The Ryukyu Golden Kings have faced plenty of adversity this season. Losing shooting guard Shigeyuki Kinjo and big man Jeff Newton, the league's regular-season and playoff MVP last season, for significant chunks of time, has tested the team's resilience and competitive spirit.
To complicate matters, the defending champion Golden Kings (27-17) are now missing the services of guard Masashi Obuchi and forward/center Kevin Steenberge, both of whom were injured in Sunday's rough-and-tumble series finale against the Shiga Lakestars.
Steenberge suffered a partial tear of his jaw and is expected to be sidelined for a week. The former Richmond State product won't play at home against the Rizing Fukuoka (26-18) this weekend. He's averaging 6.7 points per game, but can carry the team on offense, as evidenced by his 27-point effort on 12-for-15 shooting (six dunks) against the Oita HeatDevils on March 27.