The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in
Akita
is a Japanese name and may refer to:
Places
* 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid
* Akita Castle, a Nara period fortified settlement in Akita, Japan
* Akita Domain, also known as Kubota Domain, feudal domain in Edo period Japan
* Akita, Kumamoto ...
that competes in the Eastern Conference of the First Division of the
B.League
The B.League is a professional men's basketball league that began in Japan in September 2016. The league is operated by the Japan Professional Basketball League and was formed as a result of a merger between the National Basketball League that w ...
. The team was formed as an expansion team of the
bj league
The was a professional basketball league in Japan that began in November 2005 as a six-team league. The league was operated as a competitor to the established Japan Super League which was run by the Japan Basketball Association, the official go ...
in 2010 and found success for the first time in 2013–14, finishing their fourth season as league runners-up. They went on to finish as runners-up for the second year in a row in 2014–15 and in third place in 2015–16, the final season of the bj league.
History
Akita Prefecture's connection with basketball has historically lay with
Noshiro Technical High School
is a high school located in Noshiro, Akita, Japan. It was established in 1912. Noshiro Tech is best known for their powerhouse basketball and won Japanese high school championship 58 times.
Notable alumni
* Shinji Akiba
* Keishi Handa
*Mako ...
bj league
The was a professional basketball league in Japan that began in November 2005 as a six-team league. The league was operated as a competitor to the established Japan Super League which was run by the Japan Basketball Association, the official go ...
in 2006, a committee was formed to investigate the formation of a professional club within the prefecture in 2007 but was unsuccessful. In June 2008 another association was formed to pursue a bj league franchise licence and a pre-season match between the
Sendai 89ers
The Sendai 89ers (仙台89ERS) are a Japanese professional basketball team that compete in the first division of the B.League. They are based in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. The team name is based on the city's founding year, 1889.
Current roster ...
and
Niigata Albirex BB
Niigata Albirex BB, formally Niigata Albirex Basketball, is a Japanese basketball club. It is based in Nagaoka, Niigata.
Outline
The club was founded in 1954 as the company team of Daiwa Securities, a Tokyo-based securities brokerage. In 1 ...
was held a few months later. In January 2009 Akita Pro Basketball Club Co., Ltd. was established and in the following May was granted a licence to enter the 2010-11 bj league season. The team's name was announced at a pre-season match hosted in Akita between the 89ers and
Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix
is a B.League professional basketball team, based in the eastern Mikawa Province, Mikawa and Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture region of central Japan.
The team was founded in 1965 as the company team of the OSG Corporation, a Toyokawa, Aichi, Toyo ...
in September 2009.
2010-11 season
The Happinets entered the Eastern Conference of the bj league in October 2010 as one of three expansion teams. The
Shimane Susanoo Magic
Shimane Susanoo Magic (島根スサノオマジック) is a Japanese professional basketball team in Japan's top-tier basketball competition, the B.League. The team is based in Shimane Prefecture with its home arena in Matsue City, but with a fo ...
and
Miyazaki Shining Suns
The Miyazaki Shining Suns were a Japanese basketball team that played three seasons in the bj league. They were based in Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Miyazaki Prefecture.
Notable players
*Marshall Brown (basketball, born 1985)
*Brandon Cole
*Hir ...
joined the Western Conference, taking the league to a total of 16 teams. For their first season the Happinets signed
Seiichi Oba
is a Japanese professional basketball executive and former player, currently serving as the general manager of the Akita Northern Happinets
The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Akita that competes i ...
as general manager and former
Shiga Lakestars
Shiga Lakes (滋賀レイクス) is a Japanese men's basketball team playing in the Western Conference of the B.League. They are based in the Shiga Prefecture.
Coaches
* Bob Pierce (2008–10)
*Takatoshi Ishibashi
*Hirokazu Nema
*Al Westover ...
coach
Robert Pierce
Robert Pierce (1914–1978) was an American Baptist minister and relief worker. He is best known as the founder of the international charity organizations World Vision International in 1950 and Samaritan's Purse in 1970.
