[Yokohama Excellence] Announcement of Player Departures and Posting to the B.LEAGUE Free Negotiation Player List

Thank you for your continuous support for Yokohama Excellence.

Yokohama Excellence is pleased to announce that the player contracts with Shinpei Itabashi, Tariki Dickson JR., and Junki Uera will expire on June 30, and they will leave the team. Additionally, Runa Kawai's activity as a specially designated player will end after the 2025-26 season.

These four players, along with Tatsuya Nishiyama, will be placed on the "B.LEAGUE Free Negotiation Player List" today, Thursday, May 21.

Please note that we will continue negotiations with Tatsuya Nishiyama.

Leaving Players

Shinpei Itabashi #0 Shinpei Itabashi

[Number] 0 [Position] PG [Height/Weight] 168cm / 70kg [Date of Birth] December 28, 1998 [Birthplace] Ibaraki Prefecture [Career] Hakuoh University 2020-21 Bambitious Nara (*Specially Designated Player) 2021-23 Bambitious Nara 2023-24 Shonan United BC 2024-26 Yokohama Excellence

Player's Comment

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone involved for their tremendous support over the past two years. These two seasons turned out to be vastly different from the personal plan I had envisioned when I decided to join this team two years ago. I suffered two major injuries over these two years, and honestly, I have nothing but regrets. However, since time cannot be rewound, I will treat this as an experience for my future life, turn it into a weapon, and overcome it. I believe I have spent every day giving 100% of my effort in my own way over the past two years, so I plan to rest my mind and body a bit, think about the next step, and start running again. Please support me again when I return to the court. Thank you for the past two years.

Club's Comment

The contract with Shinpei Itabashi has expired. It has been two years plagued by injuries, and I believe it was a painful time for the player himself. Even so, his attitude as an athlete—working earnestly, continuing his training, and bringing good energy to the team—was professional and wonderful. I myself (*General Manager Koki Ishida) had a career plagued by injuries. I feel an even stronger desire to support athletes who suffer from knee injuries in particular. It is precisely because of difficult times that one can see many things, and I am sure that will become a strength. I hope that Itabashi's future basketball career will be wonderful.

Tariki Dickson JR. #5 Tariki Dickson JR.

[Number] 5 [Position] PG [Height/Weight] 181cm / 85kg [Date of Birth] September 8, 1998 [Birthplace] Aichi Prefecture [Career] Nippon Sport Science University 2021-23 Nagasaki Velca 2023-24 Kumamoto Volters 2023-24 Nagasaki Velca 2024-25 Sendai 89ERS 2025-26 Yokohama Excellence

Player's Comment

To all EXs!

Thank you very much for your tremendous support this season. Transferring to Yokohama Excellence, a team with momentum that promoted from B3 to B2, I was very excited even before the season started. However, due to injuries and poor condition, I was unable to contribute to the team on the court as I had hoped, making it a personally frustrating season. As a team, we faced critical situations many times, but each time, everyone brought out their unique strengths, and the entire team fought as one. And as a result, being able to win the final game—I was truly proud to be a member of the team. A lot happened throughout the season, but the presence of all the EXs who continued to fight with us until the end, through both the hard times and the happy times, was a truly great source of strength. Even at distant away games, many EXs always rushed to support us, and thanks to you fighting alongside us in every home game, there were many matches we were able to win. Thank you very much. I would be happy if you could continue to support Yokohama Excellence and myself next season. It was a short time of one season, but thank you very much!

Club's Comment

The contract with Tariki Dickson JR. has expired. His reliable presence, using his abundant experience and long limbs to pressure opponents, was reassuring, and he continued to do wonderful work, especially against opposing foreign players. His fighting spirit as he always engaged in intense and physical battles fascinated many people. From the bright smile he occasionally showed, I could feel more than enough his joy in playing basketball.