The beast of the East proved once again it is the bj-league's best team.
The Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix defended their title with style and swagger from start to finish this season, concluding with Sunday's 82-68 triumph over the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the championship game at Ariake Colosseum.
Never one to settle for mediocrity, the inimitable Kazuo Nakamura, the Phoenix's high-energy, 70-year-old coach, wasn't particularly impressed with his team's play, though the result did produce a smile on his face. He didn't need to cite the team's 9-for-38 shooting on 3-pointers or 16 turnovers. Instead, generalized commentary delivered his point.