By Julia Marie Mangmang

A highly anticipated Japan B. League matchup between Nagoya Diamond Dolphins’ Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Shiga Lakestars’ Kiefer Ravena resulted in the Lakestars’ most lopsided loss this season as the Diamond Dolphins emerged victorious, 107-68, with Parks dropping a season-high 22 points at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium last October 23. 

After losing three straight games to start the season, the Diamond Dolphins now have a 4-3 win-loss record, while the Lakestars snapped a three-game winning streak, sitting at 5-2. 

In his first game as a starter, Parks chalked up 22 points on nine-of-15 shooting with four assists and four boards, scoring 10 points in under eight minutes. Ravena, on the other hand, earned five points despite starting in the second and third quarters, gathering two rebounds, three assists, and three steals.

Despite scoring the first bucket, the Lakestars failed to score offensively, thanks to six-foot-seven-inch American import Scott Eatherton’s defense, Takumi Saito’s aggressive game, and Parks’ seven-point contribution, giving the Diamond Dolphins a 13-2 lead five minutes into the ballgame.  

Despite this, the Lakestars attempted to cut the lead, with Ravena successfully shooting a free throw, and British import Ovie Soko scoring a layup to end the opening frame, 23-12. 

Unlike the previous quarter, Ravena started for Shiga while Parks did not see action until after three minutes. Although, the Diamond Dolphins’ dominance did not stop, continuing to widen the gap with Parks’ buzzer beater layup, giving the team a comfortable 21-point lead, 53-32, heading into the second half of the match. 

Ravena failed to score after the second quarter, with Nagoya’s lead ballooning to as much as 41 points in the fourth quarter. 

The game stopped with 20 seconds remaining as the Shiga Lakestars succumbed to the hungry Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, 107-68. 

Aside from Kiefer Ravena, younger brother Thirdy and the SanEn NeoPhoenix fell to a Javi Gomez de Liaño-less Ibaraki Robots, 95-79.

Albirex BB’s Kobe Paras’ six points, two blocks and assists, and five rebounds were not enough to snap a five-game losing streak, falling to the Seahorses Mikawa. 

Dwight Ramos scored a career-high 16 points in Toyama Grouses’ 95-88 loss against the Ryukyu Golden Rings, while Juan Gomez de Liaño of the Earthfriends Tokyo Z, despite earning eight points, fouled out in the fourth quarter as his team fell short against the Fighting Eagles Nagoya, 71-56. 

Photo Source: Japan B. League