B2 Fukuoka | Tenacious defense keeps the initiative and achieves first two consecutive wins of the season
Rising Zephyr Fukuoka Co., Ltd. Press Release: October 18, 2025 B2 Fukuoka | Tenacious defense keeps the initiative and records first two consecutive wins of the season The Resona Group B.LEAGUE 2025-26 season match between Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka and Iwate Big Bulls, held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, ended with a 73-59 victory for Fukuoka.
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[Match results] [Fukuoka] 73-59 [Iwate] 1Q 20-19 2Q 18-13 3Q 23-19 4Q 12-8 【Battle Review】 In the first quarter, #12 Samtake, who had scored his first points of the season in the previous match and was in good form, sank two free throws to score the opening goal. #32 Kano followed, steadily adding points, including a 3-point shot immediately after coming on. #5 Reed and #24 Barrell also added points from inside and outside, but mistakes had an impact, allowing Iwate to score consecutive points, and the game continued to be a back-and-forth battle. The second quarter started off tough, with Iwate scoring consecutively to take the lead. However, #33 Kato broke the momentum with a 3-point shot, then drew a foul and sank three free throws to regain the lead. The first half was a tough one, with many mistakes, 10 turnovers, and seven offensive rebounds. However, in place of #8 Aoki, who was closely watched, Kato and #34 Aguilar made outstanding 3-point shots at key moments. Furthermore, Reed showed off his excellent technique, and Burrell made his presence felt with his overwhelming physicality, and the team went into halftime with a 6-point lead. ＜Second Half＞ In the third quarter, Aoki, who had been held scoreless in the first half, brought momentum to his team with a free throw, then sank consecutive 3-pointers to take control of the game. After that, Iwate made consecutive 3-pointers to close the gap, but Aguilar’s hard defense and sharp 3-pointers helped the team pull away again. In the fourth quarter, the team’s shooting accuracy was lacking and they were forced to endure offensively. They allowed Iwate consecutive points and nearly lost the lead, but Kato’s 3-pointers and points from fast breaks widened the gap again. The game continued to be close, but Barrell and Aguilar put in double-doubles and the team fought tenaciously to record their first consecutive wins of the season, following the previous game. [Comment] Masato Fukushima HC As this was Iwate’s home opening game, the atmosphere at the venue and the opponent’s high level of concentration were very impressive. They were a strong defensive team, and we struggled with high pressure, resulting in 10 turnovers in the first half alone. There were many periods where we weren’t able to take care of the ball, and I think Iwate executed their game well. If the opponent had made a few more shots, the game would have been much tougher. We need to fix that. Also, the fact that we lost 17 offensive rebounds is an issue. While it’s understandable to some extent that foreign players are grabbing the ball, Japanese players have been grabbing many of them in recent games, which is causing us to struggle with possession. Today’s game, we were able to create momentum through defensive fast breaks and 3-point shots from scrambled situations. Tomorrow, we’d like to do the same and create rhythm by starting with defense. Justin Burrell It was a good game, but we had a lot of turnovers, and we need to reduce them to further grow as a team. We also gave up 17 offensive rebounds, so we need to improve in that area as well. Iwate is a very good team, so we’ll try to give it our all again tomorrow. I don’t think too much about the previous game, I always focus on the next one. I’ll do my best to prepare for tomorrow. [Highlights]
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FDOSP_Hiv8 [Watch missed broadcasts on Basketball LIVE]
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