Yuki Togashi, Yudai Baba, Matt Costello, Nate Williams. With such talent, why can't the Chiba Jets win? Is it the coach's ability or the player combination?
On October 12, 2026, the Chiba Jets lost to the Yokohama B-Corsairs 106-108.
After 7 games, they have 2 wins and 5 losses. They lost two games against Alvalade Tokyo, fell to Kobe Storks, stopped their losing streak against Hokkaido, but failed again against Yokohama. The narrow 2-point loss in Yokohama makes one question the HC's decisions.
But let's think deeper. Are the Chiba Jets really unable to win because "HC Kovacs' tactics are bad"? Or is there a more complex issue?
The basketball Kovacs experienced in Europe, the basketball Chiba has built for years, and the play where current players excel seem compatible at first glance.
However, even within "fast basketball," there are significant differences in required judgment, movement, ball handling, and defensive coordination.
Most importantly, assembling excellent players is not the same as building an excellent five-man unit.
This article does not aim to defend HC Kovacs, nor to decide on his dismissal after 7 games. Instead, we will organize the problems facing the Chiba Jets by examining his statements, club roster construction, actual game results, and tactical characteristics of European basketball.
Note: Analysis as of October 12, 2026. Distinguishing facts from official records/statements from tactical hypotheses. This is not a detailed lineup-by-lineup statistical analysis.
1. Look at 'How They Lose,' Not Just Loss Count
Let's review the opening 7 games:
Sep 25: vs Tokyo SR 97-92 W
Sep 26: vs Tokyo SR 79-95 L
Oct 2: vs A-Tokyo 131-138 L (4OT)
Oct 4: vs A-Tokyo 71-96 L
Oct 8: vs Kobe 86-94 L
Oct 10: vs Hokkaido 109-103 W
Oct 12: vs Yokohama BC 106-108 L (OT)
Source: B.LEAGUE Official Game Records.
These losses differ in nature. The Oct 2 game went to 4 overtimes; calling it a "weak team loss" is unfair. But on Oct 4, they lost by 25 points to the same opponent.
Against Kobe, they led 69-61 at the end of Q3 but were overwhelmed 17-33 in Q4. Against Yokohama, they led 68-62 at the end of Q3 but were caught up 27-33 in Q4 and lost in OT.
Here is the problem visible from results:
Chiba has periods where they outperform opponents but cannot sustain it for 40 minutes or through overtime.
This isn't just about lack of player ability. The gap between good and bad periods is large, stability in closing leads is poor, and when opponents change defense/offense, Chiba struggles to respond effectively.
The Kobe game was symbolic: 10 consecutive points allowed early in Q4, scoring stalled late.
Reasons vary: defensive changes, lineup mismatches, fatigue, foul trouble, shooting misses. But deciding which players, combinations, and roles to use to address these issues is the HC's job. Criticism here is valid.
However, be careful with simple season averages. Games with 4OT and 1OT distort pace and scoring stats. Proper comparison requires Offensive/Defensive Rating per 100 possessions and lineup metrics.
2. What Basketball Does Kovacs Aim For?
Understanding this is crucial before evaluating him.
Adrian Kovacs coached youth in Spain, DEAC and Hungary U20, then served as assistant coach for Telekom Baskets Bonn, Paris Basketball, and Valencia Basket.
He had HC experience at DEAC, so this isn't his first HC role. However, he hasn't been the primary leader of a EuroLeague-level top club for a long period.
Bonn, Paris, and Valencia emphasize intensity, movement, tempo, and coordination. While not identical tactics, his ideal reflects these principles.
In an Aug 25, 2026 interview with Basketball Count, Kovacs emphasized uptempo offense, confusing defense, and team contribution. He stated, "It cannot be executed without time-sharing." He explained the need to rotate multiple players to maintain high concentration and physical intensity.
2-1. Reducing Reliance on Specific Five
Traditional star-dependent offense: Togashi brings ball, calls screen, PnR creates mismatch, shoot or pass. This is rational with a great PG like Togashi.
Kovacs' ideal: Maintain high movement across the team, creating continuous threats from different players.
Example: Togashi initiates PnR, passes to wing. Baba attacks closeout, big man rolls/passes if help comes. If paint is defended, cut from opposite side. Next player judges based on rotation.
This maintains advantage through sequential judgments, not just initial actions.
Benefits: If first handler is shut down, others continue. Defense can't just stop one star.
Challenge: All five must recognize defensive changes simultaneously and make appropriate judgments. It requires extreme understanding off-ball.
2-2. European Continuity ≠ Free Movement
Good continuity means shared decision-making criteria, not random movement.
If switch happens, where is the mismatch? If big drops, who attacks mid-range? If strong help, who fills short corner? Who relocates behind penetrators?
