The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Akita. The team competes in the B.League Premier, the highest division of the B.League, as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games at CNA Arena Akita.
The team was formed as an expansion team of the bj league in 2010 and found success for the first time in 2013–14, finishing their fourth season as league runners-up. They went on to finish as runners-up for the second year in a row in 2014–15 and in third place in 2015–16, the final season of the bj league.
History Akita Prefecture's connection with basketball has historically lay with Noshiro Technical High School, which has won a total of 58 national-level championships, and the Isuzu corporate team (Akita Isuzu Motors, currently the Yokohama Giga Spirits), which was based in Akita from 1955 until 1987. Following the formation of the independent bj league in 2006, a committee was formed to investigate the formation of a professional club within the prefecture in 2007 but was unsuccessful. In June 2008 another association was formed to pursue a bj league franchise licence and a pre-season match between the Sendai 89ers and Niigata Albirex BB was held a few months later. In January 2009 Akita Pro Basketball Club Co., Ltd. was established and in the following May was granted a licence to enter the 2010-11 bj league season. The team's name was announced at a pre-season match hosted in Akita between the 89ers and Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix in September 2009.
2010-11 season The Happinets entered the Eastern Conference of the bj league in October 2010 as one of three expansion teams. The Shimane Susanoo Magic and Miyazaki Shining Suns joined the Western Conference, taking the league to a total of 16 teams. For their first season the Happinets signed Seiichi Oba as general manager and former Shiga Lakestars coach Robert Pierce as head coach. 39-year-old Akita native and Noshiro Tech alumnus Makoto Hasegawa was acquired from Niigata in exchange for a first-round draft pick and took on a player-manager role. The team drafted and Ryosuke Mizumachi in the expansion draft, in the second round of the rookie draft and Makoto Sawaguchi in the development draft. The team was unable to reach a deal with Nakanishi, who instead signed with Rizing Fukuoka before the start of the season. Happinets' inaugural home game was held at the Akita Prefectural Gymnasium in October.
2011-12 season In November 2011 the team signed Curtis Terry, brother of NBA player Jason Terry, to replace the injured Brandon Wallace. After 14 games Terry was released from the club in January due to his arrest for theft from a convenience store.
2013-15 seasons Has emerged as a strong league power, and won a conference title two years in a row.
2016-17 season ANH struggled throughout the season and were relegated to second division.
2017-18 season Akita finished the regular season with a 54–6 record, defeated Kumamoto Volters in the B2 playoffs and were promoted to B1.
2018-19 season The team suffered its 11th consecutive defeat, However, Akita was not relegated and remained in the B1 league.
2019-20 season
Coach Pep left, and Maeda was promoted from assistant coach to bench boss. The 10th anniversary team got sponsorship deals from electronics company TDK Corporation. Tokyo Denki Kagaku sponsored Liga ACB team, TDK Manresa between 1985 and 2000.New practice facilities, near the Akita Station, was completed in December. Two games were played without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March.
2021-22 season Assistant coach Makoto Tanaka was arrested for drink-driving on July 17, 2021. The team clinched their first B. League playoff berth on May 8, 2022.
2022-23 season Amida Brimah was released by Happinets on August 29, 2022. He originally signed for this season on July 13.
