Seahorse Mikawa Finals Run: Coach Sako’s Japanese Core | BASKET COUNT

“Right now, Japanese players are in the leadership position.”

At the 101st Emperor’s Cup All-Japan Basketball Championship, Seahorse Mikawa defeated Utsunomiya Brex 71-53 in the semifinals. They decided to advance to the finals for the first time since 2018.

Prior to the establishment of the B League, Mikawa had long reigned as one of the strongest teams in Japanese basketball, winning numerous titles. In particular, they boasted overwhelming strength in the Emperor’s Cup, winning the Emperor’s Cup twice in a row from 2002 to 2005 and from 2008 to 2011. However, since the birth of the B League, the only time they have participated in a title game was in the 2018 Emperor’s Cup final, despite their top rankings in the league.

Of course, the team’s goal is to win, and advancing to the finals is just a milestone. However, the fact that they defeated Utsunomiya, which they had been losing to until February 2021, and returned to the summit battle for the first time in a while means that they have overcome a major obstacle.

Director Kenichi Sako, who is in charge of Mikawa’s team composition, brought numerous titles to Mikawa’s predecessor, Aisin Seahorse, with his outstanding game control in the 2000s. He talks about his thoughts on defeating Utsunomiya, who had become his natural enemy, and advancing to the finals.

“We’ve been away from the finals for a long time, but I think the players’ focus on what they need to do this time is a good result. Winning against Utsunomiya, who had lost 15 straight times, on the big stage of the Emperor’s Cup will give the players confidence and help them step up as a team.”

In this tournament, Mikawa overwhelmingly defeated B2’s Rising Zephyr Fukuoka 95-42 in the first match, and defeated Ryukyu Golden Kings 92-85 in the best eight. Including today’s result, they have won consecutive games against the league’s strongest team, which they played in last season’s B League final, but what is noteworthy about their success so far is the performance of the Japanese players. This year’s Emperor’s Cup is different from the B League, where there are three foreign nationals on the bench and on-the-court 2, but there are two on-the-court 1 and Japanese players on the bench.

Among them, Mikawa’s Japanese players are leading the team, including Kosuke Ishii, who scored game-high points in both the top 8 and top 4, and Yudai Nishida, who continues to perform at a high level offensively and defensively. Director Sako feels the following response: “Right now, the Japanese players are in the leadership position. Ishii, Nishida, and (Yutaro) Suda, who were active today, are playing the role of leaders with a real sense of responsibility as captains. The numbers clearly show that we can compete with Japanese players without relying on foreign players.”

“From the perspective of those who are organizing the lineup, it’s a gamble not to change even one person.”

When I interviewed Director Sako before the start of this season, he revealed his commitment, saying, “This season, we made it a point not to change any Japanese players,” in order to establish a new team culture that is becoming established. “The current lineup is characterized by the fact that there are many players who are starting to mature at the age of 26 and 27. Among them are Suda and Ishii, who have championship experience, and Davante Gardner is also supporting the team as a veteran. We have created a team like this because we want to create a culture in which the players who are about to hit their prime will value the feelings that made them stay on the team in Mikawa, a region, to “achieve something.”

It is common for professional teams to make some changes every year, and it is rare for them not to make any changes. If you don’t get any results by not moving anything, the impact will be stronger than if you reinforce it and get no results. However, this result proves that this big decision definitely had a positive effect. Director Sako says: “From the team’s perspective, it’s a gamble not to change a single person.It’s a gamble for the team to see results like this, and I think the players will be confident that they were able to live up to our expectations, and will do even better in the future.”

He continued his thoughts on returning to the finals, which he had experienced many times as a player, this time in a different capacity as team leader. “It’s only been three years since I’ve been in charge of GM, but I’m happy to have been brought to the finals so quickly for the first time in a while. And I think we can improve by winning one more game and becoming the champion.”

Director Sako has won many titles, so he is well aware of the great effect the experience of winning titles can have on a team. And because he knows how much the fans’ cheers will support the players on the big stage, he sends the following message. “It’s been a long time since we last played in the final, but the players aren’t satisfied here. We want to win well and see the view from the top, and the constant support from the fans is really a boost for the players. I hope they’ll come to the venue and give encouragement to the players at the finals.”

If they win the tournament the day after tomorrow and win their first title since the 2016 Emperor’s Cup, it will be the beginning of a new history for Mikawa. To that end, it will be important to support them with as much enthusiasm as their home team, Alvark Tokyo.