Before the bj-league unveiled its current two-conference format, the Osaka Evessa were the league's first elite team.
The Evessa collected three consecutive titles, starting in the spring of 2006. And then they faced the second-year Ryukyu Golden Kings in the Western Conference final last May at Ariake Colosseum.
Ex-Evessa star Jeff Newton, who quickly became Ryukyu's franchise player, delivered the greatest clutch performance in league history in that game, scoring a then-league record 50 points in a thrilling comeback to carry the Golden Kings into the title game for the first time.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.