Early life and educati ...
as head coach. 39-year-old Akita native and Noshiro Tech alumnus
Makoto Hasegawa Makoto Hasegawa may refer to:
* Makoto Hasegawa (basketball)
* Makoto Hasegawa (dancer)
{{hndis, Hasegawa, Makoto ...
was acquired from Niigata in exchange for a first-round draft pick and took on a player-manager role. The team drafted and Ryosuke Mizumachi in the expansion draft, in the second round of the rookie draft and
Makoto Sawaguchi
Makoto Sawaguchi (澤口誠, born December 5, 1991) is a former Japanese professional basketball player who last played for the Iwate Big Bulls of the B.League in Japan. He was selected by the Akita Northern Happinets
The Akita Northern Happin ...
in the development draft. The team was unable to reach a deal with Nakanishi, who instead signed with
Rizing Fukuoka
The Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka are a Japanese basketball team, playing in the second division of the B.League. They are based in Fukuoka Prefecture and were coached by Joe Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant, in 2015.
Roster
Notable p ...
before the start of the season. Happinets' inaugural home game was held at the
Akita Prefectural Gymnasium
is a stadium in Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan.
The gymnasium was built in 1968. Yoshio Kobayashi and Masatoshi Soh were the architects. Masao Sitoh and Arata Ono were the structural engineers. It is west of the Akita Station.
The gymnas ...
in October.
2011-12 season
In November 2011 the team signed
Curtis Terry
Curtis Eugene Raymond Terry (born August 27, 1985) is an American former professional basketball player for the Akita Northern Happinets of the Japanese bj league. On November 1, 2010, he was selected by the Texas Legends in the seventh round of ...
, brother of NBA player
Jason Terry
Jason Eugene Terry (born September 15, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant coach for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 19 seasons in the NBA as a combo guard and is ...
, to replace the injured
Brandon Wallace
Brandon Travares Wallace (born March 14, 1985) is an American professional basketball player.
High school
Born in Statesboro, Georgia, Wallace spent his high school years at Silver Bluff, where he averaged 21.9 points, 15.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists ...
. After 14 games Terry was released from the club in January due to his arrest for theft from a convenience store.
2013-15 seasons
Has emerged as a strong league power, and won a conference title two years in a row.
2016-17 season
ANH struggled throughout the season and were relegated to second division.
2017-18 season
Akita finished the regular season with a 54–6 record, defeated
Kumamoto Volters
is a Japanese professional basketball team in Kumamoto, Kumamoto. The team competes in the B.League. Volters hosted the B.League All-star Game in 2018.
Roster
Notable players
* Paul Butorac
* Josh Duinker
* Joel James
*Lamont ...
in the B2 playoffs and were promoted to B1.
2018-19 season
The team suffered its 11th consecutive defeat, However, Akita was not relegated and remained in the B1 league.
2019-20 season
Coach Pep left, and Maeda was promoted from assistant coach to bench boss. The 10th anniversary team got sponsorship deals from electronics company
TDK Corporation
is a Japanese multinational electronics corporation that manufactures electronic components and recording and data-storage media. Its motto is "Contribute to culture and industry through creativity".
"TDK" is an initialism of the original Ja ...
. Tokyo Denki Kagaku sponsored
Liga ACB
The Liga ACB, known as Liga Endesa for sponsorship reasons, is the top professional basketball division of the Spanish basketball league system. Administrated by the Asociación de Clubs de Baloncesto (ACB), Liga ACB is contested by 18 teams, wi ...
Akita Station
is a junction railway station in the city of Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan, operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).
Lines
Akita Station is the northern terminus of the Akita Shinkansen, and is 127.3 kilometers from and 662.6 kilome ...
, was completed in December. Two games were played without spectators due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
in March.
2021-22 season
Assistant coach
Makoto Tanaka
is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Club career
Tanaka was born in Shizuoka on August 8, 1975. After graduating from Shimizu Commercial High School, he joined Júbilo Iwata in 1994. From 1997, he became a ...
was arrested for
drink-driving
Drunk driving (or drink-driving in British English) is the act of driving under the influence of alcohol. A small increase in the blood alcohol content increases the relative risk of a motor vehicle crash.
In the United States, alcohol is invo ...
on July 17, 2021. The team clinched their first B. League playoff berth on May 8, 2022.
2022-23 season
Amida Brimah
Amida Abiola Brimah (born February 11, 1994) is a Ghanaian professional basketball player for JL Bourg of the French LNB Pro A. He played college basketball for the UConn Huskies.
College career
Brimah was on the Huskies' 2013–14 NCAA Champio ...
was released by Happinets on August 29, 2022. He originally signed for this season on July 13.
