Caldwell's Buzzer-Beater Lifts Samurai Over Olympians in Thriller
Rhys Caldwell's Heroics Seal Nail-Biting Victory for Tokyo
ATHENS – In a February 2026 Season contest that went down to the wire, the Tokyo Samurai edged out the Athens Olympians 112-110 thanks to a clutch buzzer-beating jumper from Rhys Caldwell. The game, a back-and-forth affair from the opening tip, saw both teams trade blows, but it was Caldwell’s dominant second half that proved to be the difference.
The Olympians started strong, with Chloe Lee orchestrating the offense and finding open looks. Lee finished with 20 points and 6 assists, but the team struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 29.8% of their threes. Despite this, Athens managed to build a lead through aggressive interior play and strong rebounding, led by Luna Herrera who grabbed 9 boards.
The Samurai, however, clawed their way back, fueled by an exceptional performance from Rhys Caldwell. Caldwell was a force on both ends, pouring in a game-high 37 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and adding 2 steals. His scoring barrage, particularly in the latter stages of the game, kept Tokyo within striking distance. A key turning point came in the third quarter when David Miller’s steal led to a fast-break opportunity, igniting the Samurai’s offense. Miller added a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game,” said Samurai coach Kenji Tanaka. “Athens is a resilient team. But Rhys, he just took over when we needed him most. That’s championship-level play.”
The Olympians felt the sting of the loss, with Lee lamenting missed opportunities. “We played hard, but we let them hang around,” Lee stated. “That last shot… it’s tough to swallow, but we’ll learn from this.”
The Samurais’ rebounding advantage, outrebounding Athens 61-51, proved crucial in securing extra possessions. Despite Athens’ effective ball movement (31 assists to 9 turnovers), Tokyo’s higher free-throw percentage (74.1% to 56.0%) and Caldwell’s offensive explosion secured the hard-fought road victory.
Key Notes:
- Rhys Caldwell scored a game-high 37 points for Tokyo.
- Chloe Lee led Athens with 20 points and 6 assists.
- Tokyo outrebounded Athens 61-51.
- David Miller recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
- The Samurai shot 40.0% from three-point range compared to Athens’ 29.8%.