By: Joaquin Cortez
Gunma survived a 17-point comeback scare to outlast Levanga Hokkaido in overtime, 101-91, and conclude the two-day B.League Manila Games 2026 showcase on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
After opening the showcase with a 17-point victory, the Crane Thunders weathered Hokkaido’s second- and third-quarter rally before Takuto Nakamura and Yuma Fujii hit crucial shots in overtime to secure their second win in as many days.
The second day capped the historic exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, with the B.LEAGUE also staging its first-ever overseas game as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations.
The Crane Thunders came out firing, racing to a 28-11 lead behind Fujii’s eight early points to close out the opening frame.
Levanga responded with an 8-0 run early in the second quarter, punctuated by Dwight Ramos’ 3-pointer that cut Gunma’s lead to single digits at 28-19. Hokkaido continued to chip away at the deficit, but Trey Jones converted two technical free throws to keep the Crane Thunders ahead, 44-39, at halftime.
Keisei Tominaga made an immediate impact to start the second half, giving Levanga its first lead of the game with a fastbreak layup that put Hokkaido ahead, 55-54.
From there, Hokkaido stayed within striking distance as Tominaga knocked down a deep triple before the buzzer, capping his 17-point third quarter and tying the game at 70-all heading into the final period.
Levanga seized control in the fourth quarter, with Ramos burying a triple to give Hokkaido an 85-80 lead with less than four minutes remaining.
Gunma, however, answered with seven unanswered points, capped by Kerry Blackshear Jr.’s two free throws that put the Crane Thunders back on top, 87-85.
Harrar then scored the next four points for Levanga to give Hokkaido an 89-87 advantage, but he missed an opportunity to extend the lead to four with just over a minute remaining in regulation.
Blackshear committed a crucial turnover on the ensuing possession, allowing Nakamura to emerge as Gunma’s unlikely hero. He stole the ball from Shuto Ichiba and converted a timely fastbreak layup to tie the game at 89-all with 50.5 seconds left.
Levanga had one final chance to win the game in regulation, but Ramos passed the ball out too late to Blackshear, who could not get a shot off before the final buzzer.
Gunma then pulled away in overtime, closing the game on an 11-2 run capped by Nakamura’s game-sealing layup to complete the Crane Thunders’ two-game sweep.
