NBL Select sweeps Japan B.League United 2-0

• NBL26 features 165 games in 155 days: See the full schedule here
• Hoops heaven: 20 more games added to NBL26
• How to watch every 2025 NBL1 game from every conference live and free

The NBL Select finish this two-game series winning the second game of the Global Invitational delivering a dominant performance against Japan’s B. LEAGUE United.

Blending experienced players with fresh talent, the Australian side proved too strong in their 78-69 Game 2 win.

Tasmania JackJumpers big man Joshua Bannan had a sensational game leading the game with 23 points, 19 rebounds and five assists. His offensive prowess was a key factor in the team's nine-point win

Kyle Adnam of the Cairns Taipans and Angus Glover of the South East Melbourne Phoenix both contributed 10 points each to help the NBL Select secure the victory B.League United in the last game of the global Invitational.

With back-to-back wins, NBL Select wraps up the Global Invitational on a high note, showcasing the depth and talent within the Australian league. Their strong showing across both games not only highlights the individual brilliance of players like Joshua Bannan, Kyle Adnam, and Angus Glover but also underlines the team’s ability to gel quickly and compete at a high level internationally.

The series win over B. LEAGUE United reinforces the NBL’s growing reputation on the global stage and provides a promising outlook for future international matchups.

— Sione Puloka

WATCH THE GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS: NBL SELECT 75 def. JAPAN B.LEAGUE 64

Jonnivius Smith, 24, and Will Baker, 24, have been included in the B.League United 10-player squad to play some of Australia's best men's basketballers this weekend.

Smith is a 206cm big who played for the University of Texas in the 2024-25 NCAAM season while Baker, a 213cm centre, played for Iowa Wolves in the NBA's G League. Baker started 33 games and averaged 11 points and four rebounds.

NBL Select

1. ‍DJ Mitchell (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
2. Kyle Adnam (Cairns Taipans)
3. Angus Glover (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
4. Mitchell Norton (Brisbane Bullets)
5. Sam McDaniel (Brisbane Bullets)
6. Mason Peatling (Illawarra Hawks)
7. Sunday Dech (Perth Wildcats)
8. Todd Withers (Perth Wildcats)
9. Joshua Bannan (Tasmania JackJumpers)
10. Jason Spurgin (Sydney Kings)
11. Akech Aliir (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

B.League United

1. Takuto Nakamura – Hiroshima – Age 24 – 184 cm – 79 kg – PG
2. Yuichi Ikeda – Aomori – Age 28 – 183 cm – 75 kg – PG
3. Kazuki Hosokawa – Gunma – Age 27 – 187 cm – 92 kg – SG
4. Keita Imamura – Nagoya D – Age 29 – 191 cm – 92 kg – SG/SF
5. Kenny Asano – Gunma – Age 22 – 198 cm – 87 kg – SF
6. Anthony Sho Sukegawa – Shimane – Age 21 – 198 cm – 93 kg – SF/PF
7. Troy Murphy Jr. – SR Shibuya – Age 22 – 193 cm – 93 kg – SG/SF
8. Marcus Kaishu Tobin – Tokyo U/Chiba J – Age 24 – 198 cm – 93 kg – PF
9. Jonnivius Smith – Club N/A – Age 24 – 206 cm – 91 kg – C
10. Will Baker – Club N/A – Age 24 – 213 cm – 111 kg – C

"This is a great opportunity to partner with the B.LEAGUE and continue to play a role in the development of the sport in our region, it’s also a great test for our athletes against a strong B.LEAGUE squad, we’re thankful to the B.LEAGUE for partnering with us on this tour," NBL Chief Operating Officer and Head of Basketball Operations Vince Crivelli said.

"The team we’ve assembled has a great mix of championship pedigree, experience, and exciting talent – ably led by Simon who is a fantastic coach and mentor. We’re ready to represent the NBL with pride."

NBL Select is coached by Simon Mitchell, the first coach of the South East Melbourne Phoenix.

For seasoned guard Sunday Dech, the opportunity goes far beyond the scoreboard.

"We’re here to win, no doubt,” he said.

"But it’s also about building something — relationships, respect, and pathways between the NBL and the B.League

First Impressions of Japan

For many players, this tour marks their first encounter with Japanese culture — and the impressions have been overwhelmingly positive.

Adelaide 36ers guard Dech, one of the more experienced players on the trip, reflected on the striking cleanliness of the environment.

“I don’t think I’ve seen one piece of trash since we’ve been here, so that’s something that’s pretty eye-opening,” Dech said.

Dech shared the team’s excitement about exploring more of the country and embracing cultural experiences.

“So far, pretty cool," he added.

"We haven’t seen much, just been training and trying to get the legs moving, but I think in the next couple of days we’ll do some exploring and dive into the Japanese culture.”

The trip isn’t solely about basketball. The players are embracing the opportunity to engage with Japanese culture, including through its renowned food scene.

“Obviously the food’s really good,” Dech said.

Team Dynamics and Goals

This NBL Select group brings together a mix of emerging talent and experienced campaigners. Though many players are suiting up alongside each other for the first time, Dech was optimistic about how quickly the group can gel.

“It’s a good group of guys," he said.

"Obviously we’re trying to win two games, so (there’ll be) a lot of sharing of the ball on the court.

"Playing together for the first time for a lot of us, so it’ll be new, but I think it’s a good group. We should figure that out pretty quickly.

“We’ve got a funny group. We’ve got some guys who can make some jokes,” Dech added with a smile.

Among the squad, younger players are already turning heads, with Dech quick to praise their energy and attitude.

“Kech (Akech Aliir) for sure. He’s one of the young guys, so he’s got to bring it, high energy, a lot of dunks,” Dech said with a smile aimed at Aliir.

Building Relations

While the immediate goal is to win, Dech acknowledged a deeper purpose to the tour: laying foundations for future collaboration between the NBL and B.League.

“The goal is to win two games," he said.,

"That’s why we’re here but the NBL is trying to build some good relations with the B.League, so hopefully this is the first [step].”

Excitingly, the B.League Global Invitational will include an OTA Marche with a "meat" theme in "honour of the opponent, Australia."

An OTA Marche is described as "a large collection of delicious food and local products." 🍱