The Hiroshima Dragonflies opened their Club Friendship schedule with a commanding 91-71 victory over the Seoul Samsung Thunders on Sunday afternoon, September 13, 2026, at a lively home venue in Hiroshima. The Japanese side controlled the game from the opening quarter, built a double-digit lead before halftime and never allowed the Korean visitors to close the gap in the second half, closing out a 20-point win that underlined their depth and defensive discipline.

Match Overview

Tip-off came at 14:00 local time, and the Dragonflies wasted little time setting the tone. A quick 24-point opening quarter gave the hosts an early cushion, and they followed it with a composed 22-point second period to carry a comfortable advantage into the locker room. Seoul's best stretch came after the break, when the Thunders found some rhythm from the perimeter, but Hiroshima answered every run with efficient half-court execution.

• Final score: Hiroshima Dragonflies 91, Seoul Samsung Thunders 71
• Competition: Club Friendship
• Date: September 13, 2026 (14:00 tip-off)
• Result: Hiroshima win by 20 points

The scoring distribution told the story of the afternoon. Hiroshima reached 91 points without relying on a single dominant individual performance, spreading the load across the rotation, while Seoul's 71 points came in fits and starts, with long dry spells in the first and third quarters proving decisive.

How the Game Unfolded

The first quarter set the template. Hiroshima pushed the tempo early, getting easy transition points off defensive stops and forcing Seoul into contested jump shots late in the shot clock. By the end of the opening period the hosts had established a working margin they would protect for the rest of the game.

The second quarter was arguably where the match was won. Hiroshima's bench unit maintained — and slightly extended — the lead, playing with the same intensity as the starters and keeping Seoul's half-court offense uncomfortable. The Thunders managed just 16 points in the period, and their ball movement slowed noticeably against the Dragonflies' switching defense.

Seoul came out of halftime with more urgency and produced their most productive stretch of the match, attacking the rim and drawing fouls to chip away at the deficit. But a decisive Hiroshima run midway through the third quarter restored a firm cushion, and the fourth quarter became a matter of professional game management as both coaches rotated their benches.

Key Moments

Three sequences shaped the result:

• The opening surge: Hiroshima's fast start forced Seoul to play from behind almost immediately, dictating the rhythm of the entire contest.
• The second-quarter lockdown: A sustained defensive stretch limited the Thunders to a handful of field goals and pushed the lead into double digits before halftime.
• The third-quarter answer: Just as Seoul threatened to make it a single-digit game, Hiroshima responded with a run of their own, ending any realistic hope of a comeback.

Tactical Story

The Dragonflies' game plan revolved around pace and pressure. They pushed the ball at every opportunity, punished Seoul's transition defense and used their depth to sustain a high work rate across all four quarters. Defensively, they switched aggressively on screens, closed out hard on shooters and forced the Thunders into low-percentage looks.

Seoul's offense was at its best when it moved the ball side to side and attacked the paint, but those possessions were too infrequent. Turnovers and rushed shots in the half court repeatedly handed Hiroshima extra possessions, and the visitors struggled to match the physicality of the Japanese side on the glass.

Standout Performers

Hiroshima's backcourt set the tone on both ends, controlling tempo and generating steals that turned into easy points. Their frontcourt combined efficiently around the rim, finishing inside and controlling the defensive boards to limit second-chance opportunities. Off the bench, the rotation players provided a genuine lift, an important marker for a squad with a long season ahead.

For Seoul, the brightest passages came from their perimeter creators, who kept the scoreboard moving during the third-quarter push. Individually there were positive moments, but the Thunders lacked the collective consistency needed to sustain a challenge on the road.

What It Means

For Hiroshima, this was exactly the kind of performance a Club Friendship fixture is designed to produce: a convincing result, meaningful minutes for the full roster and a clear identity on both ends of the floor. A 91-point output combined with a 71-point defensive concession ref