“In the second half, we were able to go with our flow, starting with defense and running.”
On January 31st, the Saga Ballooners played at home against the Chiba Jets. Although they were behind by as many as 19 points, the second unit’s intense pressure defense helped them regain control of the game and achieved a stunning 83-79 come-from-behind victory.
From the start, both teams displayed highly concentrated defense, and the game started with low scores. However, while Chiba J made 7 of 15 3-point shots in the first half, led by Yuta Watanabe’s 2, Saga missed every open shot and only made 2 of 20. The difference in accuracy of the long-range guns was directly reflected in the score, and Chiba J took a 16-point lead in the first half. Furthermore, on Chiba J’s first possession of the second half, Kane Chikaren sank a 3-point shot after a turnover, giving them a 19-point lead, the largest of the game.
However, Saga also started to make a comeback as long-range guns started hitting them. Furthermore, the aggressive defense of the second unit, which included Reynaldo Garcia, Ryūki Todoroki, Ryota Inoue, and Hitoshi Toyama, disrupted Chiba J’s rhythm, and the game completely changed with a steal near half court that led to two unsportsmanlike fouls.
Saga entered the fourth quarter with a seven-point lead, and their second unit continued to perform well. In addition to Garcia, Todoroki and Toyama also sank shots at key points to turn the game around and take a seven-point lead with five minutes remaining. After that, Saga continued to maintain the lead by outperforming Chiba J with play intensity such as competition for loose balls, and dominated the fourth quarter with a score of 30-19, resulting in a big victory over a difficult opponent.
Todoroki, who joined from Tokai University as a specially designated player, recorded 10 points and 2 assists in 17 minutes and 23 seconds of playing time, including a 3-point shot and a sharp layup. He became the driving force behind leading the second unit to a come-from-behind victory.
Todoroki looks back on the match like this. “The first half didn’t quite go as we expected, but I think it was good that we were able to get into the flow of running from defense in the second half.In the first half, we didn’t have many touches in the paint, and there were a lot of tough shots, which caused us to lose our rhythm.In the second half, we attacked the paint properly and then made passes, and we were able to do what we were talking about to take great shots instead of good shots.”
Miyanaga HC: “It exceeded my imagination”
Todoroki joined Alvark Tokyo last season with special designation, but he hardly played. However, right after joining Saga, he entered the rotation as the second point guard and earned more than 15 minutes of playing time per game. As an immediate asset, he is helping the team make rapid progress as they hope to be within range of competing in the championship.
Saga head coach Yuta Miyanaga tipped his hat to Todoroki, saying, “He exceeded my expectations.” “It was natural for him to be as active as he was today, so I was naive. I want him to play more freely and create.”
Regarding his play so far, Todoroki says, “I’ve been getting more playing time than I expected. Because I’ve played so many minutes, I’ve been able to get used to the team, and Saga’s basketball style really suits me, so I’m playing comfortably.”
Also, at Tokai University, he has a big responsibility as the main guard, but at Saga, he says, “I don’t want to fail, but I really want to take on more and more challenges and show off my strengths,” and he is able to play without pressure with the mindset of following in the footsteps of his seniors, which is also having a positive effect.
Todoroki had many opportunities to match up with Chiba J’s ace Yuki Togashi. Regarding the match against the “face of the B League,” he said, “I was really excited before the game,” and on his solid result, “I was able to make drives and three-point shots, which gave me a lot of confidence.It’s like, “I was able to do it unexpectedly” (lol), showing his mental strength to enjoy himself without getting nervous.
And Todoroki, who is from Saga, emphasizes his love for his hometown. “This is the first time I’ve played in Saga since Minibus, and I’ve never played in my hometown before. It was a great experience, and I’m doing it to give back to my hometown.”
Today’s victory once again proved that Saga has the ability to aim for a spot in the championship. And now, in Saga, where the team is racking up wins at the fastest pace in team history, specially designated Todoroki has become a major force.
