It’s a tale of two Ravena brothers in Japan’s ongoing B.League Playoffs.
It’s a tale of two Ravena brothers in Japan’s B.League.
Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes punched their ticket back to the B1, scoring a decisive 97-74 win over the Yamagata Wyverns in the B2 semifinals Sunday.
Shiga won the best-of-3 series, 2-0. A spot in the B2 Finals also means promotion to Japan’s top division for the Lakes.
The Lakes are back after spending just one year in the B2 following a tough 2022-23 season.
Kiefer contributed 13 points, four assists, and four steals in the victory as his strong first playoff run in Japan continues.
His younger brother Thirdy was not as fortunate though.
Thirdy and the second-ranked San-en NeoPhoenix flamed out of the B1 Playoffs, getting swept in round 1 by the Hiroshima Dragonflies.
Late-game struggles once again doomed San-en, as the NeoPhoenix got outscored 19-11 in the fourth quarter on the way to a 69-66 loss. In Game 1 Saturday, the Dragonflies scored the last nine points for a 77-70 win.
Ravena finished with 13 points, six rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and an assist in a losing effort.
It was a tough end to the season for the NeoPhoenix, who finally broke through and won 46 games to win the Central Conference Championship.
In the other B1 series, Ray Parks Jr. and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins are through to the semifinals, sweeping the Seahorses Mikawa, 2-0. Nagoya will take on Hiroshima for a spot in the B1 Finals.