Current roster
Management
General manager Seiichi Oba
Managers and trainers Yukio Kodaka Shintaro Tahara Itsuki Midorikawa Ryohei Sugano
Former managers and trainers Shigeru Takeuchi Kento Yamasawa
Basketball academy Shoya Uchimura Yu Yoshimoto
Bicky unknown
Noted employee Yasuhiko Takahashi (Wheel gymnastics champion)
Notable former players
Seiya Ando Antonio Burks Marshall Brown Alex Davis Jordan Glynn Will Graves Makoto Hasegawa Sek Henry Justin Keenan Scott Morrison Kevin Palmer Richard Roby Kazuhiro Shoji Deshawn Stephens Shigehiro Taguchi Kenichi Takahashi Yuki Togashi Brandon Wallace
Season-by-season record
Akita Northern Happinets season-by-season recordSeason League Finish G W L W-L GBPlay-offsPGPWPLPWL 2010–11 Bj League East 6th50 18 32 .360 24Lost in First Round to Niigata202.000 2011-12 Bj League East 3rd 52 28 24 .538 9Lost in Second Round to Yokohama633.500 2012-13 Bj League East 5th 52 26 26 .500 8Lost in Second Round to Niigata523.400 2013-14 Bj League East 3rd52 40 12 .759 2 Eastern Conference Champions651.833 2014–15 Bj League East 1st 52 41 11 .788 -Eastern Conference Champions752.714 2015–16 Bj League East 3rd 52 35 17 .673 4 3rd place6 5 1 .833 2016–17 B.League East 5th 60 18 42 .300 31 relegated to B2 2017–18 B.League2 East 1st 60 54 6 .900 - B2 Runners-up532.600 2018–19 B.League East 5th 60 17 43 .283 35 - 2019–20 B.League East 5th 41 19 22 .463 13 - 2020–21 B.League East 7th 59 28 31 .475 20.5 - 2021–22 B.League East 5th 54 31 23 .574 9 Lost in First Round to Ryukyu202.000 2022–23 B.League East 4th 60 29 31 .483 24 2023–24 B.League East 5th 60 30 30 .500 21 2024–25 B.League East 4th 56 27 29 .482 19 Totals B.League 450 199 251 .442 202.000 Totals Bj League 310 188 122 .606 322012.625 Totals B.League2 60 54 6 .900 532.600
Team statistics {| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:right;" !Year !Lg !GP !MP !FG(%) !3P(%) !FT(%) !RPG !APG !SPG !BPG !PPG !OPPG
| align="left" | 2010–11 | align="left" | bj | 50 || 10050 || .414 || .324 || .620 ||bgcolor="CFECEC"|49.3 || 15.5 || 5.8 || 2.0 || 79.4||84.3 |- | align="left" | 2011–12 | align="left" | bj | 52 || 10425 || .408 || .323 || .669 || 37.3 || 15.6 || 8.0 || 2.2 || 73.8||80.2 |- | align="left" | 2012–13 | align="left" | bj | 52 || 10475 || .415 || .334 || .620 || 33.4 || 15.8 || 6.8 || 2.5 || 77.4||76.9 |- | align="left" | 2013–14 | align="left" | bj | 52 || 10475 || .457 || .354 || .692 || 40.0 || 19.4 || 7.1 || 3.0 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|90.2 ||81.1 |- | align="left" | 2014–15 | align="left" | bj | 52 || 10475 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|.484 || .375 || .679 || 38.8 || 20.3 || 7.1 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|4.1 || 89.2 ||77.1 |- | align="left" | 2015–16 | align="left" | bj | 52 || 10475 || .462 || .359 || .692|| 46.3 || 19.7 || 7.4 || 3.1 || 83.9 ||75.9 |- | align="left" | 2016–17 | align="left" | B1 | 60 || 12150 || .425 || .342 || .684 || 37.5 || 12.1 || 6.3 || 1.9 || 70.4 ||74.3 |- | align="left" | 2017–18 | align="left" | B2 | 60 || 12000 || .437 || .339 || .631 || 40.7 || 20.6 ||bgcolor="CFECEC"| 11.9 || 3.5 || 80.0 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|67.7 |- | align="left" | 2018–19 | align="left" | B1 | 60 || 12025 || .421 || .307 || .696 || 36.8 || 18.3 || 8.2|| 2.9|| 71.3||78.2 |- | align="left" | 2019–20 | align="left" | B1 | 41 ||8200 || .430 || .306 || .711 || 35.8 || 19.1 || 9.7|| 3.0|| 75.5||73.9 |- | align="left" | 2020–21 | align="left" | B1 | 59 ||11875 || .435 || .319 || .696 || 35.5 || 20.9 || 9.1|| 4.0|| 77.5||78.1 |- | align="left" | 2021–22 | align="left" | B1 | 54 ||10850 || .446 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|.378 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|.751 || 36.1 || 20.8 || 8.9|| 2.7|| 78.7||75.7 |- | align="left" | 2022–23 | align="left" | B1 | 60 ||12000 || .428 || .342 || .732 || 39.0 || bgcolor="CFECEC"|22.1 || 7.3|| 2.0|| 78.6||77.7 |- | align="left" | 2023–24 | align="left" | B1 | 60 ||12000 || .411 || .326 || .710 || 40.5 || 18.9 || 6.5|| 2.1|| 74.2||75.2 |- | align="left" | 2024–25 | align="left" | B1 | 56 ||11000 || .411 || .329 || .701 || 36.9 || 20.3 || 8.3|| 2.3|| 73.4||74.5
