The Sendai 89ers outlasted the Tokyo Cinq Reves in double overtime on Friday night, winning 118-112.
The 89ers (31-14) extended their winning streak to nine games.
Guard Kejuan Johnson, who was selected as the weekly MVP award winner for his two 30-point games last week, made the biggest impact for Sendai in the series opener with a 52-point, 13-rebound, six-steal, five-assist performance. He also had 10 of the visitors' 20 turnovers.
Johnson made 15 of 26 field goals, including 5-for-8 from beyond the 3-point arc. He was 17 of 19 at the free-throw line.
Teammates Jeral Davis and Adrian Moss scored 22 and 21 points, respectively. Moss added 14 rebounds, and Davis hauled in 13 with six blocks. Sendai guard Fumiya Sato had 14 points.
Yuji Ide paced Tokyo (5-38) with 31 points and Zane Knowles scored 28 points. Chris Brown and Akihito Inoue both had 13 points in Hachioji.
Phoenix 82, Rizing 60
In Kurume, Fukuoka Prefecture, Hamamatsu outscored the hosts 57-6 from 3-point range in a runaway win.
The Phoenix (35-10) made 19 of 32 3s; the Rizing were held to 2-for-11.
Nile Murry canned 5 of 8 3s and scored a team-best 22 points for Fukuoka, which led 42-25 at halftime. Jermaine Green had 15 points and seven assists, while Olu Ashaolu scored 11 points and Hiroki Furuhashi poured in nine points.
Josh Peppers led Fukuoka (12-33) with 17 points and John Humphrey and Cyrus Tate both had 10. Cohey Aoki finished with eight points.
Where are they now?: Former Akita and Shiga forward Marshall Brown is now playing for the Perth Redbacks of the State Basketball League of Western Australia.
The University of Missouri product scored 48 points in his second game in a Perth uniform on March 20. He was 17 of 31 shooting from the floor and 7-for-10 at the line.
In three games through March 22, Brown is averaging 23.7 points, 7.7 rebound and 2.3 assists for the Redbacks.