Young basketball players across Saga Prefecture sharpened their fundamentals on Feb. 23 as the Saga Ballooners hosted youth basketball clinics in Tosu and Kōhoku, featuring professional players on-site to guide dribbling and shooting drills.
Professional Instruction Across Two Saga Venues
The Saga Ballooners of the B.League organized simultaneous training sessions on Feb. 23 across two distinct venues in Saga Prefecture: the Kōhoku Town Fureai Exchange Center Naibu and a second location in Tosu. According to local reporting, each venue hosted approximately 40 elementary and junior high school students eager to learn from professional athletes.
At the Kōhoku venue, local-born guard Taiki Kakuda joined teammate Atsuo Kishida and two professional coaches to lead the instruction. Kakuda provided technical pointers on body positioning and footwork when executing a crossover or beating a defender, while Kishida monitored shooting mechanics, emphasizing finger control and arc.
Tosu Venue Activities and Regional Promotion
Meanwhile, the Tosu session featured professional guidance from players including Hirotaka Toyama and Futa Takefuta. The clinics were operated as part of an ongoing regional initiative by the Saga Prefectural Professional Basketball Promotion Council, aimed at fostering athletic development among youth and expanding the reach of the sport throughout the prefecture.
Beyond structured tactical drills and group training stations, the young participants took part in competitive mini-games against one another. The sessions concluded with impromptu autograph signings, allowing the students to interact directly with the B.League players they regularly watch on the professional stage.
Next Steps for the Saga Ballooners
Worth a look
