Kiefer Ravena disappears as Shinshu sends Shiga to 5th straight loss

The Shinshu Brave Warriors made quick work of the skidding Shiga Lakestars off an 89-62 home rout in the Japan B. League on Saturday, November 13.

It was a game to forget for Shiga Monthly MVP Kiefer Ravena, who disappeared with just 4 points and 3 assists on 2-of-7 shooting in 21 minutes off the bench as the Lakestars dropped to their fifth straight loss for a 6-7 record, their first losing mark since starting 5-1.

Meanwhile, the Brave Warriors, who have deactivated rarely-used Fil-Japanese Matt Aquino for yet undisclosed reasons, rose to an 8-5 slate, thanks to a balanced attack led by local swingman Reo Maeda’s 16 points with an 8-of-10 free throw clip.

However, it was Tatsuya Nishiyama, playing in just his second game off injury as Aquino’s likely replacement, who spelled the difference for the Brave Warriors as he erupted for 10 of his 14 points in a game-sealing 20-7 fourth-quarter run.

Despite playing under 4 minutes in his first game back, the Shinshu gunner has been used to these kinds of scoring bursts after he averaged 11.4 points per game in 51 appearances last season for the Brave Warriors.

Off that scoring barrage, Shinshu turned a 62-45 lead to an insurmountable 82-52 gap, before peaking with a 31-point lead, 86-55, off a Jaemin Yang layup with 2:05 left in regulation.

Only Shiga top import Ovie Soko breached double-digit scoring in another forgettable loss with 23 points in as many minutes off the bench on 8-of-12 shooting, while fellow reinforcement Novar Gadson limped to just 9 markers on a putrid 3-of-17 clip.

The Lakestars have another shot to return to their winning ways with a Sunday, November 14 rematch at 2:05 pm.