Reaching the Final Four is an annual objective for the Osaka Evessa, but it's only the first step.
Winning a title is the team's only goal every year, and the Evessa, led by rookie coach Ryan Blackwell, are two wins from making that goal a reality.
Osaka played pesky, in-your-face defense and smart, aggressive offense to beat the Rizing Fukuoka 85-74 in Game 2 of the bj-league's Western Conference semifinals on Sunday at Sumiyoshi Sports Center.