Other honors and titles Tohoku Cup Champions (5): 2012, 2013, 2016, 2021, 2022 Tohoku Early Cup Champions (2): 2017, 2019
Head coaches YearsCoachRecord2010–2011 Bob Pierce18–322011–2014 Kazuo Nakamura94-622014–2017 Makoto Hasegawa94–702017–2019 Josep Clarós71-492019–present Kenzo Maeda47-532010–presentTotal354-266
Assistant coaches Yoichi Motoyasu Joe Cook Kenjiro Maeda Kevin Braswell
Uniforms
HOME
AWAY
Other
Cheerleading squad
The Akita Northern Happinets Cheer Dance Team are the official B.League Cheerleading squad representing Happinets. The group performs at CNA Arena Akita, the home court of the Happinets. The squad also has a "Junior Cheer School Programme", for young women aged 5–12.
Director Mineko Abe
Instructor Aimi Sukagawa
Members Ikumi So Nene Yumi Kanon Nanami Rio Shiho Jr-Rio Source:
Mascot
Bicky is the official mascot of the Akita Northern Happinets. The Frog wears #82 and is able to slam-dunk. He is 182 cm tall and weighs 82 kg. Happinets introduced a new mascot Rana, Bicky's girl friend, on June 26, 2020. University HOSP man is the unofficial mascot.
Arenas & Facilities
The Happinets play their home games at CNA Arena Akita, their home since 2016. During their time in the bj league, the Happinets played their home games at the Akita Prefectural Gymnasium. Another home, Nices Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Yurihonjo. A new prefectural gymnasium will be built in 2026. The team has practice facilities at the Akita Northern Gate Square, Akita Bank Gymnasium, Akita Xerox Sports Square and Akita International University Suda Hall. They also build muscle at Varsity Weight Room in Yabase, Akita. Happinets players love to take spa at Youland Hotel Yabase in Akita. (Tattooed players have special privileges to take a bath.)
"Crazy Pink" phenomenon
The Akita Northern Happinets fan base is commonly referred to as "Crazy Pink." The group is noted for its consistent attendance at away games, where the number of supporters can occasionally match or exceed that of the home team. The hoop-crazed fans light up arena with "Bigabiga", pink glow sticks and sing the prefectural anthem before the game. The Happinets home court rocks with another stadium anthem "Fly Again" by Man with a Mission, and CNA Arena Akita is one of the hottest and loudest basketball venues in Asia. The Akita Airport limousine buses have the painted images of the Happinets and Blaublitz Akita.
Kit
Manufacturer Year Manufacturer Gambax Bull Fight Mizuno Under Armour Fila
Average regular season home game attendance
Media
Radio The Happinets players' talk show is aired occasionally on ABS. The Happinets don't have any play-by-play radio broadcasting.
Programs ABS - Akita wo sakebe Northern Happinets ABS - Nantettatte Nichiyou ha Sports ABS - Kosaka Rika no Cheer Happinets FM Akita - Weekly Northern Happinets (Takashi Hatakeyama) FM Hanabi - Uchiagero Go! Go! Akita Northern Happinets!!
Television SoftBank Group Corp. is estimated to have invested over ¥12 billion to get the broadcasting rights of B.League in 2016. The Happinets home game broadcasters are Toshifumi Takeshima (Akita Television, play-by-play announcer) and Hiroyuki Chida (JR Akita Peckers).
Programs AAB - Go Happinets!
References
External links