MANILA – Shiga Lakes overcame a late turnover by Kiefer Ravena to escape with an 89-87 Game 2 win over Koshigaya Alphas and clinch the Japan B.League Division 2 crown on Sunday at the Shiga Daihatsu Arena.
The Ilonggo point guard nearly cost the game for the Lakes after he turned the ball over with 10 seconds left. Luckily, Alphas’ LJ Peak missed on a three-point attempt at the buzzer.
Ravena finished with 10 points, including two three-point conversions, to go with eight assists and three rebounds as the Lakes wrapped up the best-of-three championship series at 2-0.
Justin Burrell top-scored for the Lakes with 25 points, Brock Motum added 17 markers, while Ryan Kriener and Teppei Kashiwagura contributed 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
“I think we were better in terms of energy, especially in the second half and I feel that the reason we won was because we were able to limit their foreign players,” said Lakes head coach Danny Gomez.
Shun Matsuyama led the Alphas with 24 points, Isaac Butts supplied 15 markers, while Peak and Soichiro Inoue tallied 14 and 12 points, respectively, in the loss.
Meanwhile, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. and Nagoya Diamond Dolphins stayed alive in the Division 1 semifinals after an 84-77 Game 2 victory over Hiroshima Dragonflies over at the Dolphins Arena.
Parks bounced back from a subpar Game 1 performance by tallying 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and a block as the Diamond Dolphins tied the best-of-three series at 1-1.
Scott Eathernton led the Diamond Dolphins’ offense with 18 points, Tim Soares added 14 markers, and former PBA import Joshua Smith contributed 11 points.
Dwayne Evans II 25 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, Ryo Yamazaki added 16 markers, while Kerry Blackshear Jr. and Takuto Nakamura contributed 10 points apiece for the Dragonflies./PN
