The “extraordinary” is spreading there.
On October 27th, the match between Alvark Tokyo and Saga Ballooners in “Resona Group B.LEAGUE 2024-25 B1 League Round 5 Game 2” was held. The stage is Arena Tachikawa Tachihi.
The small arena, which can accommodate over 3,000 people, provides an exceptional sense of realism. From the moment you step into the arena, your entire body will be enveloped in excitement.
It’s not just benchside or courtside that you can get up close to the players. No matter where you sit on the first floor, or even the second floor, you can feel the heat on the court directly.
The squeak of basketball shoes sliding across the court and the pop of the ball being sucked into the net can be heard from anywhere in the arena. It can be said that the audience cannot take their eyes off the court from the pregame warm-up.
The interior of the arena is unified with Alvark Tokyo’s main color “ALVARK RED.” Many visitors wore red clothing. This creates a sense of unity throughout the arena.
The game tipped off at 3:05 p.m. and started with Alvark Tokyo scoring. Ryan Rossiter made a layup shot off an assist from Tevesumi.
Head coach Denius Admaitis said, “We got off to a very good start in the first quarter. We created a good flow, especially on defense, and we were able to finish the first quarter with good rhythm on offense.” Alvark Tokyo continued to improve after that. Accumulate points.
The arena is filled with calls of “Let’s go TOKYO!” and “TOKYO Go!” during offense, and “Deep Fence!” during defense. Support the players. The reason why Saga Ballooners’ shots are often hated by the ring may be because of the pressure from the crowd’s cheers.
The first quarter ended 24-10, and the lead expanded to 46-28 at the end of the second quarter. Alvark Tokyo has gotten off to a good start with 7 wins and 1 loss so far, and the day before they defeated the Saga Ballooners 79-74, and they showed a high performance on this day as well.
Kosakabe leads the team with an aggressive attitude
During the official timeout after the second quarter, a special Halloween performance was held by the Alvark cheerleaders. The sharp movements attract the audience. Many spectators watched the performance without leaving their seats.
Pizza and donuts are sold inside the arena, and food trucks outside the arena emit delicious aromas. One of the joys of watching an arena is that you can enjoy not only the match but also the gourmet food.
The start of the third quarter was delayed due to goal netting adjustments. Both the players and the audience are at a loss, but the arena MC quickly responds and gets the crowd excited. Alvark cheerleaders will also be joining in to keep the stadium warm. The improvised performance, which was not written in the timetable, heightened expectations for the third quarter.
After the third quarter ended 67-50, Sebastian Saiz’s layup and jump shot made it 71-50 in the fourth. Also scoring points were Leonardo Meindel, Gen Hiraiwa, Yasuki Kosakabe, and Zack Baranski. In the end, they won 79-66. Alvark Tokyo maintained its lead in the middle district with a total record of 8 wins and 1 loss.
After the game, an interview was held on the court between head coach Admaitis and the players. It can be said that being able to hear their voices live and up close immediately after the match is a privilege for those who visit the arena.
Head coach Admaitis said, “I think both the players who started and the players who came off the bench got a lot of playing time, and I think they all did a really good job.” Turning his attention to the audience seats, he said, “Thank you for all your support today,” and the entire arena erupted into loud applause.
Next, Hiraiwa took the microphone. After the match the previous day was a see-saw game, he said, “We won yesterday’s game, but we didn’t have a good flow, so today everyone created a flow from the start and was able to continue that flow until the end. I think that’s a good thing,” he said, pointing out that his play has improved.
He played 10 minutes in the fourth quarter.
“Everyone on the team was connecting with me and making time for me, so I went into the game wanting to repay them.There’s still a lot I can do, so I’ll do my best and not get complacent.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the fans who supported the team. The wonderful message was met with cheers.
“We always receive the gift of support, so I’m glad we were able to give them a victory today. We’ll start playing away again next week. We’ll do our best, so please continue to support us.”
Gudaitis recorded 12 points and 5 rebounds.
Next, Arturas Gudaitis gave a greeting. The 2-meter-11 big man scored 12 points and grabbed five rebounds, second only to Saiz. They greeted each other in Japanese with “Konnichiha” and spoke about their feelings in English.
“The whole team has been practicing every day and trying to play without losing momentum, and I think we were able to do that today.It was the second game in a series of Saturday and Sunday games, and the starting five looked good today. They created a flow for us, so we, coming off the bench, were able to maintain that good flow and play aggressively to extend our lead.”
Gudaitis also expressed his gratitude to the crowd.
“Thank you for everyone’s support. Thank you for your support today.”
Once the interviews were over, the players circled the court. Kosakabe, who was selected for the “ON FIRE Award” using the streaming service “Basket LIVE,” carefully threw an autographed Frisbee into the audience seats.
On this day, the arena was attended by a wide variety of spectators, regardless of age or gender, including families, couples, groups of young women, and male students. There were white-haired couples, groups of foreigners, and even a man watching alone.
A man in his 30s who came to watch the game with a friend said, “When I come to the arena, I get excited.I watch it on stream, but when I have time, I come to the arena.” “The middle district of Alvark is tough, but I hope we can continue like this and advance to the playoffs,” he said with hope.
A mother who brought her children, a 4th grader and a 1st grader, said, “My older child likes basketball.My younger child likes the mascot character, Luke.”I’ve been here several times with my children. Now, I’ve come to like Alvark Tokyo, too,” he said with a smile. “I’m planning to go to a home game in December as well,” she said, nodding with the children.
At the B League arena, which is filled with excitement, you can enjoy a special time that can be called “unusual.”
