The first-place Osaka Evessa outscored the visiting Sendai 89ers 30-18 in the second quarter en route to a 99-88 win in bj-league action on Saturday.
Jeff Newton led Osaka with 20 points and added 12 rebounds and eight assists and five teammates also scored 10 or more. Mamadou Diouf led Sendai with 24 points.
Elsewhere Saturday, the host Takamatsu Five Arrows routed the Toyama Grouses 115-77 as Julius Ashby scored 29 and Reggie Warren chipped in with 25.
Nick Davis scored 26 points in the Niigata Albirex BB's 96-72 win over the Tokyo Apache, who lost their sixth straight game.
The visiting Oita HeatDevils got 31 points from Andy Ellis and a 19-point, 15-rebound effort from Mikey Marshall in a 93-80 win over the Saitama Broncos.