Japan B.League: Ray Parks stars anew as Nagoya repeats over Mikawa

Nagoya Dolphins’s Ray Parks. –B.LEAGUE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Ray Parks Jr. continued his solid play as Nagoya Diamond picked up another victory in the Japan B.League Division 1 on Saturday.

Parks and the Diamond Dolphins repeated over Mikawa, 101-86, in their home floor at Dolphins Arena.

He helped Nagoya, which opened the season with a victory over the Seahorses last Thursday, with 12 points on 54.5 percent shooting.

Coty Clarke led Nagoya with 20 points while  Anthony Lawrence II scattered 14 points for Mikawa in the loss.

Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes, meanwhile, lost to Gunma Crane Thunders 88-80 in their opening game this season at Ota City Sports Park Gym.

Kiefer contributed a near double-double with 12 points and eight assists while Ivan Buva exploded for 28 points and eight rebounds but their efforts weren’t enough to give Shiga the win. 

Michael Parker and Trey Jones paved the way for the Thunders with 25 and 20 markers, respectively.

Dwight Ramos for Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B.League. –LEVANGA HOKKAIDO PHOTO

Dwight Ramos and Levanga Hokkaido also fell, 95-90, to Akita Northern Happinets.

Ramos had 15 points, two assists and five rebounds in 30 minutes of play while Shawn Long and Brock Motum finished with 23 each in the setback.

The Northern Happinets, who outgunned Levanga 18-8 from beyond the arch, draw a game-high showing from Stanton Kidd in the win.

The Sendai 89ers pummeled the Kyoto Hannaryz, 92-65, in their own hometurf at Kyoto City Gymnasium.

Five players scored in double digits for the 89ers, namely: Nathan Boothe (18), Taiki Okada (15), Justin Burrell (12), Rashawn Thomas (12) and Toshikasu Zato (10)

Former PBA player Matthew Wright was scoreless in 22 minutes of play in his Japan B.League debut.

Cheick Diallo notched a double-double in a losing effort for Kyoto with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Jarrod Uthoff also had 11.

Thirdy Ravena likewise came up scoreless in San-en NeoPhoenix’s close 87-85 loss to Kawasaki Brave Thunders.

But Thirdy had one rebound, five assists, one steal in close to 20 minutes of action.

Other Filipino players, however, did not play significant minutes in their respective team in the season’s openers.

The Hiroshima Dragonflies succumbed to the Yokohama B-Corsairs, 96-89, at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall.

Charles Jackson powered the B-Corsairs with 24 points while Devin Oliver balled out with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

Hiroshima did not field former La Salle standout Justine Baltazar and was led by Nick Mayo and Ryo Terashima in the scoring department with 25 and 23, respectively.

The Ryukyu Golden Kings trounced Utsonomiya Brex, 81-52, at Okinawa Arena in Jay Washington’s first game in Japan.

Washington was inserted in garbage time and only scored two points. Former PBA import Allen Durham paced the Golden Kings with 17 markers and 11 boards.

Josh Scott led Brex with 18 points.