B.League Finals: Nagasaki Prevails in Game 3 to Win the Title

YOKOHAMA ― The Nagasaki Velca have completed an incredible five-season journey, from humble roots as a third-division expansion team to becoming champions of the B.League top flight.

Led by Hyunjung Lee's 23 points, the Velca defeated the Ryukyu Golden Kings 72-64 in Game 3 of the B.League Finals on Tuesday, May 26.

The Golden Kings, who lost their third consecutive championship series, have made five straight trips to the Finals.

Ryukyu trailed 55-45 entering the fourth quarter and by 13 points early in the final period. Then the Golden Kings pulled to within 59-56 with 6:25 remaining on a Ryuichi Kishimoto layup to cap a 10-0 run.

Velca franchise cornerstone Yudai Baba ended the Ryukyu run with a mid-range jumper.

Moments later, after Ryukyu had trimmed the lead to six, Baba drained a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer to make it 67-59 at the 1:51 mark.

The Golden Kings cut the lead to five on two occasions in the final minute ― on a Vic Law jumper and a Jack Cooley putback with 21 seconds left ―but couldn't regain the lead.

Lee extended the lead to 71-64 on a pair of free throws.

With 13 seconds to play, Kishimoto committed a turnover as Nagasaki guard Ko Kumagai made a steal, his second of the night.

Lee returned to the free-throw line one more time, making the second of two attempts to account for the final score.

The Korean sharpshooter was named Finals MVP. He averaged 18.3 points and 6.7 rebounds against Ryukyu at Yokohama Arena.

B.League — *Jarrell Brantley holds the championship trophy. (©KYODO)*

Tears of Joy for the Velca

After the final buzzer, Velca players congratulated one another, and the team's cheering fans shouted for joy. Baba embraced veteran guard Masaya Karimata, who announced he would retire after the playoffs.

Nagasaki head coach Mody Maor then hugged Lee and Baba, a scene showing the team's close bond.

The winning coach praised his players after the title-clinching win.

"I have incredible people in this locker room and incredible talent," Maor said. "These guys made the system look good, not the other way around."

"I am truly proud of this team. And I am truly grateful," Maor told reporters. "At the moment we won the championship, so many people were in tears. Honestly, I've never seen so many people crying at once. I think that's a testament to how hard everyone worked to win this title.

"Every single person in the Nagasaki Velca organization has taken each step of this journey one by one," the American-Israeli coach added. "No one skipped a step. That process began five years ago, and our vision has always been clear."

The Path to the B.League Title

Ryukyu won the championship series opener, 71-69, on May 24.

Nagasaki rebounded in Game 2 with a 66-60 triumph the next day.

In the series finale, the Velca held the Golden Kings to 32.9% (23 of 70) from the field, including 6-for-28 shooting on 3s.

Maor, formerly the New Zealand Breakers bench boss, joined the Velca before the 2024-25 season. The club had its share of ups and downs in his first season in charge, going 26-34.

But the addition of explosive scorer Stanley Johnson to the roster for the 2025-26 campaign helped carry the offense to a higher level. He averaged 22.8 points per game, primarily as a super sub (coming off the bench in all but 11 of his 58 games).

Owning the league's best record during the 2025-26 season (47-13), the Velca displayed their overall superiority in three rounds of playoff games. They knocked off the Alvark Tokyo, then eliminated the Chiba Jets to secure a showdown with the Golden Kings in the B.League Finals.

Known for their explosive offense (a league-best 91.2 points per game) during the regular season, the Velca showed their defensive ability versus the Golden Kings.

In Game 3, for instance, Nagasaki had eight blocked shots, with Johhnson swatting three, Lee and Jarrell Brantley had two apiece and Akil Mitchell one.

Not to be overlooked was a steal by Baba with 40 seconds left, and Ryukyu, trailing by seven, aiming for a sensational comeback.

A Champion Once Again

Early in Baba's pro career, he won back-to-back championships with the Alvark (2017-18 and 2018-19).