Without shared criteria, everyone moves hard but offense fails. Space disappears due to timing errors. Passes circulate but no one enters paint. Open shots appear but in uncomfortable spots. First action works, second stalls.
Outsiders see "confused tactics," but causes may be player understanding, HC clarity, or roster fit.
3. Chiba Has Never Fully Tested Its Pre-Season Plan
Current roster differs significantly from pre-season plans.
Matt Costello: Injured list Sep 29. Left ankle ligament damage, 4-6 weeks out. Played 7 mins in opener.
Brandon Randolph: Injured list Sep 9. Left hamstring injury in preseason, 6-8 weeks out.
Luke May: Emergency signing Oct 24. Replaced Randolph. Handles passing, rebounding, scoring.
Elsie Gill: Emergency signing Oct 7. Replaced Costello. Joined league rotation quickly.
Bruce Sugano also injured Oct 2.
Don't dismiss this as "bad luck." The issue is the tactical roles these players were supposed to fill.
3-1. Costello's Absence Hurts More Than Stats Suggest
Costello isn't just an inside scorer. At 208cm, he spaces floor, uses roll/pop screens, and acts as a passing hub.
With him, Togashi/Costello PnR offers options: pop for open shot, handle numbers advantage, attack size mismatch.
His value lies in making Togashi and Baba easier to play. Without him, connection points for offensive structure are lost. Substitutes don't have identical abilities, requiring redesign.
3-2. Randolph vs. May: Same Position, Different Players
Randolph was acquired as a perimeter creator/scorer. May is a forward using size for rebounding, finishing, and passing.
May's emergency signing is good (8 assists vs Kobe, 7 assists/12 rebounds vs Yokohama). But replacing Randolph with May changes offensive initiation.
Where Randolph drove, May facilitates handoffs/passing. Both are valid, but players who score similarly create via different structures. Rebuilding this mid-season takes time.
3-3. Delays Are Rational Given Changes
Two foreign starters out, new signings in key roles. Systems requiring instant shared judgment suffer most.
Screen angles, handoff timing, switch responses, roll positioning, defensive rotations—these require repetition. New players may not judge at the same speed as existing teammates.
Counterpoint: How much should the HC adapt the system given injuries? Waiting for ideal roster isn't an option. Finding ways to win with available players is part of HC capability.
4. The Core Issue: Mismatch Between Kovacs' Ideal and Current Roster Requirements
The problem isn't just tactic quality, but the fit between system demands and player strengths.
4-1. Yuki Togashi: Don't Just Fit Him Into the System
Togashi excels at initiating offense unexpectedly and creating advantages instantly. Pull-up PnR, changing direction before screens, driving into positioning gaps, passing when help arrives.
These thrive with some discretion, not rigid sequences.
However, organized continuity requires off-ball movement too. Using Togashi after teammates move defense is logical. But sometimes, having Togashi hold the ball initially yields greater benefits, especially late-game.
Key: Balance using Togashi within the system vs. moving the system around Togashi. Great systems amplify stars, not average them.
4-2. Nate Williams: Don't Make a Scorer Just a Finisher
Williams averages 28.5 pts, 56.8% FG, 35.5% 3PT (as of Oct 10).
Giving him the ball is rational. The issue is how his creation links to team continuity.
If he drives and scores, that's success. But if next possession repeats same isolation while others watch, reproducibility suffers.
Instead, use defenses guarding Williams to create cuts/open shots for others. Organize what advantages arise when defenders focus on him.
Reducing his touches to pass more might lower efficiency. Touching the ball isn't the goal; efficient attack is.
Systems shouldn't force equal scoring, but ensure scorers attack from advantageous positions.
4-3. Yudai Baba: Don't Turn the Ultimate Utility Player into a Jack-of-All-Trades
Baba (206cm) plays wing, helps defensively, switches, rebounds, cuts, transitions.
His versatility allows flexible lineups. But risk: assigning him everything dilutes impact.
Using him at PF stretches spacing and aids switching. But against strong centers, he bears heavy rebounding/physical burden, potentially exhausting him before showcasing his skills.
Fatigue impacts offensive movement.
Being able to play 4 doesn't mean playing 4 is optimal. Maximize value by adjusting position based on opponent: 4 vs small lineups, 3 vs big lineups. Attack via cuts/transitions/closeouts, not just corner waiting.
Concentrate strengths in specific moments rather than spreading thin.
4-4. Luke May: Create New Offense, Don't Replace Costello
May functions as a passing hub (high assist counts). But he differs from Costello.
Costello spaces as a center. May's strengths are forward-oriented.
Using May at 5 offers mobility/passing benefits but risks rim protection/rebounding deficits against strong centers.
