FILE – Nagoya Diamond Dolphins’ Ray Parks during a game against Levanga Hokkaido in the Japan B.League. Photo from Nagoya Dolphins Twitter
MANILA, Philippines—Bobby Ray Parks Jr. delivered 14 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins to their fifth consecutive win after beating the Ibaraki Robots, 77-73, in the 2022-23 B.League on Sunday at Kamisu Disaster Prevention Arena.
Parks sustained his fine play, making four straight free throws to give Nagoya a 69-66 lead to start the fourth quarter and finished the game a perfect 10-of-10 from the line to highlight his double-double performance with three steals.
The stellar game of the Filipino-American guard helped the Diamond Dolphins improve to 24-8, as Coty Clarke and Scott Eatherton kept the Robots at bay with their clutch baskets down the stretch.
Clarke unleashed 27 points, including the three free throws that sealed the game, and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Eatherton had 16 points and seven boards.
Ibaraki suffered its third straight loss, sliding to 10-22.
However, other Filipino imports weren’t as fortunate as Parks as Matthew Wright and the Kyoto Hannaryz absorbed their second straight loss at the hands of the Gunma Crane Thunders, 91-73, at Kyoto City Gymnasium.
Wright was held down to just six points in 30 minutes of playing time. Although he had four rebounds, two assists, and a steal, Kyoto got swept by Gunma this weekend and dropped to a 12-20 record.
Meanwhile, Dwight Ramos played 13 minutes and finished with five points in his second game after missing 19 games due to an ankle injury but the Levanga Hokkaido yielded anew to the Yokohama B-Corsairs, 99-77, at Hokkai Kita-yale.
Hokkaido suffered its eighth straight loss and slid to a 7-25 card despite the 28-point explosion of Brock Motum.
Carl Tamayo’s team, the Ryukyu Golden Kings fell to the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, 76-72, at Kawasaki Todoroki Arena.
The Golden Kings dropped to a 23-9 slate as Tamayo hasn’t arrived in Japan for his professional debut after playing two seasons with University of the Philippines.