Shimane Susanoo Magic’s Fumiya Iio Finds His Role, Eyes Championship Run

Shimane Susanoo Magic guard Fumiya Iio is playing with increased confidence and opportunity this season, contributing to the team’s push for a Championship Series (CS) berth. Currently 7th in the West Region with a 21-18 record after 39 regular season games, Shimane faces a crucial stretch to secure a playoff spot.

Increased Role, Improved Performance

Iio’s role has expanded significantly since joining Shimane this season. He is currently averaging 6.7 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 21 minutes and 57 seconds of play. This represents a substantial improvement over his time with the Osaka Evessa, where he averaged 12 minutes and 27 seconds, 2.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.8 assists.

A key area of growth has been his three-point shooting. While shooting 24.7% from beyond the arc last season, Iio is now connecting on 34.8% of his attempts, despite increasing his volume from 1.3 to 3.3 attempts per game.

I’m hitting shots as hard as I can, which has an effect on my odds.

Learning from Okada, Embracing Aggression

Iio credits the increased opportunities and guidance from teammate Yudai Okada for his development. He notes the increased freedom to shoot and the valuable lessons learned from observing Okada’s game.

Yudai-san’s presence is huge. I can’t imitate every play, but I’m watching and learning from the details of the steps, so I think I’m being able to put that to use.

Iio also revealed a unique learning dynamic with Okada, sometimes serving as a one-on-one defensive opponent in practice, receiving direct instruction from the veteran guard.

To be honest, I was surprised that he would teach me so much. I didn’t have the image of someone who could teach me until I came to Shimane, and I thought he was a clever person who did things silently by himself (lol).

Inspired by Newbill, Focused on Defense

Iio emphasizes a more aggressive approach to his game, a shift he attributes to increased confidence and opportunity. He highlighted a career-high 17-point performance against the Sendai 89ERS on January 25th, where a key three-pointer resulted from aggressive decision-making.

My first option is Yudai and the big men, but I feel that if I lose my aggressiveness, I won’t have a fine flow. Until last season, I was thinking about passing the ball around, but this season, when I have the ball, I attack aggressively, seem at the rim, aim for a shot, and play aggressively.

Iio also credits former Osaka Evessa player DJ Newbill for instilling a defensive mindset in him.

But my number one goal is to be able to stop DJ Newbill. When I entered Osaka, I saw Newbill and thought, There’s such an amazing player… If I don’t stop a player like this, I won’t be able to play in the B League… It’s thanks to Newbill that I became a defensive player as a professional. I practiced thinking, If I can stop DJ Newbill, I can participate in games.

Teamwork and Fan Support

Iio believes team ball movement is crucial for success, leading to better shot opportunities and improved three-point shooting. He emphasizes the importance of everyone being proactive and contributing.

If we can all play basketball together, even the top players can make a living.

He also acknowledged the impact of the team’s fans, expressing gratitude for their enthusiastic support.

I’m surprised by the enthusiasm of the fans. The sound of the clap is incredible, and it’s a big boost for us. From now on, as a team, we’re determined to play in CS, and we’ll take care of each and every match. There was a game I was withdrawn from, but from now on, we’ll do our best to help the team win, so please support us.