The SeaHorses Mikawa went on the road and left with a hard-earned 89-81 victory over the Kyoto Hannaryz in B1 League action on Sunday, 11 October 2026. A dominant third quarter proved decisive, as Mikawa turned a one-point half-time deficit into a lead they never surrendered, closing out the game with poise in the final minutes at the Hannaryz' home floor in Kyoto.

It was a classic B1 League arm-wrestle for long stretches — physical, half-court oriented, and decided by execution rather than pace. Kyoto's crowd was loud and their defence was competitive, but Mikawa's ability to generate stops and convert them into quick offence after the interval was the story of the afternoon.

Match Overview

• Competition: B1 League
• Fixture: Kyoto Hannaryz vs SeaHorses Mikawa
• Date & Time: Sunday, 11 October 2026, 1:35 PM
• Venue: Kyoto, Japan
• Final Score: Kyoto Hannaryz 81 – 89 SeaHorses Mikawa
• Result: SeaHorses Mikawa win by 8 points

Quarter by Quarter

• First quarter: Hannaryz 20 – SeaHorses 24
• Second quarter: Hannaryz 22 – SeaHorses 19 (half-time: 42-43)
• Third quarter: Hannaryz 18 – SeaHorses 27 (three-quarter time: 60-70)
• Fourth quarter: Hannaryz 21 – SeaHorses 19 (full-time: 81-89)

How Mikawa Took Control

Kyoto finished the first half strongly, outscoring Mikawa 22-19 in the second quarter to go into the break trailing by just one. Their ball movement was sharp and their guards attacked the paint with purpose, drawing fouls and keeping the SeaHorses' big men in rotation.

The third quarter changed everything. Mikawa came out of the locker room with a much more aggressive defensive scheme, hedging harder on ball screens and forcing Kyoto into late-clock shots. The result was a 27-18 period that flipped the game, giving the visitors a ten-point cushion heading into the final ten minutes.

Kyoto responded with a spirited fourth-quarter push, cutting the deficit to six on multiple occasions, but Mikawa's execution in the half-court down the stretch — patient possessions, smart shot selection, and clutch free-throw shooting — kept the Hannaryz at arm's length.

Key Moments

• Opening quarter: Mikawa jumped out to an early lead behind efficient outside shooting and strong transition defence.
• Before half-time: Kyoto's 22-point second quarter, capped by a late bucket, trimmed the gap to a single point at the break.
• Third quarter: A sustained Mikawa run built on defensive stops and second-chance points created the game's decisive separation.
• Final two minutes: Kyoto got within six, but Mikawa answered with a tough mid-range jumper and four straight free throws to seal it.

Tactical Story

This was a game decided in the trenches. Mikawa controlled the defensive glass in the second half, limiting Kyoto's second-chance opportunities and forcing the Hannaryz into one-shot possessions. Offensively, the SeaHorses leaned on their interior scoring and mid-range game, punishing Kyoto whenever the defence collapsed too far into the paint.

Kyoto's best stretches came when they pushed the tempo and got out in transition, but they were unable to sustain that pace for 40 minutes. Their three-point shooting was streaky, and too many late-clock possessions ended in contested attempts. Against a disciplined Mikawa side, that margin for error was always going to be costly.

Standout Performers

• SeaHorses Mikawa: A balanced offensive effort with contributions from both the import core and the Japanese national-team calibre rotation. Their interior presence and rebounding were the foundation of the win.
• Kyoto Hannaryz: Strong showings from their backcourt, who kept the team in touch with aggressive drives and timely shooting. The frontcourt battled hard on the boards but was outmuscled in the third quarter.

What It Means for the B1 League Table

For Mikawa, this is an important road result in a B1 League season where every game against a mid-table opponent carries playoff-seeding implications. Winning away from home in the Kyoto atmosphere is never straightforward, and the SeaHorses' ability to close out a tight fourth quarter is a positive sign for their championship ambitions.

For Kyoto, the defeat is a frustrating one — they were competitive for long stretches and went into half-time with real momentum. The Hannaryz will look at the third quarter as the clear area for correction, particularly their defensive communication on s