Kumamoto Volters vs Fukushima Firebonds, Japan B2 League, Today Match Prediction

Teams Preview

Kumamoto Volters Preview

Kumamoto head into the contest with a 86-64 victory against Yamagata. The Volters won eight of the last ten games in the B2 League. They extended their winning streak to four matches now. The Volters are sitting at the third spot of the Western Conference with an impressive 25-19 record. They are on the finishing line of the playoffs. Last season, they made a first round exit in the playoffs. 

The Volters are back home and they went 12-9 at home arena this season, winning the previous five games. The Volters were shooting 55% from the floor and 36% from the three-point line. The hosts are leading in the field goal percentage (45.7%) and fourth in the rebounds (41.1). They are sixth in blocks per game (2.4). In two out of the last three games, Kumamoto scored more than 100 points. 

Four players reached double figures for the Volters in the last game with Rawle Alkins being the top scorer with a game-high 28 points. Mitch Lightfoot went for 16 points and nine rebounds. Gregory Echenique contributed a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds. Shota Yamamoto also added ten points. Lightfoot could be an offensive threat on Saturday. The forward averaged 16.9 points in the B. League Two. We back him to drop a 20-point outburst in the upcoming home game. 

Fukushima Firebonds Preview

Fukushima Fire Bonds enter the contest with a narrow 91-93 loss to Ehime. With this loss, they snapped a six-game winning streak in the league. The hosts had a 58-43 lead at halftime but sloppy shooting in the second half cost them the game. It was Shaquille Hines, who dropped a match-winning basket with three seconds left. The Fire Bonds are still sitting at the second spot of the Eastern Conference with an impressive 33-11 record. They now have the second most number of victories in the league. 

Fukushima will face Kumamoto for a two-game set. The visitors dropped just six games out of 21 on the road and they have the strong odds to win this game. They were shooting 41% from the floor and 41% from the three-point line. They were out-rebounded 32-49 and had the biggest lead of 16 points. Fukushima ranks second in the scoring average (86.7) and first in assists per (23). They are second in steals per game (8.7) and fourth in turnovers per game (11). 

Three players reached double figures for Fukushima in the last game. Tsukasa Nakano was the top performer with 15 points, while Patrick Gardner continued his top form with 14 points. Jack Nunge contributed a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. He could also be an offensive threat from Fukushima in the upcoming fixture. The 27-year-old scored in single digits only once in the last ten games in B2 League. He has crossed the 20-point mark record 20 times in the ongoing season. We back him to break another 20-point mark in the upcoming game. 

Kumamoto Volters vs Fukushima Firebonds Starting Lineups