The Hiroshima Dragonflies opened their Club Friendship campaign with a commanding 91-71 victory over the Seoul Samsung Thunders on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at a lively Hiroshima home venue. A balanced offensive display and a decisive second-quarter run carried the Japanese side to a 20-point win in a cross-border friendly that served as an early-season benchmark for both clubs.

Match Overview

The contest tipped off at 14:00 local time and quickly settled into a pattern the Dragonflies controlled from the midway point of the opening period. Hiroshima moved the ball with purpose, attacked the paint early, and then punished Seoul's help defense with kick-out three-pointers once the Thunders collapsed inside. The visitors stayed within reach through the first eight minutes before the hosts pulled away for good.

By halftime the Dragonflies had built a double-digit cushion, and they never allowed Seoul to trim the deficit below ten after the restart. The final scoreline of 91-71 reflected a game that was largely decided before the fourth quarter.

Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown

• First quarter: Hiroshima 24-18 Seoul — a fast, free-flowing start with the Dragonflies finding rhythm from the perimeter.
• Second quarter: Hiroshima 22-15 Seoul — the defining stretch, as the hosts' bench extended the lead with a strong two-way run.
• Third quarter: Hiroshima 26-20 Seoul — the most productive offensive period of the night for the home side, who pushed the margin past 20.
• Fourth quarter: Hiroshima 19-18 Seoul — a scrappier finish with both coaches rotating deep into their benches.

Key Moments

The game's turning point arrived midway through the second quarter. With Hiroshima holding a slender lead, a sequence of defensive stops turned into transition baskets at the other end, forcing Seoul into a timeout. The Thunders never fully recovered their offensive rhythm after that run, settling for contested jump shots as the shot clock wore down.

Early in the third quarter, the Dragonflies delivered the knockout blow with a quick burst of scoring that stretched the advantage beyond 20 points. Seoul managed a brief response behind improved interior play, but Hiroshima answered with back-to-back three-pointers that killed any momentum the visitors had generated.

Tactical Story

Hiroshima's game plan was built on pace and spacing. The Dragonflies pushed the ball after made baskets, attacked early in the shot clock, and used dribble penetration to draw help defenders before swinging the ball to open shooters. That approach generated a high volume of efficient looks and kept Seoul's half-court defense scrambling for much of the afternoon.

Defensively, the hosts switched aggressively on screens and dared the Thunders to beat them from the outside. Seoul's offense became increasingly isolated as a result, with limited ball movement and few second-chance opportunities. The rebounding battle also tilted toward Hiroshima, whose bigger wings cleaned up the defensive glass and limited extra possessions.

Standout Performers

Hiroshima's backcourt set the tone, combining for efficient scoring while controlling the tempo of the game. The frontcourt contributed steady production in the paint and on the boards, while the bench provided the spark that broke the game open in the second quarter. For Seoul, the bright spots came from individual shot-making and a competitive stretch in the third period, but the Thunders lacked the collective consistency to stay in contact.

What the Result Means

For the Dragonflies, the 91-71 win is an encouraging early statement: the offense looks cohesive, the rotation appears deep, and the defensive intensity held up across four quarters. For the Samsung Thunders, the loss highlights areas to address before their next outing, particularly half-court execution and defensive rebounding against quicker, smaller lineups.

The two clubs will take very different lessons from the same afternoon, but the Club Friendship fixture delivered exactly what it was designed to — a competitive, well-attended test ahead of the main season.