Ed Odeven 
Kawasaki Brave Thunders guard Koya Kobari looks to score against the Nagasaki Velca on January 26, 2025, at Happiness Arena in Nagasaki. (©B.LEAGUE)
Read the full story on SportsLook - Kawasaki Brave Thunders Making Progress in Their Rebuilding Efforts
The Kawasaki Brave Thunders had a disappointing 2-8 start to open the 2024-25 B.League season. In addition, the rebuilding pro basketball franchise didn't win back-to-back games until late December, the season's third month.
There have, however, been signs of solid improvement of late.
Starting with their two-game sweep of the Ibaraki Robots to close out 2024, the Brave Thunders have won six of their last eight.
Kawasaki (10-22) earned its second series sweep of the season by topping the Nagasaki Velca 80-76 on Saturday, January 25 and 83-78 a day later.
Israeli head coach Ronen Ginzburg, in his first season at the helm, took over a Brave Thunders squad that had a 33-27 record in 2023-24. Finishing with a winning record again this season appears to be an insurmountable task, but moving up in the standings is a realistic target.
The Brave Thunders are in last place in the eight-team Central Conference.
Kawasaki plays the seventh-place Yokohama B-Corsairs (12-20) on Wednesday, January 29 at Yokohama International Swimming Pool. And only four wins separate the Brave Thunders and the sixth-place Fighting Eagles Nagoya (14-18).
After their midweek showdown with the B-Corsairs, the Brave Thunders play host to the Shiga Lakes (3-28) on Saturday and Sunday, February 1 and 2.
Successful Series Finale Against the Velca
In Nagasaki, balanced scoring helped secure the win against the hosts in the series finale.
Veteran big man Rosco Allen led the Brave Thunders with 18 points and four teammates, including swingman Ryo Iida with 14, also scored in double figures.
The Brave Thunders utilized their quickness and athleticism in the five-point victory, and an aggressive approach on offense paid off. They outscored the Velca 21-2 on fast-break points at Happiness Arena.
After the game, Ginzburg commended the effort of guards Koya Kobari (12 points, 2-for-3 on 3-point shots) and Reiya Nozaki (10 points, 2-for-3 on 3s) and Iida for their key performances.
"They came off the bench and played defense and scored more points, which solved the problems we were having," Ginzburg told reporters. "As I always say, what we were doing was not wrong, but we were not getting into what we wanted to do because our intensity had not improved."
Holding a 58-56 lead heading into the fourth quarter, Kawasaki maintained its poise to earn the win.
"I think it was a great step forward for the team," Ginzburg said in the postgame news conference.
Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.
RELATED:
- B.League All-Star Game Defined by Endless Array of 3-Pointers
- San-en NeoPhoenix Take a 10-Game Win Streak into B.League All-Star Break
- Gunma Crane Thunders are Playing High-Caliber Defense This Season
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.
