Ray Parks Jr. and Dwight Ramos led the way for Filipino imports as action resumed after the New Year in Japan's B.LEAGUE.
Filipino imports turned in mixed results across the Japan B.LEAGUE games on Saturday, January 3, with strong outings from Ray Parks Jr. and Dwight Ramos being the highlights.
Dwight Ramos and Levanga Hokkaido extended their winning streak to four games after edging the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, 83–77.
Ramos finished with nine points, six rebounds, and two assists as Hokkaido improved to 23–9, forcing another three-way tie for the top spot in the East with the Chiba Jets and defending champion Utsunomiya Brex.
Meanwhile, Ray Parks Jr. paced Osaka Evessa with 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists in an 86–56 rout of the Koshigaya Alphas.
Osaka moved to 12–17, good for ninth place in the Western Conference, while Koshigaya continued to await the return of Kai Sotto.
AJ Edu also delivered a solid effort for the Gunma Crane Thunders, posting 10 points and six rebounds in an 84–78 loss to the Saga Ballooners.
Despite the defeat, Gunma remained competitive at 18–11, just outside the Eastern Conference’s top-3.
On the other hand, Kiefer Ravena was held to four points, one rebound, and one assist as the Yokohama B-Corsairs absorbed a lopsided 86–61 loss to league-leaders Nagasaki Velca.
Francis Lopez also had a quiet night, scoring four points in 18 minutes for the FE Nagoya in a 89–78 setback against the Sunrockers Shibuya.
The Fighting Eagles fell to 12-17, while Yokohama dropped to 11-18.
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Kiko Demigillo’s journey in sports storytelling began with a deep passion for games and athletes, which eventually grew into a full-fledged career.
Now a dedicated sportswriter, Kiko covers a wide range of beats for One Sports, including the PVL, UAAP, PBA, and various international tournaments.