The final four of the 92nd Empress’s Cup All-Japan Basketball Championship final round were completed, and two semi-final games were held today, January 9th. Denso Iris advanced to the finals after defeating defending champion Fujitsu Red Wave 81-60. The next match was Toyota Antelopes vs. ENEOS Sunflowers, with ENEOS winning 60-55, and the final card was decided.
The match to determine the true best in Japan will be held on January 11th (Sunday) between DENSO, the champions of the previous three tournaments, and ENEOS, who achieved 10 consecutive victories in the previous tournament. Here are comments from the head coaches and players of both teams that advanced to the finals. The details of the press conference areJBA official YouTubeYou can view it at.
■Empress’s Cup Final
DENSO IRIS vs ENEOS Sunflowers
Date and time: January 11 (Sunday) 16:00TIP-OFF
Venue: National Yoyogi Stadium First Gymnasium
Tickets on sale now
■Denso Iris
Vladimir Vuksanovic Head Coach
“Today was a high-intensity game, and I thought it would be a difficult game. We knew how they were going to play, so there were some parts in the middle of the game that we couldn’t control. However, from the middle of the second quarter, we were able to control rebounds, which is our basketball style, and run well, and we The reason for our victory was that we were able to execute until the end.We have experience in the finals, so of course we will prepare for a victory, but I think it will be a completely different game.We respect both Toyota Motor Corporation and ENEOS, but we want to be proud and embody our basketball style no matter which team we play against.”
#88 Ako Himawari player
“We knew from the beginning that it was going to be a high-intensity match. We were able to enter the match without backing down, and we were able to hang in there in the first half, but in the second half, we didn’t hold back and when the momentum came, each player made good plays and made shots from there to pull us away. I’m glad that we were able to pull away. No matter who comes out on top in the final, we want to prepare well tomorrow and play well for the first 40 minutes so that we can play an even better game than today.”
#21 Haruna Kasagi
“First of all, I’m really glad that we were able to win today’s game. There were some tough moments, but everyone on the court was able to concentrate and persevere, which led to the final score. If everyone on the court can express themselves in the same way in the final, I think we can definitely win. In the final, of course we will make adjustments, but I think it’s important to see how we can play our basketball. We want to play our basketball at a high level.”
■ENEOS Sunflowers
Tim Lewis Head Coach
“The performance of all the players today was amazing.I think this result was due to the fact that each player did what they were supposed to do from the start of the game and fought well.It was a game where we could see a lot of growth from each player.We were able to win both yesterday and today because of the hard work of the players.The final against Denso As for that, I haven’t seen today’s game yet, so I’d like to make a solid plan after watching it.Of course, we’ve played against them several times during the season, so I’m going to plan accordingly, and I’m sure the players will do well.I think the key will be how far we can execute our plan.”
#0 Ma Gua Evelyn
“Today, the theme of the Empress’s Cup is to fight for what’s in front of us one by one.We had quite a few difficult matches against Toyota this time in the league, but coach Tim and player Miyazaki told everyone that in a tournament like this, we will have a completely different way of fighting.In that sense, I think we were able to do our best every moment.No matter who our opponent is in the final, we are a young team, and people often say that we lack experience. Regardless of what people say, I want to continue to win the small battles in front of me and show that I can grow even in a short period of time. We would like to win here and present ourselves with the victory, but I believe that Miyazaki and I can only win this title if we give 100% and 120%.We want to continue to play well while encouraging the team.”
#32 Saori Miyazaki
“Honestly, I’m really happy and I feel relieved. Above all, it’s reassuring for me that Evelyn is here. Up until now, there were many things I felt like I had to do everything by myself. It’s been a lot easier for me as well. Also, Hoshi (Anri) has been a big help, and she scored a three-pointer in a good spot today. She also limited us to just three points against Toyota’s (Mai) Yamamoto. I personally think that I feel that way. Even if I don’t have to do everything by myself, I’m enjoying having my juniors and Evelyn with me. I think that was the reason why we were able to win against Toyota Motor Corporation. I think we’ll be able to get a good result in the finals because we have strong bench members like Mita (Nanami) who will produce results regardless of who is on the bench.I want to rest well and do my best in preparation for the match against Denso.”
