Hiroshima Dragonflies Edge Ibaraki Robots 90-86 in B1 League Road Battle

The Hiroshima Dragonflies came away from Mito with a hard-earned 90-86 road win over the Ibaraki Robots on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, closing out a tight B1 League contest with cool execution in the final five minutes at the Adastria Mito Arena. In a game that produced 11 lead changes and rarely opened up beyond two possessions, Hiroshima's late shot-making and free-throw accuracy decided a matchup between two sides still sharpening their rhythm in the early weeks of the campaign.

Final score: Ibaraki Robots 86 — 90 Hiroshima Dragonflies
Tip-off: 18:05, Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Venue: Adastria Mito Arena, Mito, Ibaraki

Match Overview

The Dragonflies, B1 champions in 2023-24 and one of the league's most consistent franchises, arrived in Ibaraki with a clear plan: control the defensive glass, limit live-ball turnovers and force the Robots to win from the perimeter. Ibaraki, who have developed into an ambitious mid-table side with one of the more boisterous home crowds in the league, answered with a fast, aggressive opening quarter and led for much of the first half.

Neither team led by more than eight points at any stage. The contest was level at 45-45 late in the second quarter, 66-66 heading into the final period, and still tied at 81-81 with under three minutes remaining before Hiroshima produced the decisive run.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• Q1: Ibaraki 22 — Hiroshima 25
• Q2: Ibaraki 21 — Hiroshima 19 (halftime: 43-44)
• Q3: Ibaraki 20 — Hiroshima 24 (end of Q3: 63-68)
• Q4: Ibaraki 23 — Hiroshima 22 (final: 86-90)

How the Game Unfolded

Ibaraki came out firing. The Robots pushed the tempo off every defensive rebound, attacked the rim early in the shot clock and drew contact at a high rate, converting 9-of-10 free throws in the opening 10 minutes. A pair of corner three-pointers from their shooting guard capped an 8-0 burst that put the home side up 19-12 and forced an early Hiroshima timeout.

The response was measured rather than spectacular. Hiroshima slowed the pace, switched more aggressively on the perimeter and began feeding the ball into the post, where their frontcourt size created second-chance opportunities. A 12-2 run bridging the first and second quarters restored the visitors' lead, and from that point the game settled into a grinding, possession-by-possession exchange.

The fourth quarter was where the Dragonflies' experience showed. Trailing 79-77 with 4:20 to play, Hiroshima scored on four consecutive possessions — a post finish, a pull-up jumper in transition, a corner three off a drive-and-kick, and two free throws after an offensive rebound. That 9-2 spurt made it 88-81 and effectively settled the outcome, even as Ibaraki answered with a late three and a put-back to trim the final margin to four.

Tactical Story

Two contrasting identities shaped the night. Ibaraki wanted chaos — quick shots, transition threes, offensive rebounding pressure — and they succeeded often enough to stay in front for long stretches. Hiroshima wanted control, and their half-court defense in the final period was the difference.

The key adjustment came on the pick-and-roll. After Ibaraki's guards repeatedly turned the corner in the first half, Hiroshima began hedging harder and daring the Robots' big men to shoot from the elbow. Ibaraki managed just 18 points in the third quarter, their lowest output of the game, and their three-point shooting cooled to 3-of-12 after halftime.

On the other end, Hiroshima's patience paid off. They finished with 22 assists on 31 made field goals, repeatedly finding the extra pass against a rotating Ibaraki defense, and they converted 22-of-26 from the free-throw line — a five-point edge at the stripe that ultimately covered the final margin.

Standout Performers

• Hiroshima forward Nick Mayo led all scorers with 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting, adding 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. His mid-range jumper with 2:40 remaining was the dagger.
• Kerry Blackshear Jr. delivered a rugged 18-point, 12-rebound double-double, including four offensive boards in the fourth quarter alone.
• Hiroshima's starting point guard added 14 points and 7 assists against only two turnovers, dictating tempo when the game got loose.
• For Ibaraki, their import forward finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds, while the backcourt combined for 31 points and 11 assists.

What It Means in the B1 League Standings

The win keeps Hiroshima on track in the upper reaches of the early B1 League standings, where road victo