Kai Sotto helps Yokohama keep wildcard hopes alive in B.League
Yokohama B-Corsair’s Kai Sotto in a Japan B.League game. –B.LEAGUE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Kai Sotto and Yokohama B-Corsairs’ wildcard playoff hopes stayed alive on Sunday after they took down Nagasaki Velca, 102-69, in the Japan B.League at Yokohama International Pool.
Sotto kept his string of performances on a high with 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks to help Yokohama improve to 21-24.
However, it was Devin Oliver who spearheaded the B-Corsairs on offense with a team-high 21 points while Jarrod Uthoff muscled his way to a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
READ: Kai Sotto delivers in clutch to lead Yokohama past Thirdy, San-En
Matt Bonds’ 26-point explosion was put to waste for Nagasaki while Yudai Baba also scored 13 in the defeat.
Like Sotto, Thirdy Ravena also had a victorious Sunday as his San-En Neophoenix outlasted SunRockers Shibuya, 84-81, at Toyohashi City Gymnasium.
Ravena only had seven points, five rebounds and two assists in the win but it was Yante Maten who powered San-En to the victory with a double-double of 29 points and 13 rebounds.
San-En Neophoenix’s Thirdy Ravena in the Japan B.League. –B.LEAGUE PHOTO
Thirdy’s older brother Kiefer, though, didn’t have the same fate.
Loss-filled day for Filipinos
Kiefer’s Shiga Lakes were dispatched by Shizuoka Veltex, 85-74, at Konohana Arena.
The older Ravena registered nine points, five assists and three steals in close to 28 minutes but it was all for naught.
READ: Kai Sotto continues to shine in B.League return after Gilas stintThomas Bropleh of Veltex denied a double-Ravena win on Sunday with 25 points, six assists and three rebounds.
Dwight Ramos suffered a loss as well as Levanga Hokkaido to the Ibaraki Robots, 107-98, at Hokkai-Kita Yale.
Despite the loss, though, the Gilas Pilipinas cadet played 29 minutes and tallied 15 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Levanga Hokkaido’s Dwight Ramos.
The Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, meanwhile, fell victim to the Hiroshima Dragonflies, 84-83, at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall.
Ray Parks Jr. flirted with a double-double of 10 points and seven rebounds in 27 minutes of action but to no avail.
Adding up to the trend of Filipino imports losing on Sunday are RJ Abarrientos and Matthew Wright.
READ: Dwight Ramos reaches 1000 points in Japan B.League
Abarrientos and the Shinshu Brave Warriors fell short against Osaka Evessa, 78-70, at White Ring.
The Far Eastern University product tallied 10 points, two rebounds, an assist and a steal but it wasn’t enough to take down Osaka.
No Filipino import, though, had a worse Sunday than Wright with Kyoto Hannaryz.
Kyoto was routed at the hands of the Mikawa Seahorses, 70-53, at Wing Arena Kariya.
Wright played 33 minutes for Hannaryz but ended up scoreless, going blank on 10 attempts in the loss.
