With 14 games remaining, the Ryukyu Golden Kings have already clinched a playoff spot.
At 31-7, the Golden Kings are the league's winningest team and a favorite to appear in the title game for the third time in four seasons under bench boss Dai Oketani.
If there's any doubt that Jeff Newton is the cornerstone of the team's success, you haven't been paying attention.
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.