Thirdy Ravena delivers as San-En outlasts Matt Aquino, Shinshu for 2nd straight win

MANILA, Philippines – Thirdy Ravena delivered anew for the San-En NeoPhoenix as they outlasted Matt Aquino and the Shinshu Brave Warriors, 72-69, in the Japan B. League on Wednesday, March 16.

For the second game in a row, Ravena finished in double figures for the NeoPhoenix, pouring in 14 points, to go along with 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, and 2 blocks in 26 minutes off the bench.

On the other side, Aquino remained silent for the Brave Warriors, tallying only 1 rebound and 2 turnovers in 3 minutes of playing time.

With the win, San-En, which captured back-to-back wins for the first time this season, improved its record to 7-30, while Shinshu moved down to 19-20.

Already leading by as many as 13 points, 64-51, off a dunk by Ravena with 6:22 left in the game, the NeoPhoenix failed to sustain the momentum as the Brave Warriors managed to cut the deficit back to just 3, 67-70, with only 18 seconds remaining on the clock. 

Unfortunately for Shinshu, time was simply not on its side as San-En’s Morihisa Yamauchi iced the game in the next possession with two free throws.

Robert Carter led the way for the NeoPhoenix with 18 points and 7 rebounds, while Elias Harris and Yamauchi added 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

Josh Hawkinson paced the Brave Warriors with a game-high 25 points, while Wayne Marshall contributed a double-double of 15 markers and 12 boards.

Like Ravena’s NeoPhoenix, Ray Parks’ Nagoya Diamond Dolphins and Javi Gomez de Liaño’s Ibaraki Robots also emerged victorious against their respective opponents on Wednesday.

The Dolphins took down the Hiroshima Dragonflies, 100-93, thanks to the 32-point explosion of Nagoya import Coty Clarke.

Parks, though, only came up with 3 points and 1 assist in 14 minutes of action for the Dolphins, who moved up to 22-10 in the standings.

On the other hand, the Robots stunned the ninth-seeded Sunrockers Shibuya with a 95-91 win.

Gomez de Liaño made the most of his limited playing time as he put up 3 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in just 6 minutes of play for the Robots, who improved to a 9-28 slate.

Also in Division 1, Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakestars absorbed their seventh straight loss as they fell to the Shimane Susanoo Magic, 82-74.

After trailing by as many as 13 points, 39-52, midway through the third quarter, Ravena and company turned on the jets early in the final frame and momentarily held the lead, 70-68, off a triple by Teppei Kashiwagura with 4:59 left to play.

The Magic, however, countered with a crucial 9-0 run to once again lead by 7, 77-70, with 2:06 remaining in the game.

A triple by Kashiwagura in the next play trimmed the Magic’s lead back to just 4, 77-73, but Shimane’s Perrin Buford quickly responded with a jumper on the other end to put Shiga away for good.

Bufford torched the Lakestars with a monster double-double of 34 points and 14 rebounds, while Nick Kay also chipped in a double-double of 21 markers and 11 boards.

Kashiwagura topscored for Shiga with 20 points, while Sean O’mara delivered his own double-double of 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Ravena, meanwhile, also recorded a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists, to go along with 4 rebounds and 3 steals in 35 minutes of play for the Lakestars, who slipped further down to 10-24 in the standings.

Wrapping up the B. League’s jam-packed Wednesday, Dwight Ramos’ Toyama Grouses and Kobe Paras’ Niigata Albirex BB suffered twin blowout losses to the Kyoto Hannaryz and the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, respectively.

Ramos had 7 points on 2-of-10 shooting, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the Grouses’ 88-66 loss to the Hannaryz, while Paras chalked up 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist in the Albirex BB’s 92-62 loss at the hands of the Brave Thunders.

The Grouses now slid down to 16-24, while the Albirex BB remained at the bottom of the pack with a 5-33 slate. – Rappler.com