Shigeyuki Kinjo scored a team-high 19 points and four teammates scored in double digits as the Ryukyu Golden Kings rolled to an 89-68 road win over the Takamatsu Five Arrows on Friday.
Jeff Newton and Taketo Aoki each scored 13 points apiece for Ryukyu (5-2), while George Leach poured in 12 points and Bryan Simpson had 10.
Newton grabbed 16 rebounds, Leach hauled in 13 and Anthony McHenry retrieved 10 as the Golden Kings controlled the boards.
McHenry also scored nine points and dished out six assists for the reigning bj-league champions.
Yu Okada paced the Five Arrows (2-7) with 25 points and Shuichi Takada had a 12-point game.
Also Friday, the host Rizing Fukuoka beat the Shiga Lakestars 80-76 in overtime.
Michael Parker's 26-point, 15-rebound effort helped the Rizing (5-5) earn a series sweep. Teammate Tsuyoshi Kawazura had 15 points and Marlyn Bryant chipped in with 14.
Chris Schlatter was the Lakestars' top scorer, finishing with 27 points and 10 boards. Gary Hamilton added 14 points, Masashi Joho had 11 and Bobby Nash 10.
Shiga slipped to 7-5.
Ayer drafted
The Japan TimesCenter Chris Ayer, who helped the Ryukyu Golden Kings win the 2008-09 bj-league title, has moved on to the NBA Development League.
The Bakersfield Jam made him the No. 13 selection in the sixth round of the NBADL on Thursday.
Ayer, who played college ball at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, spent three seasons overall in the bj-league, including the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons with the Oita HeatDevils. The 208-cm frontcourt standout had a 17-point performance in the title game against the Tokyo Apache last May.
Osaka Evessa forward David Palmer, the 2006-07 bj-league MVP, also played in the NBADL, suiting up for the Dakota Wizards for one season after helping the Evessa capture back-to-back titles.
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