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The Shiga Lakestars played against Takamatsu Five Arrows again on Oct. 31-Nov. 1, 2009 at Hikone Shimin Taiiku Center gym, a 20-min. walk from Hikone Station. These photos were taken on Oct. 31, 2009.

Entrance to the gym in Hikone. It was the first time for the Lakestars to play a home game in Hikone.

Entrance lobby is decorated with player cutouts. We had to take off our shoes when entering the Hikone gym. Slippers were provided.

Current standings: Shiga Lakestars lead the Western Conference with 6 wins 2 losses. (7 wins 3 losses after the weekend was over)

Official Shiga Lakestars merchandise.

Cheerleaders perform.

Introduction of Shiga Lakestars players. This is Chris Schlatter.

Posing with local kids basketball players who also served as the player escorts during the introductions.

Special guest Hiko-nyan enters the gym and gives high fives to spectators. A most welcome guest for the Lakestars' for the first time in Hikone.

Hiko-nyan gives a big hello to the crowd. Hiko-nyan was created as the official mascot for the 400th anniversary celebration of Hikone Castle held in 2007. "Hiko" refers to Hikone, and "nyan" is a baby word for cat.

Shiga Lakestars official mascot Magnee also welcomed Hiko-nyan to their first game in Hikone. Hiko-nyan is one of Japan's most famous and popular PR mascot characters. So popular that Hikone retained this cat as its official mascot indefinitely.

Hiko-nyan and Magnee fires up the crowd. Hiko-nyan is a white cat wearing a red samurai helmet modeled after the one worn by Lord Ii Naomasa, the first lord of Hikone Castle.

According to legend, one day, Ii Naotaka, the third lord of Hikone Castle, was doing falconry in Tokyo and was near a temple when he saw this cat raising its paw. He was led inside the temple where he was able to rest inside.

A major thunderstorm ensued, and the cat saved him from getting wet. Another legend says that as soon as the cat beckoned Naotaka into the temple, lightning struck the tree where he was standing. Thus, the cat saved his life.

This legendary cat connection gave birth to the idea behind Hiko-nyan. This same legend is also one theory for the origin of the ubiquitous beckoning cat you see at shops and restaurants in Japan. The beckoning cat can be called Hiko-nyan's cousin.

Hiko-nyan shakes hands with Shiga Lakestars Head Coach Robert Pierce as amused players look on. Note that Hiko-nyan is not related to Hello Kitty. The Japanese really love their cats. Shiga has other mascots modeled after cats.

Cheerleaders encourage people to join the Lakestars booster club.

Head Coach Robert Pierce and Assistant Coach Ishibashi Takatoshi.

Introduction of starting five. This is Gary Hamilton #2. Unfortunately, team captain Fujiwara Takamichi got a dislocated shoulder and is on the disabled list.

Joho Masashi #31

Both teams shake hands.

Ogawa Shinya gives Hiko-nyan a hug.

Tip-off at about 5 pm between the Shiga Lakestars and Takamatsu Five Arrows in Hikone.

Takamatsu scores first.

Hikone Shimin Taiiku Center gym

Bobby Nash #33 looking to pass.

Joho Masashi #31

Bobby Nash #33

Free throw by Gary Hamilton #2.

Entanglement

Shinya

Coach Pierce reacts.

Free throw by Takamatsu Five Arrows.

Shiga Lakestars cheerleaders and Magnee.

The Shiga Lakestars cheerleaders wear a new outfit, a shimmering silver miniskirt. They wore it for the first time during the game with Osaka on Oct. 25, 2009.

Shinya

Ogawa Shinya #5

KOJIMA Yuta #03

Luke Zellar #40

Score after the 1st period. Lakestars trail by 1 point.

Defense!

Bobby on defense.

DEFENSE!

Takamatsu swarms Gary Hamilton.

Bobby Nash #33

Sometimes they wear this silver dress, and sometimes a black cowboy outfit.

The cheerleaders perform during most timeouts, even for 20 sec.

