The post-Lynn Washington era officially began on Saturday, and the Osaka Evessa defeated the Toyama Grouses 85-81 in the bj-leaue series opener.
Six-time All-Star Cohey Aoki scored a team-best 22 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including eight in the final 3:33, to lead the Evessa. He sank four free throws in the last 10 seconds to secure the win for Osaka (32-15 overall, 19-6 on the road). Aoki was 6-for-6 at the free-throw line. As a team, Osaka shot a dismal 18-for-29 at the line.
Mike Bell added 19 points and 13 rebounds and Bobby St. Preux had a 15-point effort for the Evessa, who won three consecutive championships (2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08) with power forward Washington playing a starring role on the team. Washington's so-called retirement was announced by the team on Monday in the aftermath of his exoneration on all drug-related charges on March 30. (Osaka Prefectural Police had arrested Washington on March 13 for his alleged role in smuggling a package containing marijuana into Japan. He was in police custody for 18 days.)