report
Valuable winning streak led by “power to endure”
The hidden strength of the team that worked together to plug small gaps and fight until the end.
Yamanashi Queen Beads 62-55 Mitsubishi Electric Corers
(November 3, 2025/Biwajima Sports Center)
In order to achieve their goal of winning the Future League, it is essential that they win consecutive games against Mitsubishi Electric.
Everyone on the team understood that the road would not be smooth.
It has been 10 years since our opponent, Mitsubishi Electric Corers, returned to the league. The Queen Bees are a strong team that they have never beaten before.
After yesterday’s loss, today they will put their determination and pride on the line and go at full throttle from the start.
The players were fully aware of this.
Another challenge against a strong team.
The torch was lit at 4:00 pm at the Biwajima Sports Center.
Darame Malem Doi started the match. Using his height and physicality, he scored consecutive points, making it 6-0 in the first two minutes. At this point, Mitsubishi Electric took a timeout.
However, the momentum continues. They persevered with offensive rebounds, and the entire bench stood up every time they got a second chance. The energy of the team dominated the court.
At one point in the middle, Mitsubishi Electric was able to catch up, but at the end of the game, head coach Sachiko Ishikawa praised Miyoshi’s work, saying, “We had to make a substitution early on due to Watanabe’s fouls,” and Seika Miyoshi sank a jumper, extending the lead and ending the first quarter at 18-14.
At the start of the second quarter, the Queen Bees were pushed back by Mitsubishi Electric’s fast attack and the score was tied at 18-16. At this point, head coach Ishikawa immediately took a timeout. The fix was quick.
They regained the flow from a defensive rebound, and Malem powerfully slotted into the goal, making the bench excited.
Even though both teams were struggling to score, Queenbees controlled the game with their tenacious defense and rebounding. In the first half alone, the number of rebounds was 26 to 14, limiting Mitsubishi Electric to just three offensive rebounds.
In the final stages, Momoko Inoue hit a three on the ball that Malem took from inside, ending the first half at 36-26.
The three-point defense, which was an issue the day before, was limited to 1/7 (14.3%) and the first half was over.
In the second half, Mitsubishi Electric started a counterattack with Nakamura’s three-pointer. However, Aika Watanabe immediately responded with a three.
There were some tough times in the middle due to foul trouble, but they kept the game going by changing members.
After yesterday’s game, Saki Ikeda was very active and said, “I will apply what I learned today to tomorrow.”
They showed their presence offensively and defensively with floaters and steals, and the third quarter ended with a 15-point difference at 52-37.
In the final quarter, the atmosphere at the venue completely changed. With 6 minutes and 18 seconds left, Takahashi’s three-pointer made it 52-47. Mitsubishi Electric showed great momentum in catching up, and the cheers from the home team echoed. The time has come to test the Queen Beads’ “power to withstand.”
After Watanabe’s three made the lead extend to 55-47, neither team scored for two minutes. Gorrie sank two shots, cutting the gap to 55-51, the smallest of the day, but Ikeda hit a floater and a throw from a foul to make it 58-51.
With two minutes left, Malem’s inside score made it 60-52. Mitsubishi Electric got close to 60-55 with a three from Yamamoto, but Malem calmly made a two-throw to make it 62-55.
He maintained his concentration until the end and the match ended. Queen Bees finished their match against Mitsubishi Electric with consecutive wins.
As the momentum of the match turned to Mitsubishi Electric, the home crowd cheered even louder.
However, even though we were inferior in numbers, our voice was still intact.
The cheering gives the players a boost.
Amidst the excitement on the floor, the Queen Bees remained calm and reassembled the huddle many times to confirm each other’s intentions.
And not only from the five players on the court, but also from the bench, voices were heard constantly.
Early in the fourth quarter, Watanabe was in foul trouble and scoreless.
Then, Mitsubishi Electric’s successive threes brought the situation to a close.
It was a game in which many small gaps were exposed.
However, everyone works together to close the gap, someone speaks out, and someone jumps in for the rebound.
The team’s strong defense and unshakable mentality demonstrated the team’s ability to persevere and fight until the end.
And the cheers of the fans and boosters who supported that performance.
This match, which can be said to be a symbol of the “basketball game played by all players” that the Queen Bees have cultivated, resulted in a valuable consecutive victory.
The next match will be against Himeji on November 8th, with the stage moved to the Yamanashi Municipal Gymnasium.
With the support of the fans at home, we want to show that the Queen Bees have grown even further.