Now, at age 30, he's a B.League title winner again in his third season in a Velca uniform.

"From the middle of the season onward, we fought with our sights set solely on the championship," said Baba, who scored 14 points on Tuesday night. "With Karimata's retirement, it felt like the ultimate moment."

Baba then analyzed his team's play in the three games against Ryukyu.

"In Game 1, we were unable to play the style of basketball we wanted, and in a sense, it felt like we self-destructed. So, for Games 2 and 3, we went back to our roots. Coach Mody had scouted what we'd been doing all season, and that allowed us to fully demonstrate our capabilities. I believe that's what led to our championship victory."

A Thrilling Experience for MVP Lee

After being named Final MVP, Lee shared his thoughts on what the honor means to him.

"I'm happy to have won the MVP [award], but I truly believe the entire team deserves it," said the former Davidson College standout. "It wouldn't be surprising if players like Baba, Johnson, Brantley or Kumagai had won it."

He added, "I'm [so happy] that we won, and I think this team is truly wonderful."

The Korean sharpshooter also thanked his teammates for helping him achieve success.

"I think everyone on our team is an incredible player, and when someone's in foul trouble, we all believe everyone is going to step it up," Lee said.

On his success as a perimeter scorer, he said: "I wouldn't be able to do it without my teammates. They believed in me, they found me open, they set great screens for me, so I want to give credit to them."

Lee described Tuesday as "one of my best days," referring to the team's championship victory.

"I'm just grateful to represent my country and play in this league," Lee said in response to a question by a South Korean media member about his B.League Finals experience.

Hot Start for Nagasaki

The Velca took a 10-point lead late in the first quarter on a Lee 3-pointer. They extended the margin to 16 on a Brantley 3 late in the second quarter.

Sparked by Brantley, who had 10 of his 14 points and dished out five assists before intermission, Nagasaki held a 36-23 lead at halftime.

In the first 20 minutes, Nagasaki's defensive effort included holding Ryukyu to 1-for-16 from beyond the arc.

And despite the Golden Kings' stronger performance in the third quarter, when they outscored their Western Conference rival 22-19, the Velca were in control for large chunks of the game.

"I think we won because we executed at a high level," Maor said later.

In the fourth quarter, Lee (nine points) and Baba (seven) scored all but one of the Velca's points.

The Golden Kings had five of their 13 turnovers in the final period.

"I think we beat ourselves in this series," said Law, who had a team-high 14 points.

Law also complimented his opponent's play.

"Defensively, they were locked in," the veteran forward said.

Disappointment for Ryukyu

Point guard Kishimoto expressed his thoughts on seeing the Golden Kings' championship aspirations crushed.

"The entire team aimed for the championship, and since it was right within our grasp, I'm in an indescribable state of mind right now," said Kishimoto, who scored 13 points on 4-for-15 shooting.

He added, "While there are likely many reasons for our loss, I feel that the Nagasaki Velca were simply a better team than we were. I want to accept this result and move forward."

Ryukyu forward Ryo Sadohara, who had six fourth-quarter points in Game 3, spoke about the disappointment of defeat on this night.

"I joined the Kings with the determination to win the championship and to help Ryuichi Kishimoto win it," Sadohara told a news conference. "That's exactly why I'm so frustrated that we couldn't achieve our goal."

Golden Kings head coach Dai Oketani reflected on the tough three-game series and the team's five straight Finals appearances.

"First and foremost, I'd like to say congratulations to everyone on [the Velca]," Oketani said. "While there are likely many factors behind [our defeat], the fact is that Nagasaki simply outplayed us. I believe that sums up today's game."

Oketani went on: "Of course, I'm saddened by the loss. However, we were able to make it this far only because of the support from the players and staff who led us to the Finals for five consecutive years, everyone involved with the Kings, our fans and the local community. I'd like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you."

Author: Ed Odeven

Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.