Take the ball away from your foe. It's one of the oldest strategies in any playbook, and opportunistic defense has helped the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix triumph in 11 of their first 12 games.
Coach Kazuo Nakamura's club relies on good old-fashioned anticipation to force takeaways. That aggressive defense serves as the catalyst for the team's high-octane offense as it has ascended to the top of the Eastern Conference standings.
Furthermore, steals have been a collective effort, not a standout statistic for one or two Hamamatsu players. Swingman Wendell White leads the team with 26 steals.