Niigata Albirex and OSG Phoenix will join the top-tier Japanese men's basketball league for the 2002-03 season, replacing the Isuzu Giga Cats and the Bosch Blue Winds, the Japan Basketball League (JBL) said Monday.
The eight-team Super League 2002, which will begin Nov. 8, also features the defending champion Toyota Alvark, Aisin Sea Horses, Mitsubishi Electric Melco Dolphins, Toshiba Brave Thunders, Matsushita Electric Super Kangaroos and Hitachi Sunrockers.
Niigata and OSG newly joined the one-year-old Super League after the withdrawals of six-time national champions Isuzu and Bosch, which suspended club activities after last season as part of the parent companies' restructuring drive.