Sendai 89ers overpower Hiroshima Dragonflies in 106-91 road win

The Sendai 89ers put together a dominant offensive display on Wednesday, defeating the Hiroshima Dragonflies 106-91 at the Hiroshima Sun Plaza. Sendai used a balanced scoring effort and a decisive third-quarter run to hand Hiroshima a disappointing home loss in B1 League action.

Match overview

Hiroshima started brightly and led 23-22 after the first quarter, but Sendai took control in the second period. The 89ers outscored the Dragonflies 26-22 in the second and then blew the game open with a 27-point third quarter. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Sendai had six players in double figures and had shot 51% from the field.

• Q1: Hiroshima 23, Sendai 28
• Q2: Hiroshima 22, Sendai 26
• Q3: Hiroshima 24, Sendai 27
• Q4: Hiroshima 22, Sendai 25
• Final: Hiroshima 91, Sendai 106

Key moments

Leading 54-45 at halftime, Sendai opened the third quarter with an 11-2 run, capped by a corner three from sharpshooter Kohei Nakamura. The lead swelled to 18 points midway through the period. Hiroshima attempted to respond with a full-court press, but Sendai’s ball handlers repeatedly broke the pressure for easy layups. A late 8-0 Hiroshima run in the fourth quarter merely trimmed the final margin.

Tactical story

Sendai’s half-court offense was patient and precise, generating open looks through drive-and-kick actions. The 89ers assisted on 26 of their 38 made baskets and committed just 10 turnovers. Defensively, they limited Hiroshima to 41% shooting and forced 15 turnovers, many of which led to transition points. The Dragonflies also struggled at the free-throw line, converting only 12 of 20 attempts.

Standout players

Sendai forward Rashid Gaston dominated the interior with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while guard Kohei Nakamura added 20 points and five assists. Reserve wing Daichi Shimoyama contributed 15 points off the bench. Hiroshima was led by Kenta Matsumoto’s 22 points, but the Dragonflies received little support from their second unit, which managed just 18 points combined.

Season impact

The victory moves Sendai to 9-5 and keeps them in the upper half of the B1 League standings. Hiroshima drops to 6-8 and has now lost three of its last four games. The Dragonflies will need to tighten their defense and find more scoring depth if they hope to climb back into playoff contention. Sendai, meanwhile, looks increasingly capable of challenging the league’s elite.