By: Joaquin Cortez
The 17-point lead disappeared, but Gunma found a way to finish the job.
The Crane Thunders survived Levanga Hokkaido’s furious comeback before pulling away in overtime, 101-91, to close out the two-day B.League Manila Games 2026 on Thursday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Gunma appeared to be in complete control after racing to a 28-11 lead in the opening quarter. But Levanga then clawed all the way back to force overtime behind the exploits of Keisei Tominaga and Dwight Ramos.
But when the game went into the extra period, it was Gunma that took over. Takuto Nakamura and Yuma Fujii delivered the crucial plays as the Crane Thunders closed the game on an 11-2 run to secure the victory.
The showcase’s second day capped the historic exhibition commemorating the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Japan, while also marking the B.League’s first-ever overseas game as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations.
“Tonight’s game was a very long game. It’s too bad there were so many fouls that broke the rhythm of the game and a couple of players fouling out,” Gunma head coach Kyle Milling said postgame.
“But our team showed a lot of heart to come back towards the end of the game and then pulled ahead in overtime. That’s kind of who we are, and I am proud of the players’ effort.”
AJ Edu was named the showcase MVP after putting together a near double-double of nine points and nine rebounds in the second-day matchup.
Nakamura led Gunma with 25 points, five rebounds, and two assists, while Fujii added 18 points, three rebounds, and five 3-pointers. Former NBA player Stanley Johnson played just 17 minutes before fouling out but still finished with 17 points and three assists.
The Crane Thunders came out firing, racing to a 28-11 lead behind Fujii’s eight early points to end the opening frame.
Levanga answered with an 8-0 run early in the second quarter, punctuated by 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.
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.
Hokkaido continued to ride Tominaga’s hot hand after that. The former Nebraska standout knocked down a deep triple before the buzzer to cap a 17-point third quarter and tie the game at 70-all heading into the final period.
Levanga then took control in the fourth, with Ramos burying a triple to give Hokkaido an 85-80 cushion with less than four minutes remaining.
Gunma responded with seven unanswered points, capped by Blackshear’s two free throws that restored the Crane Thunders’ lead at 87-85.
John Harrar then scored the next four points for Levanga to put Hokkaido back on top, 89-87, but missed an opportunity to stretch the lead to four after going 0-for-2 from the free-throw line with just over a minute remaining.
Blackshear committed a crucial turnover on the ensuing possession, but Nakamura emerged 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’ pass to Blackshear came too late, preventing him from getting a shot off before the final buzzer.
Gunma took control in overtime, closing the game on an 11-2 run before Nakamura’s game-sealing layup put the finishing touches on the double-digit victory.
For Levanga, Tominaga led all scorers with 34 points while shooting 55.6-percent from the field. Ramos added 17 points and four assists.
The Scores:
Gunma 101 – Nakamura 25, Fujii 18, Johnson 17, Blackshear Jr. 12, Jones 11, Edu 9, Hosokawa 5, Flippin 4, Asano 0, Taniguchi 0.
Hokkaido 91 – Tominaga 34, Ramos 17, Harrar 15, Bolden 12, Ichiba 6, Clark 6, Kikuchi 1, Sekino 0, Osaki 0, Naito 0, Shimatani 0, Matsuzaki 0.
Quarterscores: 28-11, 44-39, 70-70, 89-89, 101-91.
