Orange Vikings Ehime vs Kagoshima Rebnise, Japan B2 League, Today Match Prediction

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Orange Vikings Ehime Preview

Ehime Orange Vikings head into the contest with a narrow 93-91 victory against Fukushima. Since the international break, the Vikings have been an inconsistent unit with three defeats in the last six wins. They are looking for back-to-back wins this weekend. With this win, Kobe reached 28-16 in the Western Conference. They are currently one of the top contenders to play in the B. League next season. However, the real picture will be seen in postseason. 

With a 12-9 record, Ehime have delivered a decent performance at home arena. The Vikings shot 47% from the floor and 33% from the three-point line. They averaged a season-best 82.7 points in the B2 League, while they allowed 79.4 points against the opposition. They rank first in the blocks per game (3.7) and forcing 11.6 turnovers per game. Ehime are fourth in the field goals and second in the assists per game. 

Mitchell Watt was the top scorer in the game with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Eiji Hayashi also went for 18 points, while Matt Haarms dropped 16 points and 7 rebounds. Shaquille Hines added 15 points and Michael Parker had 12, including 8 rebounds. If we figure out an offensive threat, Hines is right up there. He hit a match-winning three-pointer to lead the victory against Fukushima. The forward has scored in double-digit in nine of the last 10 games. We back him to score 20 or more points in the road fixture. 

Kagoshima Rebnise Preview

Kagoshima head into the contest with a narrow 78-79 defeat against Kobe in the first of a two-game set. The Rebnise were outscored 14-26 in the second quarter and it proved decisive. They lost to Kobe twice in two days and snapped a three-game winning streak. They now moved to fourth in the Western Conference with a 24-20 record. With a 13-8 record on the road, they would eye to retain the winning run. 

The Rebnise made it a one-point game with the final basket of the game but they couldn’t avail chances in the final two minutes. Kagoshima were shooting 44% from the floor and 27% from the three-point line. They were out-rebounded 32-43. Kobe committed 15 turnovers but Kagoshima didn’t avail. The Rebnise rank fifth in the field goal percentage (44.7%) and sixth in the three-point shooting (32.2%). They are second in blocks per game (3.5) and fourth in offensive rebounds (41.0). 

With 85.1 PPG, Kagoshima are fifth best team in scoring average. Four players reached double figures for Kagoshima on Saturday. Patrick Auda scored 20 points. Josh Sharma went for 19 points and 7 rebounds, while Zen Endo added 12 points. Anthony Gaines also dropped 10 points. Gaines would also be a player to watch out for. He averaged 18.2 points in the league and scored 20 or more points 17 times. We back Gaines to score 15 or more points in the upcoming fixture. 

Orange Vikings Ehime vs Kagoshima Rebnise Starting Lineups