Welcome to 3x3.EXE Premier Japan — Women’s Series.
Guards on Fire Under the Hokkaido Lights
Round 4 Group 2 - Hokkaido
The women’s action in Sapporo kicked off with three high-stakes games that set the tone for Group 2’s Round 4. From the opening tip until the final buzzer, every possession mattered as teams battled for momentum and maximum EXE points before the season’s midway mark. Fans filled the stand, bundled against the Hokkaido chill to witnessed an afternoon of fierce defence, clutch shooting, and shifting storylines.
First, FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE aimed to snap their two-game skid against a hungry ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE side eager to make a statement. The hosts then saw TOKYO VERDY.EXE and ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE face off in a back-and-forth contest that tested both teams’ resolve. Finally, a marquee guard duel between FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE and TOKYO VERDY.EXE decided who would top the group and control their fate heading into the next stage.
Throughout the day, defensive stands turned into fast-break opportunities, and every swing in momentum felt decisive. By the end of these three matchups, individual performances had emerged, team rhythms had been defined, and the battle for Group 2 supremacy had reached a thrilling fever pitch under the Sapporo lights.
Group 2 Teams
- FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE - 230 EXE POINTS | 78% Winning% | 19.8 PPG
- TOKYO VERDY.EXE - 190 EXE POINTS | 71% Winning% | 16.0 PPG
- ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE - 170 EXE POINTS | 43% Winning% | 13.7 PPG
GAME 1
Dominant Defense and Offense Propel FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE to Victory
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE vs ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE came into this Round 4 clash looking to snap a two-game skid after opening the season 9–0. On the other side, Round 3 semi-finalists ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE were eager to prove they belonged among the top teams. Both sides knew this game would set the tone for the rest of the group stage.
From the tip, ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE applied heavy pressure, contesting every shot and packing the paint, while FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE struggled to move the ball cleanly through the defense. Early possessions ended with rushed attempts or trapped passes, and neither team could find an easy look.
Breaking the deadlock, Isai buried her first shot from deep, and suddenly the floodgates opened for FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE. Takahashi followed with a quick two, and then Yoki overpowered her defender in the post for another score. In the space of three possessions, FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE raced ahead 6–0.
With momentum firmly on their side, Takahashi blew by her defender for a layup. On the very next trip, newcomer Nitta found herself alone in the corner and drilled a clean two, forcing ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE to call a timeout down 8–0 with just 90 seconds gone.
Out of the break, FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE stayed sharp, Takahashi finished another layup, and Noto finally answered in transition when Kilala sprinted past her marker for an open layup. Both teams then ground through tough defense until Takahashi battled on the glass, tipping back to Yoki for a traffic-filled layup. A no-look dish back to Isai capped the sequence and kept FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE in firm control.
By the mid-game timeout, FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE led 13–2. Hashida showed ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE’s fight, slicing to the rim twice for quick layups, but the FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE duo of Takahashi and Isai traded baskets to steadily pull away.
ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE threatened one last run when Tomomi converted a strong and-one to cut the deficit to 10, but FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE answered immediately. Nitta sprinted to the corner and drained a wide-open two, restoring the 12-point margin.
In the closing stages, Takahashi drained a deep two and added her free throw to all but seal the win. FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE closed out a commanding 21–6 victory, snapping their skid and sending a statement through Group 2.
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE (21) Def ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE (6)
GAME 2
Masked Sniper Tsubouchi Shines as TOKYO VERDY.EXE Defeats ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE
ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE vs TOKYO VERDY.EXE
After winning Round 2 and splitting games in Round 3, TOKYO VERDY.EXE looked to stay in the top four with a win against ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE. ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE had suffered a rough loss to FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE in Round 3 and needed this result to build momentum before the halfway point of 3x3.EXE Premier Japan.
In Sapporo, the crowd did not have to wait long for a highlight. Wearing a protective mask, Rua Tsubouchi hit a 2 with her first touch for TOKYO VERDY.EXE. The masked shooter followed up with a pull-up layup on the next trip, and Yuki Noguchi added a running shot to push the early lead for TOKYO VERDY.EXE.
ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE answered when Otoha Tatsumi drilled a wide-open 2, ensuring this would not be another runaway match. Ayami Saito and Ikeda Tomomi then traded baskets, and the game was truly underway.
Noguchi scooped in a crafty layup, but Uetaki Kilala responded for ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE, bringing the score within one point in the opening three minutes.
A no-look pass from Tsubouchi gave TOKYO VERDY.EXE a slight edge, and she immediately followed with a huge perimeter block. Both teams then locked in on defence, trading stops and forcing tough shots. Tsubouchi struck again with another 2, sending TOKYO VERDY.EXE into the midway break up 10–6.
Tomomi fought hard to keep ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE in contention, draining a step-back 2 at the shot-clock buzzer and adding a free throw after a strong drive. Just as her team seemed to be clawing back, Tsubouchi drove through contact to convert an and-1, swinging momentum decisively.
