Dwight Ramos returns from injury layoff, but Levanga still falls in Japan B. League
MANILA, Philippines – Dwight Ramos’ return in the Japan B. League ended in defeat as the Levanga Hokkaido bowed to the Yokohama B-Corsairs, 98-82, on Saturday, January 21.
The Gilas Pilipinas guard got sidelined for two months after sustaining an ankle injury last November 20 in a loss to Matthew Wright and the Kyoto Hannaryz and missed 19 straight games.
Ramos struggled in his first game back, scoring just 2 points on a 1-of-8 clip to go with 2 rebounds in over 17 minutes of play as Hokkaido absorbed its seventh straight defeat and fell to 7-14.
Kyoto also fell prey despite a superb offensive performance from Wright in an 88-81 loss to the Gunma Crane Thunders.
Wright finished with a game-high 25 points on top of 4 assists and 2 rebounds, but the Hannaryz frittered an 11-point lead away as it dropped to 12-19.
Ray Parks, on the other hand, helped the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins stretch their win run to four consecutive games following a 90-71 mauling of the Ibaraki Robots.
Parks made his presence felt with 7 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists for Nagoya, which sits at sixth place in the entire B. League with a 23-8 record.
Like Ramos and Wright, victories also eluded brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, with the Shiga Lakes and the San-En NeoPhoenix suffering a pair of double-digit losses.
Kiefer tallied 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals in the Lakes’ 108-80 blowout defeat to the Shimano Susanoo Magic, while Thirdy put up 5 points and 5 rebounds as the NeoPhoenix lost to the Sunrockets Shibuya, 103-93.
Over in the second division, only Jordan Heading clinched a win among the Filipino imports for the day, with the respective teams of Greg Slaughter, Kobe Paras, and Roosevelt Adams all losing.
Heading fired 13 points as the Nagasaki Velca pulled off a 101-94 victory over the Bambitious Nara.
Paras and the Altiri Chiba tripped against the Ehime Orange Vikings, 79-76, while Slaughter and the Rising Zephyr Fukuoka stumbled versus the Aomori Watts, 81-75.
Adams and Kagawa Five Arrows fell short in a 72-71 loss to the Koshigaya Alphas. – Rappler.com