B.League Game of the Weekend: The Tightest Game of 2024 So Far
The most excitement in Japan came from Saturday's match-up between Osaka Evessa and Kyoto Hannaryz. The two teams would be seeing a lot of each other across the weekend but their first encounter was close from the outset. Through creating more scoring opportunities, Kyoto built a larger advantage in the low post.
Osaka responded from long range and there was little between the teams for the next two quarters, as Kyoto's ingenuity in the paint was matched by Osaka, who was making their height advantage over their opponents felt more, leaving only a narrow gap between teams in the seconds and third quarters.
In the fourth Kyoto had the advantage from open play but Osaka kept themselves in the game through drawing fouls and converting from the charity stripe, which in the end send the game to overtime. In OT the lead changed six times and the scores were level going into the final minute, where it all came down to the hero for Osaka, Shawn Long, with the decisive play of the game which would win or lost it for Evessa.
It ended a brilliant night for Long, finishing off a 38-point, 15-rebound performance, his team mate Lee Hyunjung scored 29 while Kevin Jones and Matthew Wright had 26 and 23 points respectively for Kyoto in one of the very best, most thrilling games of the 2023-24 B.League season.
