MANILA – Jordan Heading and Nagasaki Velca stretched their winning streak in the 2022-2023 Japan B.League Division 2 action via an 88-85 escape over Yamagata Wyvans over the weekend at the Yamagata Comprehensive Athletic Park.
Heading, a former top-overall pick by Terrafirma Dyip in the PBA, continued his fine play with 14 points, three rebounds and two assists as the Velca improved to 24-11 win-loss slate.
Matt Bonds led the way for Nagasaki with 24 points, including three triples, to go with 12 rebounds and three assists, while Jeff Gibbs also had double-double 18 points and 10 rebounds.
James Bell finished with 20 points, including four triples, Thomas Welsh had double-double 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Dai Suzuki and Shunto Murakami had 13 and 12, respectively, for Wyvans, which dropped to 14-21.
Roosevelt Adams and the Kagawa Five Arrows, meanwhile, cannot sustain their offense the entire game as they suffered an 86-74 defeat to Bambicious Nara at the Takamatsu General Gymnasium.
Adams, also a former no.1 pick by the Dyip in the PBA, tallied nine points, on 4-of-6 field goal shooting, to go with five rebounds in 28 minutes of action as the Five Arrows dropped to 10-25.
Naoki Uto top-scored with 19 points, Naoyuki Fujisawa added 17 markers, Sheikh Mbozi had double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Christian James had 14 points for the Nara (10-25).
Meanwhile, Kobe Paras of Altiri Chiba and Gregory Slaughter of Rising Zephyr Fukuoka’s scoreless outings hardly had an effect as their squad scored separate close victories.
Paras was held scoreless after missing all his three shot attempts but had one rebound and one steal as the Chiba escaped with an 88-86 win over Aomori Watts at the Chiba Port Arena.
Slaughter also failed to contribute on the offensive end for Fukuoka in three minutes of action but his team managed to eke out an 85-78 triumph over Fukushima Fire Bonds at the Teruha Sekisui House Arena./PN
