Seeking to establish early control, Doshisha saw captain Kato score the game’s opening points on a fast break just two minutes into the first quarter to tie the score at 4-4. Kato noted after the match that the team executed their running plays as intended during the initial exchanges. However, an Osaka Seikei free throw at the four-minute mark shifted the momentum of the contest. Doshisha struggled to find a consistent finish despite fluid passing sequences, failing to add to their tally. Doshisha called a timeout at the eight-minute mark to regroup in a circle, but Kato missed an open shot following a steal in the final 20 seconds, leaving Doshisha facing an 11-23 deficit at the quarter break.

Closing the Gap Before Halftime

Looking to erase the double-digit margin, Tokunaga sparked the offense in the second quarter by hitting the team’s first 3-pointer just one minute in to bring Doshisha within eight at 16-24. At the four-minute mark, Kato read a passing lane for another steal, converting a subsequent layup to narrow the gap to 18-27. Maeda then earned a basket-count play, pushing Doshisha to 21-29 as the squad settled into a rhythm. Amid rising tension on the floor, Taniguchi drained a 3-pointer with 17 seconds remaining on the clock, sending Doshisha into halftime trailing by just five points at 31-36.

Unrelenting Pressure and a Late Push

Osaka Seikei immediately reasserted pressure in the third quarter, scoring within the opening 20 seconds and mounting a sustained offensive assault. Doshisha attempted to counter by running possessions through Maeda and utilizing ball movement to probe the defense, but the teams traded baskets through another tense stretch. Another Doshisha timeout at the five-minute mark failed to halt a series of intercepted passes, and a late basket by Oguri with 10 seconds left failed to cut into the deficit heading into the final period.

Facing a 12-point deficit at 47-59 after conceding two early fourth-quarter free throws, Doshisha continued to push the pace. At the three-minute mark, a sequence from Kato to Taniguchi concluded with an Oguri shot under the basket, shifting momentum back to Doshisha. Kato followed with back-to-back 3-pointers, drawing the score within four points at 55-59 and drawing cheers from the stands. Osaka Seikei responded with two 3-pointers of their own at the seven-minute mark to stretch the lead back to 10 points. Despite subsequent timeouts and relentless offensive pressure as time dwindled, Doshisha ran out of clock in the final seconds.

Fourth-Year Departures and Next Season’s Outlook

Doshisha finished the tournament second in the Preliminary B Block and advanced to the upper-tier matches, though the result fell short of securing a promotion playoff spot. Reflecting on the campaign, manager Ban noted that the squad managed to finish the autumn league schedule with smiles despite the final loss. The tournament marks the departure of the fourth-year class that has guided the roster, passing the ambition of securing a promotion to the second division down to the next generation of players.