Ed Odeven 
B.White's Yuta Watanabe dunks during the 2025 B.League All-Star Game in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, on January 19. (©SANKEI)
Read the full story on SportsLook - B.League All-Star Game Defined by Endless Array of 3-Pointers
By the end of the fast-paced first quarter, B.Black and B.White had attempted 28 shots from beyond the 3-point arc. This became the centerpiece of the 2025 B.League All-Star Game.
The two teams combined for 211 shots from the floor, 113 of which were 3-point attempts.
B.White, led by the tone-setting performances of former NBA player Yuta Watanabe, his Chiba Jets teammate Yuki Togashi and others, built a 62-48 lead by halftime and held on for a 119-114 victory on Sunday, January 19.
Fan favorite Togashi earned MVP honors with a 15–point performance, knocking down 5 of 11 3-point shots.
At LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY in Funabashi, Chiba Prefecture, an announced crowd of 9,636 saw a contest that was a near carbon copy of the 2024 B.League All-Star Game. In the previous January's midseason showcase, B.White beat B.Black 128-123, and the two All-Star squads launched a combined 119 3-point attempts at Okinawa Arena.
A Fun Experience for the B.League All-Star Game MVP
After being selected as All-Star Game MVP, Togashi spoke about the enjoyment of All-Star weekend from his perspective.
"I have been playing for Chiba Jets for a long time (since 2015), and I enjoyed the two days of [events], including being selected by many votes, playing as a starter, and winning the MVP award," Togashi said.
He added, "I enjoyed the events, the guests and all the people who came to make the event a great success. … I am very happy that we were able to hold a very successful All-Star event in Funabashi city."
Showmanship was on display from start to finish, with razzle-dazzle passes and slam dunks. Indeed, there was also an overemphasis on long-range shots.
The opening tipoff was contested by 188-cm Jeff Gibbs (Koshigaya Alphas) for B.White and 204-cm Koya Kawamata (Nagasaki Velca) for B.Black, who nabbed the opening possession.
Seconds later, Kawamata converted a layup for the game's first points. Velca teammate Yudai Baba was credited with the assist.
Watanabe banked in a 3-pointer for B.White's first bucket, pulling his team to within 4-3 in the early going.
Back and forth, the teams traded baskets, with open looks and exaggerated mannerisms by the shooters adding to the visual spectacle and the entertainment.
Early Advantage for B.White
B.White took a 31-26 lead into the second quarter after Watanabe (seven points) and Ryukyu Golden Kings big man Jack Cooley (six) scored nearly half of the team's points in the opening period.
Kawamata led all scorers with eight points on 4-for-4 shooting in the first quarter. Also for B.Black, Kawasaki Brave Thunders playmaker Ryusei Shinoyama and Utsunomiya Brex floor leader DJ Newbill had six points apiece in the 10-minute period.
B.Black chipped away at the lead in the second half, but B.White still led 92-80 entering the final quarter. And that proved to be a big enough cushion to hold off their opponent's comeback attempt.
SeaHorses Mikawa All-Star Yutaro Suda paced B.White with 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting, followed by Watanabe's 16-point effort supplemented by three assists, two steals and two blocks. Cooley finished with 16 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. San-en NeoPhoenix small forward Hirotaka Yoshii added 14 points.
For B.Black, Alvark Tokyo big man Sebastian Saiz had a team-best 19 points, Newbill poured in 18, Kawamata had 15 and Dwayne Evans (Hiroshima Dragonflies) added 14. Gunma Crane Thunders Al-Star Naoto Tsuji chipped in with 11 points, all of which he scored in the fourth quarter. Utsunomiya's Yusuke Endo scored nine points, while Josh Hawkinson (Sunrockers Shibuya) added seven points, nine rebounds and seven assists.
Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.
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Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
