Best run yet as Thirdy Ravena, San-En push win streak to 15

MANILA, Philippines – There’s still no stopping the top-ranked San-En NeoPhoenix.

Thanks to another solid outing by Thirdy Ravena, San-En picked up its 15th straight win after taking down the Fighting Eagles Nagoya, 95-89, in the Japan B. League on Wednesday, February 7.

Ravena was one of five San-En players to score in double figures with 18 points, together with a team-high 8 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal. 

Yante Maten led all NeoPhoenix scorers with 23 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Coty Clarke and David Dudzinski had 13 markers each.

Sota Oura added 12 points for the red-hot San-En, which hiked its impressive win-loss record to 33-4. 

Elsewhere, Gilas Pilipinas big man Kai Sotto posted a season-high in rebounds to help the Yokohama B-Corsairs (16-21) turn back the Sunrokers Shibuya, 68-60.

For the first time in 12 games played this season, Sotto breached twin digits in rebounding with 10 boards, to go along with 5 points and 2 blocks in also a season-high 26 minutes and 55 seconds of playing time. 

Yuki Kawamura and Jarrod Uthoff paced Yokohama with 29 and 20 points, respectively, in the win. 

Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins (24-13) also came out on top on Wednesday following a 78-64 thrashing of the Hiroshima Dragonflies. 

Parks extended his streak of scoring in double-digits for Nagoya to four games with 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting, on top of 7 rebounds and 2 assists. 

In a showdown against top Japanese point guard and former league MVP Yuki Togashi, Gilas Pilipinas star Dwight Ramos failed to sustain his fiery form as the Levanga Hokkaido (12-25) suffered a 77-58 beating at the hands of the Chiba Jets.

Coming off a season-best 25-point explosion in Hokkaido’s 89-83 win over Sotto’s Yokohama last Sunday, February 4, Ramos was held to only 8 points on a lowly 3-of-10 clip from the field, 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 1 steal. 

Matthew Wright’s Kyoto Hannaryz (12-25) and RJ Abarrientos’ Shinshu Brave Warriors (6-31) also absorbed losses on Wednesday.

After missing Kyoto’s last three games, Wright made his return to the lineup and finished with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in their 87-85 overtime defeat to the Osaka Evessa.

Abarrientos, for his part, came up with only 6 points and 2 rebounds as Shinshu was no match for the Saga Ballooners, 74-58. – Rappler.com