Head coach/player talk
Sachiko Ishikawa Head Coach
Based on yesterday’s match, we focused on maintaining our defensive strength throughout the 40 minutes. Mitsubishi Electric made more adjustments than yesterday and put a lot of pressure on us from the first half, but I think the players responded well. We had some tough moments in the second half, but the big thing was that we were able to hold on and stay aggressive until the end. In terms of defense, I feel that as a team we have definitely developed the ability to persevere. And today, Miyoshi really worked hard on defense. Even in the scene where Watanabe’s fouls piled up and we had to make an early substitution, Miyoshi played his role well, which was great. He played good defense against big men, and I had high expectations for him, and he lived up to my expectations. Also, it is really reassuring for the team to have one more member who can compete. With these two consecutive wins, we are gradually starting to see the shape of our team, but we still have issues to overcome. I want to go into the next match with clear goals.
Captain Momoko Inoue
There were many times when our opponent made adjustments and we couldn’t play the way we wanted. There were some fouls on the inside and some moments where we almost lost our rhythm, but it was great that we were able to communicate with each other as a team and share the mindset of “doing our best on defense and rebounding” until the end. In the end, I think that was the reason for our victory. On offense, we didn’t get the ball around when we wanted it, and there were some turnovers, but Ikeda was able to make important shots and we were able to keep things flowing to our opponents. I think that the fact that we were able to win two consecutive games against Mitsubishi Electric, which we had not beaten before, is proof that the team has solid strength. There were times when we got caught up in the opponent’s pace, but the reason we were able to accomplish what we needed to do without wavering was because everyone had a strong desire to win. Although it was an away match, the Queen Bees’ support was really encouraging, and I felt that their enthusiasm even exceeded that of the venue. I’m glad that we were able to respond to their cheers with a victory. We hope to accumulate these wins and ultimately lead to the league championship. We hope to share the victory with our fans again in our next home match.
Dalame Malem Doi
The entire team went into the match with a shared desire to win as many games as possible with the aim of winning the championship. We were determined to win two games in a row following yesterday, so I’m glad that everyone was able to play their best until the end. During the match, I think it was good that we didn’t give up no matter what the situation was, and that we were able to focus on the “next shot” while talking to each other on the court as a group of five players. The Yamanashi team is really strong and can fight tenaciously until the end. It was clear that everyone was determined to do what they had decided to do. Ikeda’s shot was very good today, and her score gave the team momentum. I am also happy that I was able to contribute to the team in scoring situations and defense. It was a game in which the entire team played well. I hope everyone will work together like we did today in next week’s home game. Thank you for your support. We are waiting for you at the venue.
Saki Ikeda
We thoroughly shared our reflections from yesterday, and everyone went into today with this in mind. I think it was good that we were able to show what we confirmed before the match throughout the 40 minutes, and that we continued to attack aggressively. However, there were still many mistakes, so I would like to correct them for the next time. The fourth quarter was really nerve-wracking today, but everyone on the bench and court was very positive, and we couldn’t stop cheering. There were some moments where we scored points due to our defense, but there were many moments where everyone defended well, and I think we were able to play in a typical Yamanashi style. My shots vary depending on the day, but defense is something anyone can do. This is a part where team strength is tested, so being able to play for 40 minutes was a huge improvement. There are some points to improve upon, but I think we were able to play a defense that will lead us to the next step. We want to prepare well again for next week’s home match. The fact that we were able to hold our ground defensively during the difficult times was a big takeaway from these two days. I want to prepare each day carefully and respond with a result in the next match.
Aika Watanabe
It was good these past two days that even when we were catching up, we were able to play calmly and cheer each other on without getting anxious. Getting off to a good start has always been an issue, but I think one of the reasons we won this time was because we were able to enter at our own pace.
However, there are times when we allow our opponents to score consecutive points in the blink of an eye, which is an issue. I would like to be able to attack more aggressively so that I can push back when my opponent gears up. When the ball is moving well as a team, we have a good flow, but if we stop at any point, our rhythm suddenly deteriorates, so I want everyone to keep moving throughout the 40 minutes.
In terms of rebounds and loose balls, there were still times when we were caught by our opponents in important situations, so I want to step up our game to the next level.
The next match against Himeji will be against a team that is different from Mitsubishi Electric, with many one-on-one situations. It is important to stick to our own basket rather than adapting to the opponent’s style. We will all fight to win two consecutive games at home.
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