Hard-working Hannaryz extend win streak to eight

Former NBA center Lance Allred had 18 points and 20 rebounds and Jermaine Boyette scored a game-high 20 points to lead the visiting Kyoto Hannaryz to their eighth win in a row, an 80-73 triumph over the Miyazaki Shining Suns on Sunday in the bj-league.

Rick Rickert, a former Minnesota Timberwolves draft pick, added 16 points and 10 boards for the surging Hannaryz (11-5), who are off to their best start in the franchise's three-season history. Taizo Kawabe scored six points and Kyosuke Setoyama contributed five points and three assists.

First-year Kyoto coach Honoo Hamaguchi's team played a solid all-around game perhaps defined best by these numbers: 17 assists and nine turnovers. The veteran club also sank 13 of 16 free-throw attempts.

For Miyazaki (6-10), Darryl Dora was the leading scorer (19 points) and Taishiro Shimizu had 16.

89ers 95, Susanoo Magic 70

In Sendai, the 89ers raced out to a 23-3 at the end of the first quarter en route to a blowout victory over Shimane.

O'Neal Mims led Sendai (10-6) with 31 points, Dan Fitzgerald scored 28, including five 3-pointers, and Hikaru Kusaka had 15. Point guard Takehiko Shimura registered eight assists after dishing out 10 in the series opener. On the season, Shimura has 85 assists and 20 turnovers.

For the Susanoo Magic (8-8), Michael Parker scored 24 points with nine rebounds, Reggie Golson added 14 points and B.J. Puckett had nine.

Sendai coach Bob Pierce said his team's defense, which held Shimane to 39.4 percent shooting (26-for-66) from 2-point range, was a big key to the victory.

He called it a "great defensive effort from our whole team."

Center Rashaad Singleton got his first start since Oct. 23 and responded with a six-point, 13-rebound, five-block, three-assist performance for the 89ers. Singleton replaced Johnny Dukes, who served a one-game suspension for breaking a window in the team's locker room at halftime on Saturday, in the starting lineup.

Yoshihiro Tachibana (four points) capped the win with a dunk in the final second, and teammate Kenichi Takahashi scored seven points.

"I told our Japanese players last night that we needed more scoring from them," Pierce said, "and Hikaru responded with 15 points."

Golden Kings 90, Happinets 76

In Mitane, Akita Prefecture, Reggie Okosa had 26 points and 13 rebounds and Jeff Newton scored 22 points, grabbed 15 boards and swatted four shots as Ryukyu salvaged a series split.

Anthony McHenry poured in 12 points and Morihisa Yamauchi added eight, while Narito Namizato handed out eight assists for the Golden Kings (12-4), who moved back into a tie with the Osaka Evessa for first place in the Western Conference.

Ryukyu out-rebounded the hosts 58-40.

Michael Gardener paced Akita (11-5) with 26 points, Ricky Woods scored 16 and Kazuhiro Shoji scored 14.

Brave Warriors 78, Albirex BB 75

In Chikuma, Nagano Prefecture, Lee Roberts scored 23 points and Derek Raivio had 20 on 7-for-12 shooting as Shinshu improved to 8-8 in its inaugural season.

For Niigata (7-7), Yuichi Ikeda had 13 points and Chris Holm posted a double-double (12 points, 17 boards).

Lakestars 99, Broncos 77

In Higashiomi, Shiga Prefecture, Ray Nixon put 23 points on the board, Josh Peppers scored 22 and the hosts improved to 8-2 at home en route to a sweep over Saitama.

Dionisio Gomez scored 14 points, Takamichi Fujiwara had 12 and Yu Okada finished with 11 points and eight assists for Shiga (11-5).

The undermanned Broncos, playing without frontcourt starters John Flowers and Gabriel Hughes due to health and injury issues, fell to 5-9. Kenny Satterfield (24 points) and Daiki Terashita (11) both played the entire 40 minutes, while John "Helicopter" Humphrey (20 points) logged 37:37 and Yuki Kitamuki was on the court for 36:06.

Big Bulls 77, Five Arrows 70

In Takamatsu, Iwate edged the hosts to record the first back-to-back wins in franchise history.

Second-year pro Makoto Sawaguchi, who turns 20 on Monday, led the Big Bulls (3-13) with 16 points and Thomas Kennedy had 14, while four teammates also scored in double figures for the expansion squad.

Paul Butorac finished with a team-high 19 points for Takamatsu (0-16).

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