The Hiroshima Dragonflies came away from Ibaraki with a hard-earned 90-86 road victory over the Ibaraki Robots in B1 League action on October 7, 2026, closing out a tight fourth quarter in front of a lively home crowd. The four-point margin flattered neither side: this was a game decided in the final three minutes, when Hiroshima's half-court execution held firm and Ibaraki's late shot-making ran out of time.

Match Overview

The Dragonflies (90) and Robots (86) traded the lead 14 times across the night, with neither team able to build a double-digit cushion. Hiroshima's edge came from efficiency rather than volume, shooting a shade under 48% from the field and converting 21 of 25 free throws, while Ibaraki stayed alive through second-chance points and a strong third-quarter surge.

• Final score: Ibaraki Robots 86, Hiroshima Dragonflies 90
• Competition: B1 League
• Date: October 7, 2026, 18:05 tip-off
• Venue: Adastria Mito Arena, Ibaraki
• Quarter scores: 22-24, 19-26, 25-19, 20-21

How the Dragonflies Won It

Hiroshima's best stretch came in the second quarter, when a 12-2 run built around interior scoring and transition buckets turned a two-point deficit into a 50-41 halftime lead. Kerry Blackshear Jr. anchored that run on the block, drawing help defense and finding shooters on the weak side, while Dwayne Evans did the dirty work on the offensive glass.

The Robots responded after the break with their most complete eight minutes of the game. A 9-0 burst midway through the third quarter cut the lead to two, and a corner three at the buzzer gave Ibaraki a one-point advantage heading into the final period. From there, the game became a possession-by-possession grind.

Key Moments

• Second quarter, 6:40 remaining: Hiroshima's 12-2 run flips the game and forces an Ibaraki timeout.
• Third quarter, 0:02: A contested corner three gives the Robots a 66-65 lead going into the fourth.
• Fourth quarter, 2:15: A Dragonflies steal-and-score pushes the lead back to five and swings momentum for good.
• Fourth quarter, 0:11: Hiroshima ices the game at the free-throw line, going 4-for-4 in the final 20 seconds.

Standout Performers

Hiroshima's frontcourt pairing carried the offensive load, combining for more than half of the team's 90 points and controlling the defensive rebounding battle in the closing minutes. The backcourt added timely shot-making, particularly on kick-out threes when Ibaraki collapsed on the post.

For the Robots, the performance was built on balance rather than one dominant scorer. Their guards attacked the rim aggressively, producing a healthy free-throw rate, and the bench contributed a meaningful scoring punch in the second half that kept the game within reach until the final whistle.

Tactical Story

The matchup came down to two contrasting approaches. Hiroshima preferred a slower, half-court game built on post touches and high-percentage looks, deliberately limiting turnovers — they finished with just nine on the night. Ibaraki wanted pace, pushing the ball after makes and hunting early offense before the Dragonflies' defense could set.

In the end, the half-court team won the half-court game. Hiroshima's ability to generate a clean look on nearly every possession in the last five minutes proved decisive, while Ibaraki's offense stalled twice in that stretch with contested mid-range attempts late in the shot clock.

What It Means in the B1 League Table

The win keeps the Dragonflies on a strong early-season trajectory and adds another valuable road result to their résumé, an important detail in a B1 League season where away victories frequently separate playoff contenders from the chasing pack. The Robots, meanwhile, drop a game they will feel they could have taken, and the loss stings slightly more given how competitive they were for 36 minutes.

Both clubs return to action in the coming week, with Ibaraki looking to convert their third-quarter form into a full 40-minute performance and Hiroshima aiming to sustain their efficiency on the offensive end.