Tochigi Brex forward Jeff Gibbs¡¯ terrific fourth-quarter performance in the B. League Championship final on Saturday instantly entered this nation¡¯s hoop annals as a special feat.

Gibbs¡¯ 16-point outburst, a clinic in low-post mobility and power moves, over the final 10 minutes helped inspire and lift the Brex past the Kawasaki Brave Thunders for the league¡¯s inaugural title at Yoyogi National Gymnasium. It was excellence on the grand stage.

But it came with a big price. The 36-year-old ruptured his left Achilles tendon late in the game and faces a difficult road back, including physical rehabilitation. No timetable has been given for his return.