Combining with Baba at 4 creates switchable, mobile lineups but potential size/skill gaps inside.
Compare offensive gains vs. defensive costs of placing May at center. This is lineup construction essence.
5. Valid Criticism Might Lie in 'Fine-Grained Substitutions'
Post-Oct 4 game, Kovacs explained time-sharing: pressure defense leading to fast breaks, frequent subs to maintain intensity, aiming for 11-12 man rotation. Young starters balanced units.
Tactically understandable, but problematic.
5-1. Frequent Subs Don't Guarantee Intensity
If a group has rhythm, timing, communication, and shared understanding, subbing them out preserves freshness but loses continuity.
Individual performance ≠ Unit performance. Good defender fails if help timing is off. Average player stabilizes team if roles are clear.
Evaluate rotations by how well shared judgments/roles persist through subs.
Time-sharing works if all players have similar tactical understanding. Chiba has many new/injury-replacement players. Achieving Euro-style fine-grained rotation requires rebuilding continuity every sub. Gap between ideal and reality.
5-2. Not Starting Best Five Can Be Rational, Conditionally
Fans ask why Togashi isn't starting. But splitting strength ensures scoring in both units. Previous HC Greason also benched Togashi for matchup/role reasons.
Condition: Splitting strength must actually improve total team output. If first unit defends too much to score, and second unit attacks too much to defend, you expose weaknesses.
Verify: Who plays when? With whom? Against whom? Point differential?
Distributing starters and concentrating best five late-game can coexist. Criticism should focus on whether substitutions maintain good flow or stop bad flow, not just starter names.
6. Defense Might Be More Critical Than Offense
Kovacs' system starts with aggressive pressure defense leading to transition. If defense doesn't load opponents, system fails.
6-1. Pressure Isn't Always Safe
Pressuring ball denies time, induces mistakes. But if first defender is beaten, numerical disadvantage arises.
Help rotates, exposing open shots. Strong opposing centers complicate this: protect rim vs. rotate to wings, risking rebounding position.
Typical risk of aggressive defense.
6-2. Stats Don't Yet Show Success
As of Oct 10: 4.8 steals/game (23rd), 4.7 blocks/game (2nd), 30.6% opp 3PT (not top tier).
Steals aren't high despite pressure. Maybe time denied/shots contested, but clear steal production is lacking.
Oct 4 vs A-Tokyo: Opponent paint points 42, offensive rebounds 15, Chiba TOs 16, points off TOs 23.
Issues start before shots miss: paint penetration, rebounding, turnovers. Even without Olbricht, excuses fail. Clear area for improvement.
6-3. Rebounding Is Key to High-Intensity Defense
Pressure + quick rotation + difficult shots = useless if rebounds lost.
For teams running off defense, defensive rebounding is the first offensive play.
Choose between pressuring or protecting paint/rebounds based on lineup. With Costello out, relying on May/Baba inside, prioritize securing boards. Aggression isn't the goal; limiting opponent points and creating opportunities is.
7. Hiding Togashi Defensively vs. Team Strength Can Coexist
B.PREMIER allows bigger guards/wings. Size mismatches against Togashi are possible.
But small PG doesn't prevent aggressive defense. Reduce situations where he's targeted.
Pre-switch before screens. Scrum-switch after unfavorable matches. Assign him to low-threat players, task Harada/Baba with creators.
No perfect solution. Quick ball movement negates switches. Read pre-switches create other mismatches.
Goal: Maximize Togashi's offensive value while keeping defensive liability acceptable. If his offense improves team enough, slight defensive deficit is worth it. If benching him hurts scoring too much, victory fails.
Evaluate 5-man net effect, not isolated offense/defense.
8. Fix: Simplify Options, Don't Abandon System
Chiba needs fewer, clearer choices, not more complexity.
8-1. Three Offensive Priorities
- Transition: Run fast off rebounds (Togashi, Segawa, Williams, Baba).
- Half-court Continuity: Handoffs (Togashi/May), space for Williams drives, Baba cuts, spot-ups (Harada/Kanazawa). Define next action if first stops.
- Last Resort: Star power. Late-game, give ball to Togashi/Williams, others support probability.
Sharing these reduces hesitation.
8-2. Switch Defensive Principles by Lineup
Mobile lineups (Segawa, Harada, Baba): Press ball, force transition.
Offense-prioritized lineups (Togashi core): Use switches/pre-switches, minimize extreme help.
Center lineups (Nika): Drop coverage, protect paint/rebounds.
Don't force one ideal on all. Adjust based on opponent/time. Maintains identity while adapting.
8-3. Rotation: Combinations, Not Equality
Time-sharing ≠ equal minutes. Kovacs admits ~10 man rotation currently.
Multiply strengths, don't add.
