G Rollers rally to win 15U champs

The G-Rollers remained calm, cool, and collected as they rallied to win the 2025 NMIBF 15U Boys Basketball League championship over a strong Prospects 1 team, 54-51, last Friday at the Koblerville Gymnasium.

Despite their head coach Joe Diaz being unable to make it to the finals due to health reasons, his team pulled off the win under the guidance of assistant coach T.J. Factor.

The game got off to a slow start, with both teams unable to execute as the nerves and pressure of the do-or-die game seemed to get under their skin. It wasn’t until a few minutes after the jump ball that the first point was scored, but from there, it was a mad scramble for the upper hand and the lead.

At the end of the first quarter, the G-Rollers enjoyed a 9-2 lead, 6 points of which were scored by James Matsumoto.

Then, the Prospects’ offense exploded in the second quarter as they had everything going for them. They converted point after point thanks to their fastbreak plays and held a 26-9 lead at the end of the first half. Logan Daniel scored 10 points in the second quarter, while the rest of the starting five contributed the others.

The third quarter still had Prospects written all over it as Daniel continued his dominance with 8 straight points, while Liam Wilson and Jairus Pangilinan drained 3-pointers each for more cushion. However, at the end of the third quarter, the G-Rollers were behind by just 6 points, 36-42, as Enzo Sasamoto scored 8straight points, including back-to-back threes, and as Matsumoto also chimed in with two from downtown.

In the final quarter, the G-Rollers played with a ferocity that doused Prospects’ flame and quickly climbed out of the steep hole they had been in. They regrouped, and it seemed like a different team stepped onto the court as, led by Sasamoto and Matsumoto, they halted Prospects’ production while they chipped away at the lead.

From there, Sasamoto went on a shooting spree, scoring 4points, while Matsumoto hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 45-45. That was the turning point as the G-Rollers steeled themselves and became an impenetrable force, with their defense strengthening to produce steals, blocks, and rebounds that proved crucial with just a few minutes left.

Then, Sasamoto and Matsumoto scored the final four points to secure the win, as Prospects, despite having the final possession, failed to make a Hail Mary 3-pointer by Pangilinan.

For his exceptional performance, Sasamoto was named the MVP and was also awarded the Most Deflections (2 blocks and 45 steals) and Most Assists (43). Teammate Evan Cabrera won the Most Rebounds award with 70.

Sasamoto said of his award, “It feels amazing. But definitely my teammates played a part in this. I’m not winning this without them—everyone did their part.” He said he didn’t expect to be the MVP, but after a few games and saw the numbers he was putting up, he felt that he had to get it.

On what the championship means to him, he said, “I started playing basketball late and I just knew I had to work harder than anyone else. So, to me, this really shows all the hard work I put in and my coaches and my teammates.”

Sasamato added, “What pushed us to win I think is just all the work we put in and the practice. And also God—never forget God is always with us—he always supports us in everything we do.”

To his head coach, Sasamoto said, “Coach Joe, I know you're sick right now, and we all pray for you to get better. Thank you for always supporting us and showing us how to play basketball the right way and trusting the work, thank you.”

For Matsumoto, another key player for the team said, “it feels great” to win the championship. On how they came back from being down in the first half, he said, “It was really just strategizing and playing on defense. One thing we did, we switched to the zone, we got the bigs inside, and on the fastbreak, we just covered, and it came down to just knocking down shots. At the end of the day, scoring wins games, defense wins championships.”

Factor, for his part, said, “It’s unfortunate that [coach Joe] can’t be here. He’s always worked hard for stuff like this and these boys proved it just how much they train for moments like this.” He then said, “We dedicate this win to coach Joe. He’s the one that gave these boys the tips, training, and everything they needed just to win.”