The #BasketballDiaries is a new feature inspired by the Leonardo DiCaprio film of the same name, offering a more personal approach to the game.
Everyone Watches Women's Sports. Just like the 18,700,000 who tuned into the NCAA finals to see record breaker and next week's for sure first pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Caitlin Clark's UCONN battle with another GOAT in the making in Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks. Just a few weeks ago, this writer made the hour plus trek from Yokohama, to Chiba, Japan (sympathizing even more with his ex-girlfriend's mutual dedication to our past relationship), to catch the ENEOS Sunflowers W League team bloom on any given Sunday, before the seasonal Spring Sakura started to blossom. Unfortunately, upon arrival at the arena, the game was sold out. Was I annoyed? Only at those who would say, "should have booked ahead". Have you tried doing this in Japanese at convenience stores, or the men's equivalent of the "mendokusai" B-League booking process? Otherwise, I was overjoyed this sport, and the women's game especially, had no more room at the inn.
Yet, following the stars before it was too late, I knew I had to get in before everything fell away like pink petals next week. So this time, I did book ahead...and was almost late for work in the application process. But that's OK. I'm the kind of guy who arrives in Tokyo two hours before my start time, so I'm not late. Crazy, I know. But all a writer needs is a memo and Starbucks. This time, after rimming out on my previous attempt at the W League, I was graced with practically courtside seats to two games. In the playoffs no less. An experience I've never had before, and I used to travel to the States just to watch the NBA...and see the sights, of course. Sure, because of a series being settled the day and game before, two became one like a Spice Girls song (I guess I'm destined to never grow with the Sunflowers), but that hardly mattered. Especially as the mesmerizing monolith of the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in the quiet and quaint Chofu was literally across the road from the sensational stadium where Tokyo FC play. For more on that, follow my fellow teacher and good friend who was there the day before Tokyo Fox on X for his brilliant blog work. More blossom than a 90s sitcom kept us who were unaware of the schedule change (Chofu is quite far from Yokohama, too) entertained. As high as our smartphone batteries were low.
The 'Loved W League' showed how much heart was in this nation's better side of basketball. From "kawaiiiiii" mascots on a classic court for this Keio line fixture, to Red Wave big Aki Fujimoto showing us one of the most fundamental free-throw techniques we've ever witnessed off-hand. But in this semi-final third leg decider where the Fujitsu Red Wave beat the Sakura out of the courageous Chanson Cosmetics V-Magic in pink, you knew who the real star of the showcase before the All Star game was, despite this being an X and O purist's dream of a team effort. Holding up the peace sign endearingly after beating everyone, except the more dominant than the dream, Team USA women's side, hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Rui Machida made her name known like her fellow first namesake Rui Hachimura for the Lakers in Ohtani's city. And now Shohei's wife Mamiko Tanaka has retired from the Red Wave, it's Machida's time to shine. Rui even played in the WNBA last year for the Washington Mystics. And in this game and season, she showed she still belongs there, putting on a clinic and orchestrating the offence to a maverick win conducted by this pocket dynamo of a maestro. But that W's loss is this one gain. Just like what the great Japanese game of baseball would be like if their best ever like Ruth came home to roost. Rui's 14 points, 11 assists and steal (along with another sweet 16 from Saki Hayashi and Yuki Miyazawa and a team-high 18 from Joshua Nfonnovong Temitope in a balanced attack) paced the Wave to a 93-72 blowout over the Magic and their first Finals appearance in two calendars. Get ready. The Red shirts are coming. And this Wave on the court canvas is a perfect picture of the game as art like Hokusai. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
