, 2025 – The Kagawa Five Arrows kicked off their B3 Regular Season campaign with a hard-fought 84-62 victory against the Tokyo United Basketball Club at the Ariake Arena. The matchup, part of Section 2, saw the Five Arrows overcome an inconsistent first half to assert dominance in the latter stages of the game.
The game tipped off at 17:00 local time, with the Ariake Arena serving as the main venue for this exciting encounter. While the final scoreline suggests a comfortable win for Kagawa, the first half proved to be a tighter affair. Tokyo United managed to hold their own,with the scoreline reflecting a close contest. However, the Kagawa Five Arrows, demonstrating resilience and strategic adjustments, managed to pull away in the second half, ultimately securing the win.
The box score reveals Kagawa’s scoring breakdown as 21-24-19-20,while Tokyo United posted 14-24-11-13. For those interested in the granular details of the game, a comprehensive BOX SCORE and PLAY BY PLAY is available.
Coach Yanai Yuki Reflects on Team Performance
following the game, Kagawa Five Arrows’ coach, Yanai Yuki, expressed his satisfaction with the win, acknowledging the team’s ability to regroup after a challenging first half. “The basic premise was that we were glad that we were able to win today as well,” Coach yanai stated. “In the first half, we were unable to do what we had to do, which led to a rather difficult rhythm. In the second half, we repeated what we needed to do, and did the obvious things, and we were able to increase the number of times for ourselves, so I think it was good.”
He further emphasized the importance of learning from every possession, a crucial aspect for any team aspiring to reach higher echelons. “In order to become a strong team from now on, there will be games where players will lose their sense of the first half and one possession unless they think carefully about the meaning of the first half and one possession, so I think it was a game where you can experience and grow.”
Coach Yanai also extended his respect to their opponents, noting the historical competitiveness between the two clubs. “Tokyo U-san was a team that was struggling with us last year, so while giving maximum respect, Hajime (imabayashi) will do his best tomorrow to fight together as a Kagawa player so that he doesn’t lose to Tokyo U-san, and to defeat the Kagawa boosters who have come to cheer us on and repay us.”
Player Spotlight: Imabayashi Moe on Team’s Second-Half Surge
Guard Imabayashi Moe echoed the coach’s sentiments, highlighting the team’s ability to execute their game plan in the second half. “In the first half, we were unable to do what we were trying to do due to turnovers or our own mistakes, but in the second half we switched over and were able to fully embody the basic team concept, so I think it was great that it turned out like this,” Imabayashi commented.
The opportunity to play at the Ariake Arena was also a meaningful factor for the players. “It’s great to be able to come home like this as the main focus at Ariake Arena and play a game,” he added. “However, the best thing was that the team won, so I will do my best to win tomorrow as well and work hard towards the next match.”
The Kagawa Five Arrows will look to build on this opening victory as they continue their B3 Regular Season journey. Their ability to adapt and execute under pressure, as demonstrated in the second half of this game, bodes well for their aspirations this season.
