B2 League Round: Tokyo Excellence 86-95 Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka The Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka secured a crucial 95-86 road victory over the Tokyo Excellence in a tightly contested B2 League clash on Friday evening. The match, held at Tokyo's home arena, was decided in the final quarter as Fukuoka's offensive execution and defensive stops proved superior, pulling away from a narrow lead to seal a nine-point win that bolsters their playoff positioning. The game began with both teams trading baskets, but Fukuoka established a slight edge early, leading by five points after the first quarter. Tokyo fought back in the second period, with their guards penetrating effectively to cut the deficit to just three points at halftime. The third quarter saw the Excellence briefly take the lead, capitalizing on a series of turnovers. However, the turning point came midway through the fourth. With the score tied at 80-80, Fukuoka unleashed a decisive 12-2 run, fueled by consecutive three-pointers and aggressive transition play, from which Tokyo never recovered. A key block by Fukuoka's center with under three minutes to go extinguished Tokyo's final rally attempt. The focus point was Fukuoka's bench contribution, which outscored Tokyo's reserves by a significant margin, providing fresh legs and scoring punch when the starters rested. Tokyo's star forward had a strong individual performance with 28 points, but lacked consistent support from the perimeter as the team struggled from beyond the arc in the final minutes. This result sees Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka solidify their hold on a top-six spot in the B2 League standings, while Tokyo Excellence's hopes for a late-season push take a hit as they remain in the lower half of the table. Post-match, the Fukuoka coach praised his team's resilience: "We knew it would be a battle. Our guys showed great composure down the stretch and made the winning plays." The Tokyo manager lamented the late-game execution: "We competed for three quarters, but our defense broke down in key moments. We have to be better closing out games." The starting lineups featured Tokyo Excellence with their usual backcourt of Smith and Tanaka, while Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka started with playmaker Jones and forward Sato leading the charge.