B.League: Dwight Ramos’ Levanga, Kai Sotto’s Alphas absorb losses

FILE–Levanga Hokkaido’s Dwight Ramos during a B.League game. –B.LEAGUE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Teams of Gilas Pilipinas standouts Dwight Ramos and Kai Sotto absorbed defeats on Saturday in the 2024-25 season of the Japan B.League.

Ramos’ Levanga Hokkaido fell at the hands of Shimane Susanoo Magic, 87-56, at Matsue City Gymnasium.

Ramos scattered nine points, three rebounds, an assists and a block but to no avail as Hokkaido dropped its season opener in the Eastern division.

Coty Clarke led Shimane with 22 points and seven rebounds while James McAdoo tallied a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds in the dub.

READ: B.League: Dwight Ramos easing into role of captain for Hokkaido

Sotto’s Koshigaya Alphas, meanwhile, succumbed to Alvark Tokyo, 75-57, at Yoyogi National Stadium.

The Gilas big man had a forgettable game of three points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the loss that sent the Alphas to a 0-1 card.

Sebastian Saiz powered Alvark to the dub with 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Another Gilas member who suffered a loss in the B.League on Saturday was AJ Edu, whose Nagasaki Velca fell to the Sun Rockers Shibuya.

Velca absorbed a narrow 58-53 defeat at the hands of the Sun Rockers at Happiness Arena with Edu turning in an eight-point and seven-rebound effort.

READ: B.League: Healthy-again AJ Edu looks to repay Nagasaki’s trust

Shibuya turned to Reid Travis in the victory as he finished with 11 points and four rebounds in the low-scoring affair.

Roosevelt Adams, meanwhile, also lost over the weekend as the Yamagata Wyverns fell to Veltex Shizuoka, 83-78, at Yamagata Prefectural Sports Park.

Adams finished with six points and six rebounds but to no avail for the Wyverns.

Matthew Wright was the sole Filipino import who notched a win as his Kawasaki Brave Warriors trumped the Akita Northern Happinets, 81-73, at Kawasaki Todoroki Arena.

In 27 minutes of action, Wright tallied five points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals to give Kawasaki a winning start to the season.