Ed Odeven - The Japan Times

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

Ed Odeven

Meta

Website

https://edodevenreporting.wordpress.com/

Twitter

Ed Odeven

Ed Odeven covers primarily basketball for The Japan Times. He reported on a wide range of sports from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Summer Games for this newspaper. A native of the Bronx, N.Y., Odeven is a graduate of Arizona State University. He previously worked for the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff, Ariz., reporting on high school, collegiate, professional and Olympic sports (Flagstaff is a major international Olympic training site due to its high elevation) and writing a weekly column. His articles have appeared in Venezuela Online News, The Gleaner (Jamaica), the Monitor (Uganda), The Moscow Times, Swimming World Magazine and numerous other publications.

BASKETBALL

Apr 1, 2012

Phoenix continue march toward top spot in East

The scintillating hunt for the top spot in the bj-league's Eastern Conference is still, technically, up for grabs. Though it doesn't look like the reigning champs have any intention of relinquishing their hold on the top spot.

BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP

Mar 31, 2012

Takamatsu's plight reflects poorly on league

The Takamatsu Five Arrows are awful, so bad that they don't even pretend to be a cheap imitation of a mediocre franchise.

BASKETBALL

Mar 31, 2012

Police clear Evessa star Washington in drug case

After 18 days in Osaka Prefectural Police custody, bj-league star Lynn Washington was released on Friday, and authorities said they will not prosecute him on drug charges.

BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 30, 2012

Marshall injury deals fresh blow to beleaguered Evessa

Already without two-time MVP Lynn Washington, the face of the franchise and the most famous player in league history after his March 13 arrest on suspicion of smuggling marijuana into Japan, the Osaka Evessa now are coping with the loss of center Wayne Marshall for an estimated four weeks.

BASKETBALL

Mar 26, 2012

Happinets secure spot in playoffs

The Akita Northern Happinets became the bj-league's second Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff spot this season by defeating the visiting Saitama Broncos 97-87 on Sunday.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Mar 25, 2012

Namizato, Golden Kings trounce Evessa

Between them, the Osaka Evessa and Ryukyu Golden Kings captured the bj-league's first four championships, including the Evessa's three-peat from the beginning of the league's existence. Both teams have also finished runnerup once apiece.

BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 23, 2012

Parmer says Phoenix primed for third straight title run

Attempting to win a third consecutive championship, the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix remain the beast of the East.

BASKETBALL

Mar 21, 2012

Washington to fight charges in drug case

Osaka Evessa power forward Lynn Washington's legal defense has begun, The Japan Times has learned.

BASKETBALL

Mar 20, 2012

Five Arrows' woes continue against Rizing

Sunday's bj-league competition highlighted the two-time reigning champion Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix's standard of excellence — a 100-86 win over the host Chiba Jets that improved their record to 29-13 — as they became the first Eastern Conference team to clinch a playoff berth this...

BASKETBALL

Mar 19, 2012

Phoenix flex muscles to hold off late Jets charge

The Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix don't have the fiery, demanding Kazuo Nakamura barking instructions from the bench anymore, but the two-time defending champions still feature a gifted ensemble of basketball players capable of winning another championship in May.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Mar 18, 2012

Evessa nab emotional victory without star Washington

The Osaka Evessa have endured a week unlike any other in franchise history.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL / HOOP SCOOP

Mar 18, 2012

Shinshu's Raivio making impression with speed, skills

Shinshu Brave Warriors guard Derek Raivio makes basketball look like a simple game, taking complex concepts and executing them with ease.

BASKETBALL

Mar 17, 2012

Drug use rampant in bj-league, claims Saitama's Flowers

Saitama Broncos forward John Flowers, who played for West Virginia in the 2010 NCAA Final Four, told a CBS Radio show in Pittsburgh that drug use in the bj-league is widespread.

BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 16, 2012

Jockeying for playoff positions gets serious

Like high tide or low tide, as the season enters its stretch run, teams will rise and fall, and playoff aspirations will be realized or go unfulfilled.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Mar 16, 2012

League to test all players for drugs after Washington arrest

After Osaka Evessa star Lynn Washington's Tuesday arrest for his alleged involvement in smuggling a package (1 kg to 1.5 kg, various published reports stated) of marijuana into Japan in November, the bj-league reacted by announcing league-wide drug testing of players will be conducted by Friday.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Mar 14, 2012

Evessa's Washington arrested in drug case

Osaka Evessa power forward Lynn Washington, the most famous player in bj-league history, was arrested at 10:20 a.m on Tuesday for alleged involvement in the importation of between 1 kg and 1.5 kg of marijuana, media reports stated the same day.

BASKETBALL

Mar 12, 2012

89ers finish Kyushu trip with victory over Rizing

Playing on the one-year anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Sendai 89ers gave their rabid Tohoku fans a heart-warming 73-65 victory to savor, and they salvaged a series split on Sunday in the bj-league.

BASKETBALL

Mar 11, 2012

Strong finish propels Rizing past 89ers

Despite a strong defensive effort, the Sendai 89ers fell 67-59 to the host Rizing Fukuoka on Saturday.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Mar 10, 2012

Hannaryz score big win

First-year coach Honoo Hamaguchi brought discipline, a commitment to excellence and a pair of big-time big men to the Kyoto Hannaryz for the team's third season.

BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK

Mar 9, 2012

With playoff spot already locked up, powerhouse Kings take on Albirex

With 14 games remaining, the Ryukyu Golden Kings have already clinched a playoff spot.

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.

The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports