Taishiro Shimizu played for several forgettable Saitama Broncos teams in the first five years of his bj-league career. But since joining his hometown Miyazaki Shining Suns for their inaugural 2010-11 season, the veteran guard has been reinvigorated.
In Shimizu's own words, he told The Japan Times in January that being a captain and team leader is a never-ending job that he looks forward to each day. "My role has changed (playing for Miyazaki), and there's a lot more things that I have to do for this team," he said at the time.
On Sunday, Shimizu showed why he's a vital part of the Shining Suns in their 74-67 win over the host Osaka Evessa, finishing with nine points, eight rebounds, 11 assists, two steals and one blocked shot.