Mike Hall #23

Kids

Chris Schlatter #4 going for 3 points.

Joho taking it down.

Score at halftime: Lakestars lead 50-43.

Dancing to Y.M.C.A. (sung by the Village People) at halftime.

Magnee playing around.

During halftime, they held the free throw game for spectators. They gave a little prize to those who got the ball in.

Joho

Mike Hall shoots.

Luke and Bobby rest up.

Joho helps up a Takamatsu player who crashed into a billboard.

Luke Zellar was all alone when he sped down the court and dunked this one. Huge cheers ensued. This is what we come to see.

Shiga Lakestars cheerleaders in their long-pants outfit with windows. Cheerleaders are also athletes in their own right.

No hot pants for this game. Looks like they wear only two outfits (out of the four I've seen so far) per game.

Magnee and cheerleaders.

Butterfingers

Bobby gives a signal as he plays point guard with Fujiwara disabled and Shinya fouled out of the game.

Gary with the ball.

Coach Pierce gives a heated pep talk during a break.

Butterfingers again.

Lakestars still lead at the end of the 3rd period: 71-59

Luke Zellar on a free throw and Coach Pierce looks on.

Ogawa Shinya #5, local boy from Nagahama.

Shiga Lakestar cheerleaders always do a great job when firing up the crowd, whether it's "DEFENSE!!" or "GO GO LAKES!!"

She's glowing.

Cheerleader on roller blades.

Like a big party.

If you feel down or depressed, see a basketball game to cheer you up.

Mike Hall

The Lakestars led most of the way so it wasn't a cliffhanger game like with Osaka Evessa the weekend before.

Final score: 93-79. The Shiga Lakestars win their fifth home game in a row. However, on the next day, they lost their first home game of the season as Takamatsu took revenge and won handily 81-91.

Closing speeches

Head Coach Bob Pierce thanks the crowd for coming and urges them to come again to support the Lakestars. (Will do.)

The game's MVP was Gary Hamilton who was awarded with a gas heater from Osaka Gas.

Shinya also talked.

The Shiga Lakestars are on a roll with five home game victories in a row, putting them in 1st place in the Western Conference. Team morale must be high.

Victorious American players high five with the crowd.

Japanese players high five with the crowd.

Head Coach Robert Pierce high five with the crowd.

Asisstant Coach Ishibashi Takatoshi. Also see my other Lakestars photos and player info here.

Introduction of Takamatsu Five Arrows players.

Introduction of Shiga Lakestars players.

Shiga Lakestars pose with their escorts. They held a few children's basketball games before the main vent.

As both teams warm up on the court, the cheerleaders teach the crowd how to cheer during the game.

GO! GO! LAKES!!

Lakes is the nickname for the Lakestars.

GO! GO! LAKES!!

Boosters behind the Lakestars bench.

Bobby Nash fan.

National anthem. The waving flag is an animated video image.

Introduction of the starting five players for the Five Arrows.

Introduction of the starting five players for the Lakestars.

One corridor in the gym is lined with large cutouts of the Lakestars.

Team huddle before tip-off.

Both teams shake hands.

Game tip-off at 5 pm between the Shiga Lakestars and Takamatsu Five Arrows.

Bobby Nash shoots for 3 points early on.

Gary Hamilton

Joho Masashi #31

Gary Hamilton takes the ball down court.

Good defense

Joho and Takada Hidekazu

Mike Hall

FUJIWARA Takamichi #11 is also the team captain as he was last season.

His nickname is "Wara."

Joho and Head Coach Robert Pierce.

Rebounding

It's always dramatic to watch Joho take the ball down the court.

The Lakestars take the lead in the 2nd period.

During a break, a little game for these two little kids.

KOJIMA Yuta #03

Mike Hall #23

Block

Mike Hall #23

Bobby Nash #33

Takamatsu Five Arrows Head Coach John Neumann who used to be the HC of Fukuoka Rizing. This is his first season with Takamatsu. He's one of the more vocal coaches during games, almost comical and pretty amusing.