Maximize Togashi: Pair with defensive wings/passing bigs.
Maximize Williams: Pair with non-hoggers/spacers.
Maximize Baba: Adjust 3/4 based on opponent size.
Maximize May: Surround with cutters/threats.
Stabilize defense: Combine Nika/defensive wings.
Find strongest multiple five-man groups, choose based on context. This tests Kovacs' Euro-style multi-player rotation viability.
9. How Valid is Criticism of Kovacs?
Three perspectives:
9-1. Early Dismissal Based on Wins/Losses is Premature
New HC, major foreign roster changes, injuries to key imports, emergency signings, new defense/rotation. Hard to achieve perfection immediately. B.PREMIER opponents also changed. Denying tactical ability based on 7 games is inappropriate.
But doesn't absolve responsibility.
9-2. Criticism of Unimproved Losing Patterns is Valid
Q4 collapses vs Kobe/Yokohama. Recurring issues suggest systemic flaws: defensive adjustments, substitution balance, fatigue, matchup delays, offensive stagnation feeding opponent transition.
HC judgment matters. Early season excuses don't fly. Ability to identify/fix problems quickly is tested now.
9-3. Excellent AC Doesn't Guarantee Excellent HC
Experience at Bonn/Paris/Valencia is valuable. Learning tactics ≠ optimizing them as sole leader.
HC manages everything: subs, in-game decisions, morale, development vs. winning, tactical flexibility.
Chiba proves his ability to transform this specific roster into winners, not replicate Euro ideals.
10. Togashi's Comments Accurately Reflect Reality
Post-Oct 4, Togashi noted issues in both ends, need to rethink approach. Too early to judge whole team after 4 games.
Key quote: "Must accumulate wins even before completion. Clean wins aren't necessary."
Links HC ideal with player reality. Build system while winning interim games. Complex actions failing under pressure aren't rational. Give young players chances, but prioritize best-fit five in clutch. Adapt defense if broken.
Having ideals ≠ clinging to them. Adjust flexibility to current players.
11. Metrics to Judge Recovery
Beyond wins/losses:
- Defensive Stability: Opponent efficiency, paint points, open 3s, rebounds.
- Offensive Reproducibility: Shot quality, TOs, paint entries, assist types.
- Lineup Synergy: Which five beats which opponent?
- In-Game Adjustment: Response to defensive changes/scoring runs.
- Role Optimization: Maximizing Togashi, Baba, Williams, May without overlap.
Focus on Defense Stability and Adjustment. If paint points drop/rebounds rise despite losses, progress exists. Explosive individual wins without defensive fix aren't solutions.
Account for opponent strength/sample size noise.
12. Would Changing HC Help?
Careful. Costello/Randolph won't return instantly. Chemistry won't magically form. Rebounding/matchup issues persist. New HC might introduce different tactics, forcing re-learning.
Not always wrong. If fundamental incompatibility, inability to adjust, or lost trust persists, change is rational.
Currently insufficient evidence. Kovacs must demonstrate ability to bridge ideal/reality gap. Next few weeks critical: injuries, adaptation, rotation stability, defense changes, closing.
Improvement suggests transitional phase. Repetition strengthens criticism.
Conclusion: Questioning Ability to Adapt, Not Tactics
Kovacs' ideas (pressure, transition, continuity, rotation) are modern/rational. Talent pool supports interesting basketball.
But good tactics are those players execute reliably. Restricting strengths, ignoring rebounds, or forcing equality without winning combos fails.
Chiba isn't the planned team. Costello/Randolph out, May/Gill in. Low continuity explains struggles. Simple "bad coach" label premature.
But injuries don't excuse everything. Q4 collapses show fixable issues.
Kovacs must prove ability to adapt tactics to maximize current players, not impose Euro ideals.
Great HCs fit players to systems. Truly great HCs fit systems to players.
Use Togashi's uniqueness. Leverage Williams' scoring. Give Baba highest-value roles. Build new offense around May. Choose defense minimizing points.
Winning isn't about prettiest tactics or best individuals. It's about best combination of five against that day's opponent.
Chiba has abundant talent; challenge is assigning correct responsibilities. Kovacs must create max value from diverse skills.
Fans want Chiba playing their style: Togashi as Togashi, Baba as Baba, Williams winning games, youth growing with team.
Question: How fast can Kovacs bridge the gap between his ideal and current roster? That holds the key to 2026-27 recovery.
References
Primary sources/interviews used. Tactical suggestions are analysis, not confirmed HC plans.
- Basketball Count (Aug 25, 2026): Kovacs HC Interview [Link]
- Jbasket (Oct 4, 2026): Post-game comments [Link]
- Chiba Jets Official: Costello Injury [Link]
- Chiba Jets Official: Randolph Injury [Link]
