All-Star forward Lynn Washington scored 25 points to lead a balanced offensive attack in the Osaka Evessa's 95-79 road win over the Kyoto Hannaryz on Monday.
David Palmer added 18 points and Nile Murry finished with 16 for the Evessa (31-18), who improved to 5-0 against the expansion Hannaryz. Teammates Shota Konno and Jason Klotz scored 12 points apiece, while Ryan Blackwell contributed six points, six rebounds and six assists.
Kyoto's Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf and Reda Rhalimi each scored 27 points for the first-year bj-league club and Kyosuke Setoyama scored 11 points. John Clifford grabbed a game-high 18 rebounds and Rhalimi hauled in 14 boards, while Naoto Takushi added eight points and three assists.
The Hannaryz (16-33) trailed 71-57 entering the fourth quarter, and Osaka's lead stretched to 19 moments later.
The host Takamatsu Five Arrows open their series against the Rizing Fukuoka on Tuesday.