Yokohama Giga Spirits

The Yokohama Giga Spirits are a Japanese corporate basketball team based in Yokohama, Kanagawa.

Akita Isuzu Motors 1955-1987
Akita Isuzu Motors basketball team was founded by Shozaburo Makinae in 1955. Makinae currently serves as a director and corporate adviser for the Akita Northern Happinets of B.League. They practiced at Sannoh Junior High School gymnasium in 1960's and 1970's.

Head coaches

 * Mototaka Kohama
 * Shiro Yoshii
 * Shigeyoshi Kasahara
 * Hyokichi Tsuji V

Notable players

 * Vince Brookins -Louisville vs Iowa
 * Jack Givens (JBL2 MVP, Best5, Scoring Leader)
 * Derrick Hord - Drafted in the third round of the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers - Louisville vs Kentucky 1983
 * Mitsuhiko Kato
 * Hirohide Matsuoka
 * Kazuo Nakamura
 * Taku Umetsu
 * Lavon Williams (JBL2 Best5) -Denver, Colorado, Drafted in the fifth round of the NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers -  1980 UK @ LSU 2/24, Wood Carvings Lavon_Williams.jpg
 * Ted Young (JBL MVP, Best5, 1988)

Honors and titles
JBL2 Emperor's Cup Japan Industrial and Commercial Basketball Federation Championships National Sports Festival of Japan
 * Champions (1): 1983
 * Runners-up (1): 1982
 * Champions (1): 1984
 * Runners-up (1): 1986
 * 3rd place (1): 1987
 * Runners-up (1): 1981
 * Champions (2):

Isuzu Motors Lynx/Giga Cats 1987-2002
The team moved to Yokohama, Kanagawa in 1987. The club enjoyed its golden age winning JBL championships 6 times. Isuzu shut down their basketball and baseball clubs in 2002.

Head coach
Due to the Emery scandal in 1989, Kohama and Casey were reunited.
 * Mototaka Kohama
 * Dwane Casey (1992-94)

Notable players

 * Dan Bingenheimer - Highlights
 * Dave Butler
 * Casey Calvary
 * Richard Coffey
 * Anthony Cook (basketball)
 * Lucius Davis (JBL MVP, 1998)
 * Terry Dozier
 * Toshihiro Goto
 * Reggie Hanson
 * Makoto Hasegawa (JBL Rookie of the year, 1994)
 * Brian Hendrick - Cal vs Duke
 * Mike Higgins
 * Cedric Jenkins
 * Makoto Minamiyama
 * Hiroshi Nagano
 * Ernest Nzigmasabo


 * Julius Nwosu
 * Tadaharu Ogawa
 * Dale Roberts
 * A.J. Rollins
 * Yukihiro Sakka (JBL Rookie of the year, 1988)
 * Kenichi Sako
 * Satoshi Sakumoto
 * Toru Shioya
 * Anthony Smith
 * Michael Takahashi - Highlights
 * Kenny Walker (JBL Best5, 1996)
 * Joe Wallace
 * Wang Libin

Honors and titles
JBL Emperor's Cup ABC Champions Cup ABA Club Championship
 * Champions (6): 1988, 1995,1996, 1997, 1998, 2000
 * Runners-up (2): 1999. 2001
 * Champions (5): 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001
 * 3rd place (2): 1990, 2002
 * Runners-up (1): 1996
 * 4th place (1): 1997
 * Runners-up (1): 2001

Yokohama Giga Cats 2002-2005
Kohama led the revamped Giga Cats, after Isuzu dropped sponsorship, as a club team until 2005.

Notable players

 * Yoshihiko Amano
 * Kenji Hilke
 * Haruyuki Ishibashi
 * Hirokazu Nema
 * Masahiro Ohara
 * Taku Saito

Notable players

 * Minoru Kimura (basketball)
 * Masahiro Ohara