With three minutes remaining, Noguchi and Tomomi traded baskets as both sides showed their will to win. ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE missed a couple of close looks, and Tsubouchi knocked down two free throws to give TOKYO VERDY.EXE some breathing room.
In the final stretch, Tsubouchi scored on a scooping layup, swatted a shot, and buried a big 2 on three straight possessions to seize full control. ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE refused to go quietly, Tomomi hit a step-back 2 and Tatsumi sank a wide-open 2. After a foul on Yuko Masaki at the rim, TOKYO VERDY.EXE closed out the 21–16 win at the free-throw line.
TOKYO VERDY.EXE (21) Def ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE (16)
GAME 3
Takahashi and Isai Dominate for FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE in 21-13 Victory
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE vs TOKYO VERDY.EXE
The final women’s game of the day saw FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE face TOKYO VERDY.EXE with both teams sitting at 1–1 in Group 2. A win here would earn maximum EXE points and set the tone before the season’s midpoint in 3x3.EXE Premier Japan.
Fuyuko Takahashi opened the scoring for FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE with a smooth step-back two from the elbow. TOKYO VERDY.EXE answered when Yuki Noguchi sank a free throw, but Saya Isai quickly restored FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE’s lead with a clean two.
Ayami Saito used crafty ball-handling to level the game for TOKYO VERDY.EXE, only for Takahashi to step up and knock down a huge two, creating breathing room for FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE. Both defenses then clamped down until Rua Tsubouchi—the masked sniper—drilled her first two of the game.
Misa Yokoi drove hard for a tough layup to keep FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE in front, and Tsubouchi matched her immediately, sending the score back to a two-point game.
About three and a half minutes in, Takahashi drove through two defenders and drew the foul on her layup, completing the and-1 and pushing FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE’s lead to three. An illegal screen by TOKYO VERDY.EXE gifted FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE another possession, and Takahashi found Isai for a crisp finish. Tsubouchi then answered with a reverse layup, only to see Takahashi respond with another drive to the ring. This battle of the guards was in full swing.
Takahashi and Isai struck again on their second connection of the game, opening a four-point gap. Just when it looked like FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE might pull away, Noguchi hit a corner two while falling and added the free throw, bringing TOKYO VERDY.EXE within two points. Isai’s quick feed to Yokoi for a layup and Yuko Masaki’s deep two traded blows, but Takahashi’s back-to-back baskets, a layup in traffic and a steal-and-score, once more extended FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE’s cushion.
With TOKYO VERDY.EXE unable to answer, Takahashi found a wide-open Yokoi who knocked down a clean two, swinging momentum firmly to FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE. TOKYO VERDY.EXE called timeout with 4:05 remaining, trailing 17–11. Out of the break, Gunma’s defense surged, Isai hit a turnaround jumper in traffic, then after a couple of fouls, Takahashi calmly made both free throws to seal a 21–13 victory. By winning, FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE claimed top spot in Group 2 at the halfway mark of the season.
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE (21) Def TOKYO VERDY.EXE (13)
Winner of Round 4 Group 2
FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE
Notable Scorers:
- Fuyuko Takahashi (FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE) – 10.5 PPG | 69% - 1PT FG%
- Rua Tsubouchi (TOKYO VERDY.EXE) – 8.5 PPG | 50% FG%
- Ikeda Tomomi (ECHAKE-NA NOTO.EXE) – 4.5 PPG | 50% - 1PT FG%
🏆 MVP – Fuyuko Takahashi (FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE)
10.5 PPG | 69% - 1Pt FG% | 54% FG%
Fuyuko Takahashi was the driving force behind FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE’s victory, delivering a near-perfect blend of scoring and playmaking. She opened with a smooth step-back two and continuously attacked the rim, converting tough layups through traffic and drawing fouls to put the game out of reach. Her fearless drives forced TOKYO VERDY.EXE to collapse, freeing up teammates for open opportunities.
Not only did Takahashi dominate in the midrange and at the free-throw line, knocking down both of her game-sealing attempts but she also showcased her court vision with timely no-look passes, creating easy scores for Saya Isai and Misa Yokoi. Defensively, her quick hands led to key steals that swung momentum back in Gunma’s favour.
With an impressive 69 % conversion on her one-point attempts and 54 % overall shooting efficiency, Takahashi’s all-around performance encapsulated what it means to be an MVP in 3x3.EXE Premier Japan. Her leadership on both ends of the court lifted FLOWLISH GUNMA.EXE to the top of Group 2, and her impact will resonate as the season progresses.
Final Standings
Links
| FIBA 3x3 Event Page | FIBA 3x3 Event Link |
| YouTube Link | Youtube Link |
| 3x3.EXE Standings | 3x3.EXE Standings |
| 3x3.EXE Schedule | 3x3.EXE Schedule |
Written by Andrew Cannings
