Unlocking the Potential of Gunma Basketball Players: A Journey to Team Chemistry and Growth

2024-03-22 09:00:00

Responding to the fusion of weapons that each player has: “The players are figuring out how to utilize them.”

The growth of individual players is also essential for the growth of the team as a whole. Head coach Kota Mizuno praises the team, saying, “Everyone is getting better,” praising the entire team as they show improvement with each game. Among them, we talked about two of them, Ko Flippin and Naoto Tsuji, who joined the team this season and are starting players.

Regarding Ko Flippin, who has played a part in his strong performance since the beginning of the year, he said, “Although he was aggressive, he has become more stable.Offensively, he is able to share the ball more than before.He is spot-on. He also made solid shots, and the roughness of his play has calmed down.I think he can further improve his off-ball movements, such as positioning when he doesn’t have the ball on defense.”

Furthermore, regarding Naoto Tsuji, he says that he has given the team more than the image he had until now. “He is a player who can think about what is necessary for the team to have a culture, explore what he can do to achieve that, and face it. He thinks about how he should be on the team, and works before and after practice, including practice. He takes his training and workouts seriously. He also seems to feel that he has to improve his performance in order to get results. It’s the same with athletes who face growth so as not to stop it. I really feel that way.”

As the number of players who can demonstrate their individual strengths increases, the roles of existing players often change. The same goes for Gunma, and he mentioned that mainstay Trey Jones has “changed in a good way.” “Up until now, my role had been to attack on my own, but with the concept of creating a better offense as a team through ball movement, in the first half I was trying to make the most of my surroundings rather than myself. I think that was a factor.However, from around the match against Kyoto Hannary’s, I started making the most of the people around me and attacking myself.He played calmly and without getting too emotional, and he was a great voice to his teammates. He is also demonstrating leadership by communicating with others, such as when making bets.”

Gunma has players with high individual abilities, but head coach Mizuno is gaining confidence in the team chemistry that is being demonstrated. “We are a team with a lot of individuality, and everyone has their own weapons. However, in the first half, we weren’t able to integrate well. Now, with that understanding, the players are figuring out how to make the most of it.”

“It all comes down to how well we can fight.”

Riding on a wave of nine consecutive wins, their most recent match against A-Tokyo was a loss by two points, proving the team’s strength. Still, the situation they find themselves in is by no means easy. They trail Shimane Susanoo Magic, who are in the bottom wild card spot for the championship, with a one-game lead, and there are four teams within two games of each other. Head coach Mizuno talked about the key points to get out of this chaotic situation as follows.

“It all comes down to how well we can play. We are a team that still has its ups and downs, so how much can we eliminate them? Furthermore, whether we can display explosive power for a long time, whether we can turn offense from good defense, and whether we can overcome bad trends. How quickly can we break the ice?I feel like we’re gradually doing that, and we want to win this race by playing our own basketball against the top teams.”

Gunma has three games against A-Tokyo, one game against Utsunomiya Brex, two games against Chiba Jets, and three games against Akita Northern Happinets, leaving many matches against the top teams in the area. It is not an easy task, but if they can win against the top teams, their chances of advancing to the championship will increase accordingly, so they view this situation as a positive.

“Depending on the results after this, I think we can ride a big wave. In that sense, it was big to beat the Chiba Jets just before the bye week. I thought the direction we were going in was good, and there were a lot of things going on. I started to see things.Specifically, I no longer stop trying because of one mistake.In order to become a better team, I want to do things like this, make corrections like this, and improve here. , I feel like I’m getting better because I’m leaning forward and actively taking on challenges.”

“I think this team can create meaning and significance for Gunma.”

Although they lost to A Tokyo by two points and did not have a 10-game winning streak, Head Coach Mizuno said, “A winning streak ends at some point. “What’s really important is whether or not you can put it in,” he says, always thinking about all kinds of situations. “This doesn’t mean preparing to lose. I think we need to explore what we can do to win as many games as possible. Not only in basketball, but there are times when things don’t go our way. What is important is how we can be in that moment.”

I feel that this idea is one of the things head coach Mizuno has been talking about since he took office: “Instilling a basketball culture in Gunma.” The true value of something is tested not only when things are going well, but also when things are not going well. It’s not just about winning, but sharing a variety of experiences between the team and the fans is a step toward becoming a strong team. he says.

“I believe that this team can create meaning and significance for Gunma.It is not just about playing basketball and winning, but it is about continuing to do what we need to do as a team. I hope that by embodying this, we can convey the feelings of the fans.We are in a situation where reserved seats are sold out every game, and even standing room seats are sold out, which shows how much expectations are placed on us. We feel it. The fans create the atmosphere for the game and support us. It means a lot to us to be what everyone wants us to be.”

“I believe that we are in a transitional period where we are creating the history of the club, so I feel that it would be ideal for us to share various things, including wins and losses, and accumulate experience of competing together. I want this to be a season where everyone can see the scenery they want to see, so I want them to fight together.”

There are 17 games left in the regular season to advance to the championship for the first time. However, the team has their sights set on what lies ahead. This is the third season since their home base was moved, and the team is still making history, but considering the momentum in the second half, it can be said that they will be in the eye of the biggest typhoon. We look forward to Gunma’s struggle to reach the top in the final round.

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