There's a reason the free-throw line is often referred to as the "charity stripe" in basketball vernacular.
The clock is stopped. There's no defender challenging the shooter, and this aspect of the game — for a player or an entire team — can often be a key factor in a team's win or loss.
On Friday, the Chiba Jets showed enough improvement at the line and made enough other plays to hold off the visiting Sendai 89ers 79-74 at Urayasu Sports Park Gymnasium, snapping a three-game losing streak and ending the 89ers' five-game win streak.