“Today was the day I made the shot.”
The Ryukyu Golden Kings achieved a valuable winning streak in an away game against the Chiba Jets after the All-Star break. In Game 1, they had a good shooting touch, making 14 of 35 3-point shots (40.0%), winning easily 92-61. On the other hand, in Game 2, their long-range shots failed to hit 3 out of 22 (13.6%), but by fighting patiently until the end, they overturned a 13-point deficit with five and a half minutes remaining and won a dramatic 65-63 victory.
Ryukyu’s ace, Vic Law, was the driving force behind the victory in Game 2, scoring 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists, including sinking the go-ahead shot with 2 seconds left in the game, and committing zero turnovers. After the match, he talked about his winning streak as follows.
“After the Emperor’s Cup (where we were eliminated in the last eight), we all knew we had to change something and we had to play harder. We had the All-Star break, but we didn’t have time to relax because we were playing against the very strong Chiba Jets after the break. In order to win these two games, we needed to come together as a team and have everyone play well.”
“I’m feeling really good right now. We’ve had our ups and downs so far this season. We’ve had some obstacles and we’ve had some tough times. However, we’re all healthy now and I’m glad we’ve come back strong like this. We’ll continue winning streaks from here on out.”
Looking back on his own play, which showed overwhelming competitive strength, he said, “It was a tough start to the game, but I know that my teammates and this organization trust me.Today was my day to make the shot.However, the next game might be someone else’s day.”
This season, Ryukyu finished the first half of the regular season with 18 wins and 12 losses. A winning percentage of 60% can be considered a passing score, but the expectations of those around them have always been high for a winning team that has advanced to the finals four years in a row, and as the season ended with them missing out on the championship, although by a small margin, there were many skeptical voices saying, “Ryukyu is not doing well this year.” Law, in particular, bears the brunt as Ryukyu’s ace, and when he wins, he receives a lot of praise, and when he loses, he is more likely to receive criticism.
“I just accept the good and the bad and move forward.”
There are two options: block out the views of those around you as noise, or use it as motivation by saying, “I’ll give it back to you,” but Law says, “It’s definitely motivating me.”
“As long as you’re a professional, you have good games and you have bad games. Personally, when I don’t get results, I get told that I’m shooting too hard, that I’m not playing hard enough, and that I’m not playing Kings basketball. On the other hand, when I play well, I get praised and say, ‘You’re the best player.’ As a professional, you understand that there are ups and downs, and you have to have a strong mindset to accept them. There are great seasons and there are not-so seasons. I think what’s different every year is the greatness of basketball.”
“Especially this season, we need to stay united as a team and continue to be a group with strong bonds. Even last season, I don’t think anyone expected us to advance to the league finals or win the Emperor’s Cup. If people don’t see us as a team that can do well this year, that view will motivate us to keep moving forward and rack up wins.”
Because he is an ace, he is easily the target of criticism when the team’s results are poor. However, Law says, “I consider myself very lucky to be in the position I am in. This is my fourth season in the B.League, and I have had the opportunity to play in either the Emperor’s Cup or B.League finals every year.The loss against Mikawa in the Emperor’s Cup was hard to accept, but maybe that loss was necessary in order to win against Chiba J for the second time.I just have to accept the good and the bad and move forward.”He has a strong core that will not waver no matter what the voices around him say.
This consecutive victory is of great value to Ryukyu, but the battle for the top spot continues. Law emphasizes that the most important thing needed to survive this tough battle is the “trust” of not only the team but also the people involved in Ryukyu, including the region. “Kings fans believe in us. This is essential for us. We want everyone in Okinawa, including not only the fans but also the media, to believe in the Kings together. And it is most important for all of us involved with the Kings to continue to believe in ourselves.”
Ryukyu has long held the slogan “The Power of Unity,” and the team’s identity lies in the bonds it has with its fans and local community. Tosho Law’s passion is essential to strengthening this unity.
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