Current roster
Management
General manager
*
Seiichi Oba
is a Japanese professional basketball executive and former player, currently serving as the general manager of the Akita Northern Happinets
The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Akita that competes i ...
Justin Keenan
Justin Anthony Keenan (born May 2, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Gunma Crane Thunders in Japan. He plays at the power forward and center positions.
College career
Keenan played college basketball for the NCAA Division ...
*
Scott Morrison
Scott John Morrison (; born 13 May 1968) is an Australian politician. He served as the 30th prime minister of Australia and as Leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 2018 to 2022, and is currently the member of parliament (MP) for t ...
Deshawn Stephens
Deshawn Stephens (born October 9, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Dinamo Sassari of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA). He played college basketball for Santa Monica College and San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball, ...
*
Shigehiro Taguchi
Shigehiro Taguchi (田口成浩, born March 25, 1990), nicknamed Shige, is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan. He is a native of Akita prefecture and the most popular player in th ...
*
Kenichi Takahashi
is a male long-distance runner from Japan. Born in Kazuno, Akita, he set his personal best (2:10:51) in the men's marathon event on February 18, 2001, winning the Tokyo International Marathon The Tokyo International Marathon was a marathon fo ...
*
Yuki Togashi
is a Japanese professional basketball player who currently plays for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League in Japan.
Early life
Born in Shibata, Niigata, Togashi moved to the United States in 2009 where he attended Montrose Christian School ...
*
Brandon Wallace
Brandon Travares Wallace (born March 14, 1985) is an American professional basketball player.
High school
Born in Statesboro, Georgia, Wallace spent his high school years at Silver Bluff, where he averaged 21.9 points, 15.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists ...
Kazuo Nakamura
Kazuo Nakamura was a Japanese-Canadian painter and sculptor (born Vancouver October 13, 1926; died Toronto April 9, 2002) and a founding member of the Toronto-based Painters Eleven group in the 1950s. Among the first major Japanese Canadian arti ...
, 94-62
, -
, 2014–2017
,
Makoto Hasegawa Makoto Hasegawa may refer to:
* Makoto Hasegawa (basketball)
* Makoto Hasegawa (dancer)
{{hndis, Hasegawa, Makoto ...
, 94–70
, -
, 2017–2019
,
Josep Clarós
Josep "Pep" Clarós Canals (born January 28, 1969) is a Spanish professional basketball coach with experience in Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America.
He has been in 15 Finals so far with different teams in different countries as a Head ...
Kenjiro Maeda
is a current professional basketball assistant coach for Nagasaki Velca in Japan and the former assistant coach for the Melbourne United
Melbourne United is an Australian professional basketball team based in Melbourne, Victoria. United ...
CNA Arena Akita
CNA Arena Akita is an arena in Rinkai-area, Akita, Japan. It is owned and run by the city. Cable Networks Akita acquired its naming rights in 2015. The silver-colored building opened in 1994 and holds 5,000 people. The gym has a dome-shaped 154 f ...
, the home court of the Happinets. The squad also has a "Junior Cheer School Programme", for young women aged 5–12.
Bicky is the official mascot of the Akita Northern Happinets. The Frog wears #82 and is able to slam-dunk. He is 182 cm tall and weighs 82 kg. Happinets introduced a new mascot Rana, Bicky's girl friend, on June 26, 2020. University HOSP man is the unofficial mascot.
Arenas & Facilities
The Happinets play their home games at CNA Arena Akita, their home since 2016. During their time in the bj league, the Happinets played their home games at the
Akita Prefectural Gymnasium
is a stadium in Akita, Akita Prefecture, Japan.
The gymnasium was built in 1968. Yoshio Kobayashi and Masatoshi Soh were the architects. Masao Sitoh and Arata Ono were the structural engineers. It is west of the Akita Station.
The gymnas ...
. Another home,
Nices Arena
Nices Arena (ナイスアリーナ) is a multi-use indoor arena in Yurihonjo, Akita prefecture, Akita. Groundbreaking and construction began on March 18, 2016, and opened in October 2018. The arena's parking lot can hold 1,000 cars. Yurihonjo ...
is an indoor sporting arena located in Yurihonjo. A new prefectural gymnasium will be built in 2026. The team has practice facilities at the
Akita Northern Gate Square
Akita Northern Gate Square (秋田ノーザンゲートスクエア) is an indoor basketball arena in Akita, Akita, Japan. Groundbreaking and construction began in 2018, and it was opened on December 17, 2019. It is located adjacent to the JR Ak ...
