Alex Kirk secured 19 offensive rebounds to help Kawasaki Brave Thunders defeat Saga Ballooners 90-72 on Wednesday, November 13.
The victory halted a five-game losing streak for Kawasaki, bringing their B.League record to 5-12 in the 2024-25 season. Kirk spent previous seasons with Alvark Tokyo and Ryukyu Golden Kings, marking this his first experience near the bottom of league standings during a long career in Japan.
“Personally, I’m feeling really good and came into this game with great energy; I’m happy we won, and it’s great for the team,” Kirk told Baskat Ball Count after the match.
Kawasaki capitalized on Saga’s injury-depleted roster by establishing early dominance in the paint, converting second-chance opportunities into 23 points.
Kirk said that experiencing a struggling team is new territory for him outside of a brief stint in the Chinese Basketball Association. He spent his previous years in Japan with perennial playoff contenders.
“Of course I feel frustration, and there is sadness in not being able to contribute to more wins,” Kirk told Baskat Ball Count. “This is a team of truly good people, and it is painful not getting results for the fans.”
The veteran center pointed out the business side of professional basketball, noting empty seats in arenas as losses mount. He credited supportive individuals around him for reminding him that helping rebuild a historic club can become a unique career chapter.
To reverse the team’s fortunes, Kirk emphasized maintaining faith in the current system under head coach Dai Oketani. He said that building a winning culture requires a deliberate process similar to the one he witnessed in Tokyo and Okinawa.
“First of all, I have great trust in Coach Dai,” Kirk told Baskat Ball Count. “Probably no Japanese coach matches the results he has achieved in the B.League. But process matters above all else, and turning things around takes time.”
Kirk received a call-up to the pre-camp roster for Window 5 of the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers later this month. Josh Hawkinson remains the primary naturalized player for the national team, leaving Kirk in a reserve role.
“For me, just getting called up by the national team is a joy, and I feel great respect from them,” Kirk told Baskat Ball Count. “Even if I don’t wear the Japan national team uniform in games, I feel immense respect and affection for having the opportunity to help the team in any capacity as a member.”
Kirk added that his family considers Japan their home and expressed a long-term desire to contribute to Japanese basketball through youth coaching, hoping his son might one day represent the national team.
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