MANILA – Dwight Ramos and Toyama Grouses escaped with a 90-89 win over Ferdinand “Thirdy” Ravena III and San-En NeoPhoenix in the 2021-2022 Japan B.League Division I on Sunday at the Toyama City Gymnasium.
Keijuro Matsui played the hero’s role for the streaking Grouses. He knocked down a corner jumper from a pass by Naoki Uto to surge his team ahead, 90-88, with 0.7 seconds left.
The NeoPhoenix still has a chance to send the match into overtime as Ravena was fouled by Grouses’ Bryce Johnson. The Ilonggo guard split his free throws allowing Toyama to escape with a win.
Ramos tallied double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds. Joshua Smith contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds. The Grouses recorded its fourth consecutive victory to improve its standings to 4-10 heading into the league break.
Julian Mavunga also made his presence felt with 12 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, while Matsui and Uto ended up with 11 each for the Grouses, which also defeated NeoPhoenix last Saturday, 92-77.
The Grouses were on top 88-85 with under a minute left after a conversion from Ramos but Ravena answered back with a three-pointer for the NeoPhoenix to tie the score at 88.
Ravena, a former Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles standout, had his best game in his two years with the NeoPhoenix with 26 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
As the NeoPhoenix dropped to 3-11, Robert Carter added 20 points, five boards, and three assists. Yoshiyuki Matsuwaki scored 14 points, three rebounds, and three assists. Justin Knox got 12 points, three boards, and two steals.
Meanwhile, Kemark Carino and the Aomori Wat suffered another lopsided defeat in the hands of Nagoya, 82-49, in the Japan B. League Division II at the New Aomori Sports Park.
Carino finished with personal best five points and three rebounds as Wat suffered its seventh consecutive defeat as they fell to 1-12 win-loss slate, while Nagoya continued its rampage to go up 11-2./PN
