SCHEDULE
B1 ROUND 33 : April 19, 2023
HIROSHIMA DRAGONFLIES 99 - 88 SHIGA LAKES
(Kai Sotto: KS) It was good, I mean any win is a good feeling, but I'm glad I played better than the past game, hoping that we could build and we could play better for our next games, because I believe heading into the playoff we gotta level up more if you wanna advance. Tonight it’s a good win, we focus on the next one.
(KS) Next man up, we got 12 players, we got guys who can step up. He’ll be back soon, but Tsuji is a big piece for us, but you know just next man up. When Tsuji comes back, which is going to be better so just gotta keep on working, keep upping the level, heading into the playoffs. I mean six more games and as a competitive team we want to win all those six games, so we gotta focus on the next game.
(KS) I mean after having trouble on consistency, not just on scoring but also rebounding, defense. I gotta keep on working. I mean I’m not gonna give up, I wanna help this team win, so I gotta keep on going. Six more games and then playoffs. We gotta work together more, so I had to step up more if I want to help this team win.
(KS) Kiefer is a really good guy. A very funny person. A little trash talk and it’s just fun playing against Kiefer, he is a really good guy. I like being his teammate and this is the first time we played against each other, so it’s fun playing against Kiefer. Really good player. I can’t really say much about that, but it’s the refs call and the refs make the rules, call the rules, call the fouls so.
(KS) For me any Filipino player to play against in any international league is a big thing for me. Because that's my dream to help or to be in international league where I can see more Filipinos more and more, because I know our talents and hard work as Filipino is getting better, and is pretty good and I believe Filipino can play here, not just play but play good. It’s good to see Kiefer.
(KS) Yeah it is different, I mean you can see the smile from my face when I see one of my fellow Filipinos. When I get to play against them, it’s a good feeling, it’s like when we are doing the scouting reports and reading the tendencies, like this right, this may be wrong, I know this guy, it’s just fun. Just to see them, watch them play before, and get to play against them here in Japan.
(KS) That’s what you can expect from Filipinos, we just support each other. I always feel the love coming from them, everywhere I go, U.S Australia Japan, they’re always there to support me and I really appreciate the team and the city this Kaiju night, it’s very special for me, and I’m sure it’s special to all the Filipinos that came. I’m just thankful for the support and that’s just how Filipinos are.
(KS) Six more games, we gotta finish it strong. We got the chance to play against the RYUKYU last home game and SHIMANE away so those are the two teams ahead of us in our conference, so it’s gonna be a tough challenge and as a good team we gotta beat them we gotta accept that challenge. Win or lose we gotta learn from it, because heading into the playoffs we gotta add them up all together, and gotta win both games, so we gotta finish it strong the next six games.
(KS) I wanna say thank you, I said earlier I really appreciate everyone came in and supported us tonight and past nights. I’m just very happy to see a lot of Filipinos cheering, really giving me joy to see my fellow Filipinos just coming out and shouting loud, as a basketball player it really gives me energy, pretty sure Kiefer feels the same. I’m just thankful.
