Former NBA center Nick Fazekas scored a game-high 31 points, including a pair of free throws with 17 seconds remaining, in the Kawasaki Brave Thunders¡¯ 87-85 win over the visiting Yokohama B-Corsairs on Friday night.

Kawasaki (1-2) lost two road games by a combined eight points last weekend to the San-en NeoPhoenix.

The Brave Thunders¡¯ home opener went down to the wire, too.

After Fazekas¡¯ second free throw gave the hosts a five-point lead, Kenji Yamada sank a 3-pointer for the B-Corsairs to cut the margin to 87-85 with 6 seconds left.

Neither team scored again before an announced crowd of 3,366.

Fazekas, a University of Nevada product, made 13 of 26 shots from the field. He also grabbed eight rebounds. (Fazekas suited up for the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks during the 2007-08 season, appearing in a combined 26 games for the two NBA clubs.)

Kawasaki led 27-18 after one quarter and took a 49-35 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

The B-Corsairs (0-3) chipped away at the lead, cutting the deficit to 61-59 at the end of the third quarter.

Naoto Tsuji finished with 11 points, including a trio of 3-pointers and Kevin Hareyama scored 10 points for Kawasaki. Veteran forward Mamadou Diouf chipped in with eight points and five boards with two assists and two steals, while teammate Ryusei Shinoyama had six points and seven assists. Ryan Spangler matched Shinoyama¡¯s scoring output.

For Yokohama, center James Washburn, a University of Utah alum, scored 29 points on 12-for-12 shooting, Takuya Kawamura canned five 3s en route to a 24-point performance and Jeff Parmer added 13 points.

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In Friday¡¯s second-division action, the visiting Kumamoto Volters defeated the Hiroshima Dragons 54-49.

Reggie Warren had 11 points and nine boards for Kumamoto (3-0), ex-University of North Carolina center Joel James added 10 points and 11 boards and Takumi Furuno contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and three assists. Furuno also had eight turnovers. Ryota Nakanishi swatted three shots.

Forward/center Cameron Ridley paced Hiroshima (2-1) with 17 points.