The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

IN his second season at the professional level in Japan, Magnum Rolle has established himself as one of the leaders of the Mitsubishi Diamond Dolphins.

The Japanese National Basketball League tipped off Septermber 28 and Rolle quickly emerged as a leading scorer and rebounder in a two-game series opening win over the fourth place Hyogo Storks.

In a 77-65 win to open the season, Rolle finished with 16 points in just 18 foul- plagued minutes. He also added nine rebounds, two blocks and shot 6-9 from the field. Four Diamond Dolphin players scored in double figures.

In game two, Mitsubishi escaped with a 79-76 win. Rolle scored a side high 20 points and also chipped in with four rebounds, two blocks and three assists. He was one of four Mitsubishi players to reach double figures once again and shot 10-14 from the field.

The Diamond Dolphins are slated to face the Kumamoto Vorters in the next back- to-back series October 5-6. The Vorters look to rebound after a pair of losses to the Wakayama Trians.

In 41 games for the Diamond Dolphins last season, Rolle averaged 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. He recorded seven double doubles on the year, including three in the final three games of the season.

Rolle set a season high in rebounds with 14 against Hitachi, when he also added 20 points for his first double double of the year.

The Japanese NBL includes 12 teams divided into the Eastern and Western Leagues. Each team plays a 54-game schedule and the top four teams advance to the playoffs in May.

The league takes the place of the defunct Japanese Basketball League, but failed to merge with the lower level BJ-League.

The new NBL introduces several new rule changes including a salary cap of $150 million per team and a limit of two import players allowed on the floor simultaneously during the first and third quarters.

Ten NBL coaches are from outside of Japan, including former NBA coaches Bob Hill and Bill Cartwright. Just one former JBL player has advanced to play in the NBA, Yuta Tabuse, who had a brief stint with the Suns in 2004-2005.