Fittingly, the final game of the first division's regular season came down to the final champion of the bj-league (Ryukyu Golden Kings) taking on the now-disbanded circuit's first dynasty (Osaka Evessa).
Entering the season finale, the fierce rivals had identical records, with one playoff spot up for grabs to the second-place finisher in the West Division.
The Golden Kings prevailed 80-72 on Sunday night in Okinawa City, extending their season for at least another week by completing a weekend sweep of the Evessa, whose coach, Dai Oketani, guided Ryukyu to a pair of championships (2008-09 and 2011-12). Between them, they won seven of the bj-league's 11 titles.
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