The Chiba derby turns on whether the Jets can end a defensive possession and keep their own attack moving through the middle quarters. Altiri has several handlers and a frontcourt that can recover missed shots. Hiroshima's meeting with Nagasaki also centers on the glass, with Cockburn's inside work facing a visiting attack that has several finishers. A strong first spell in either game still has to survive the next response.
Togashi can feed Maye and Watanabe for the Jets, while Newbill, Kurokawa and Ando keep Altiri's first action flexible. Davis and Pardon have produced the rebounds that challenge Chiba's recent defensive-board lapses. Randolph is eligible for the Jets after missing their last game and every league game this season; Gill's contract ended after his last appearance. Altiri's active guard rotation and rebounding give it a way to stay in the derby through Chiba's middle-quarter pauses. That's why I'm siding with Altiri Chiba to keep the game close.
Hiroshima can use Smith and Evans to reach Cockburn deep and collect another shot, but Nagasaki can answer through Kumagai, Brantley, Randolph and Morikawa. Baba missed Nagasaki's last two games; that same group still scored against Kobe. Terashima missed Hiroshima's last two, with Sato starting at point. Hiroshima has shown both a big offensive-rebound game and a narrow late win in its recent pair, so Nagasaki's separate scoring outlets matter throughout the fourth quarter. That's why I'm siding with Nagasaki to stay close.
