Kai Sotto made his long-awaited return from an ACL injury as the Koshigaya Alphas erased an 18-point deficit to beat the Ibaraki Robots in overtime in B.LEAGUE action.
After a year-long absence, Kai Sotto finally made a triumphant return to the court.
Fit again after recovering from an ACL injury, Soto made his comeback for the Koshigaya as the Alphas clawed their way to a dramatic 83-81 overtime victory over the Ibaraki Robots in B.LEAGUE action on Saturday.
Sotto started and logged close to 13 minutes in his return, finishing with two assists, one rebound, and a block—small numbers, perhaps, but significant steps for a player easing his way back from a major injury.
The Alphas overcame a daunting 18-point deficit, with Anthony Clemmons sparking the comeback by hitting a baseline jumper to tie the game at 74 with just seven seconds left in regulation.
Ibaraki had two chances to snatch the win in the closing seconds, but attempts by Noboru Hasegawa and Tyler Cook failed, sending the game into overtime.
In the extra session and leading 83-81, Clemmons missed two free throws that could have sealed the game, but Hasegawa’s potential game-tying shot also rimmed out, allowing Koshigaya to escape with the victory.
Takeru Oba led the Alphas with 14 points, snapping a four-game losing skid and improving the team’s record to 11-20.
Robert Franks paced Ibaraki with a game-high 25 points, but the Robots fell to 10-21.
The two teams meet again tomorrow, January 25, to close out their mini two-game series.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.