Preview: Toy. Antelopes at Denso Iris, Game 1 of Playoff Series

KARIYA, Japan (Interstat) — The top-seeded Toy. Antelopes open their playoff campaign on the road Saturday against the Denso Iris in Game 1 of their women’s professional basketball series.

The Antelopes (23-6) enter the postseason with the league’s best record and will face a familiar foe in the fourth-seeded Iris (20-11). The teams split their four-game regular-season series, with the road team winning three times. Most recently, they traded decisive victories in February, with Denso winning 60-46 on Feb. 7 before Toy. answered with a 76-58 win the following day.

Toy. Antelopes center Amaka Okonkwo will be a focal point after a strong finish to the regular season. She averaged 12 points and 10.7 rebounds over her final three games, including a 17-point, 12-rebound performance in a narrow loss on March 29. Her interior presence will be critical against Denso’s defense.

The Iris counter with their own force in the paint, Sokhna Sylla. The center is coming off a key performance in a 59-58 win over Fujitsu on Monday, contributing 13 points and eight rebounds. Her consistency will be vital for Denso to control the boards and match Toy.’s physicality.

Denso Iris secured the final playoff spot with a tense, one-point victory on Monday, showcasing their resilience in close games. The Antelopes, meanwhile, closed with a dominant 77-49 win, demonstrating their explosive potential.

The series opener tips off at 2 p.m. local time at Kariya City Gymnasium. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is scheduled for Sunday at the same venue, ensuring a quick turnaround for both clubs. The winner will advance to the league semifinals.