Sendai 89ers — Altiri Chiba: 81:74, B League

Sendai 89ers beat Altitire Chiba 81-74 in the B League on Wednesday evening. The hosts secured a narrow victory despite a spirited effort from the visitors. The match ended with Sendai pulling away in the final quarter.

Sendai sit sixth after 60 games with 35 wins and 25 defeats. Chiba remain in 11th place with 19 wins from the same number of outings. The gap between them is 16 points in the table.

Sendai had lost three of their four previous matches before this one. They dropped games to Levanga Hokkaido twice and to Akita. The win gives them some breathing room after that run.

And here's the thing — we had called for a home win with 69 per cent confidence. To be fair, it played out as expected. Sendai's experience showed when the game tightened. They managed to grind out the result against a side that had been competitive in their own right.

Chiba struggled to find their rhythm after a mixed week. They had beaten Brave Thunders 99-90 on Tuesday but lost the following day. The visitors could not sustain their energy levels for long enough.

The seven-point margin reflects a match where both sides traded blows. Sendai will take the result as a chance to build momentum. Chiba need to regroup before their next fixture.