Akita International University
, or AIU, is a public university located in Akita City, Akita Prefecture, Japan. Established in 2004 and modeled on American liberal arts colleges, AIU is one of the few universities in Japan offering all of its courses in English. It has currentl ...
Suda Hall. They also build muscle at Varsity Weight Room in Yabase, Akita. Happinets players love to take spa at Youland Hotel Yabase in Akita. (Tattooed players have special privileges to take a bath.)
"Crazy Pink" phenomenon
The Happinets fans are widely known as "Crazy Pink" and sometimes have overwhelming numbers at the visitors games. The hoop-crazed fans light up arena with "Bigabiga", pink
glow sticks
A glow stick, also known as a light stick, chem light, light wand, light rod, and rave light, is a self-contained, short-term light-source. It consists of a translucent plastic tube containing isolated substances that, when combined, make light ...
and sing the prefectural anthem before the game. The Happinets home court rocks with another
stadium anthem Stadium anthems or sports anthems or arena anthems are terms to refer songs that are played over the public address systems at stadiums and arenas during breaks in the action to rally the fans. Unlike college fight songs, most stadium anthems were ...
"Fly Again" by
Man with a Mission
Man with a Mission, stylized as MAN WITH A MISSION or sometimes as MWAM, is a Japanese rock band which was formed in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, in 2010. The band currently consists of five band members, with stage names of Tokyo Tanaka (vocals, lead ...
, and
CNA Arena Akita
CNA Arena Akita is an arena in Rinkai-area, Akita, Japan. It is owned and run by the city. Cable Networks Akita acquired its naming rights in 2015. The silver-colored building opened in 1994 and holds 5,000 people. The gym has a dome-shaped 154 f ...
is the one of the hottest and loudest basketball venues in Asia. The
Akita Airport
is a regional/second class airport located southeast of Akita StationAIS Japan in the city of
Mizuno
() is a Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno. Today, Mizuno is a global corporation which makes a wide variety of sports equipment and sportswear for badminton, baseball, boxing, cycling ...
, -
, , ,
Under Armour
Under Armour, Inc. is an American sports equipment company that manufactures footwear, sports and casual apparel. Under Armour's global headquarters are located in Baltimore, Maryland, with additional offices located in Amsterdam (European hea ...
, -
, , ,
Fila
Fila Holdings Corp. is a sportswear brand of shoes and apparel. The company was founded by Ettore and Giansevero Fila in 1911 in Coggiola, near Biella, Piedmont, Italy. In 2003, it was sold to United States-based Sports Brand International. Sub ...
Average regular season home game attendance
Media
Radio
The Happinets players' talk show is aired occasionally on ABS. The Happinets don't have any
play-by-play
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...
radio broadcasting.
Programs
* ABS - Akita wo sakebe Northern Happinets
* ABS - Nantettatte Nichiyou ha Sports
* ABS - Kosaka Rika no Cheer Happinets
*
FM Akita
is a Japanese FM station, an affiliate of the Japan FM Network. Their headquarters are located in Akita Prefecture.
Stations
*Akita
is a Japanese name and may refer to:
Places
* 8182 Akita, a main-belt asteroid
* Akita Castle, a Nara per ...
FM Hanabi
is a Japanese FM station that is run by TMO Omagari in Daisen, Akita
is a city in Akita Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 81,133 in 31,457 households, and a population density of 94 persons per km². The total area of ...
- Uchiagero Go! Go! Akita Northern Happinets!!
Television
SoftBank Group
is a Japanese multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Minato, Tokyo which focuses on investment management. The Group primarily invests in companies operating in technology, energy, and financial sectors. It also runs the ...
Corp. is estimated to have invested over ¥12 billion to get the broadcasting rights of B.League in 2016. The Happinets home game broadcasters are
Toshifumi Takeshima
is a Japanese television announcer for the Akita Television in Akita and the play-by-play broadcaster for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan.
Born in Akita, Takeshima graduated from Toin Gakuen High School in Yokohama and earne ...
(
Akita Television
is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS) in Akita, Akita, Japan.
History
In 1967, the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications (currently the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications) annou ...
, play-by-play announcer) and Hiroyuki Chida (JR Akita Peckers).