2011-12 JBL Finals

Game 1: Aishin won 73-70

Game 2: Toyota won 79-70

Game 3: Toyota won 69-61

Game 4: Toyota won 83-64

TOKYO, Japan (JBL): Toyota Alvark opened out a second half blitzkrieg to power their way to an 83-64 win in Game 3 on Sunday and clinched the 2011-12 JBL title with a 3-1 triumph in the Finals against Aishin Seahorses.

Toyota, thus won their first title in five years. The last time Toyota finished as champions of the JBL was in 2006-07 when they completed a three-peat.

Toyota began the game steadily and built their control gradually. A 17-16 run in the first quarter put the marginally ahead and an 18-16 run in the second put them further ahead at the end of the first half.

Any hopes of an Aishin resurgence was quashed when Toyota unleashed a 23-17 run in the third and further uncorked a 25-15 spree in the fourth.

Philip Ricci led Toyota’s charge with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while fellow American Jeff Gibbs contributed 16 points.

Shinsuke Kashiwagi paced Aishin with 19 points on a night when JR Sakuragi was restricted to merely 8 points. Shogo Asayama had 15 points.

FIBA Asia

Photo courtesy: JBA.