Dwight Ramos plays limited minutes as Toyama falls to Akita

MANILA, Philippines – Dwight Ramos and the Toyama Grouses failed to complete a weekend sweep as they fell to the Akita Northern Happinets, 80-64, in the Japan B. League on Sunday, January 9 at the Toyama City Gymnasium.

After erupting for 22 points on Saturday, January 8, Ramos played just 8 minutes in the losing effort and finished with only 6 points on 1-of-6 shooting and 1 rebound. 

The high-scoring guard Ramos suffered a bad fall in the second quarter and did not return to action in the second half for Toyama, which ended its short two-game winning streak and dropped to 10-18 in the standings.

Trailing by only 5 points, 51-56, at the end of the third period, Toyama failed to keep in step with Akita in the final frame as the Happinets immediately went on a furious 7-0 rally to extend their lead to double-digits, 63-51, with 8:14 remaining.

With Ramos out and import Brice Johnson in foul trouble for the Grouses, the Happinets remained at the front seat all throughout the payoff period, even extending their lead to as many as 19 points, 80-61, with just 45 seconds left to play.

Jordan Glynn topscored for Akita with 22 points, while Alex Davis and Takatoshi Furukawa added 16 points apiece.

Johnson led the way for Toyama with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Julian Mavunga recorded 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.

Ramos and the Grouses will get a much-needed two-week break before they return to action against the Seahorses Mikawa on Saturday, January 22, at 2:05 pm, Manila time.

In Division 2, Kemark Cariño and the Aomori Wat’s suffered another humiliating loss to the Kumamoto Volters, 110-57, at the Kumamoto Prefectural Gymnasium.

Cariño, who tallied 3 points, 2 rebounds, and 2 steals in their 39-point loss on Saturday, went scoreless in 2 minutes of play as the division-worst Wat’s dropped their 12th straight game and moved down to 2-28 in the standings.

Meanwhile, the Earthfriends Tokyo Z, who missed the services of Juan Gomez de Liaño for the 12th straight outing, bowed to the Sendai 89ers anew, 91-75, at the Motoyama Works Aoba Arena.

With the loss, Tokyo slipped further to 5-25 in the Division 2 standings – just three games above Aomori. –Rappler.com