By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Kai Sotto once again stole the limelight after spearheading the Koshigaya Alphas to their first win of the ongoing Japan B. League season.
The Gilas Pilipinas program mainstay sustained his fine play and led the Alphas to an 88-81 victory over the Shimane Susanoo Magic, at the Wing Hat basketball gym in Kasukabe.
Sotto was dominant on both ends of the floor as he amassed an impressive double-double performance of 22 points and 10 rebounds.
Reeling for their first win of the season, Sotto dominated the paint and established his footing in the game with a series of post-hooks and put-back layups.
After quickly cashing in 10 points, Sotto gave Shimane more trouble when he schooled them in the perimeter, converting three jump shots that froze his defenders who were all waiting underneath the basket.
Since transferring to Koshigaya, Sotto has proven that he can be the team’s top offensive option, showcasing his improved arsenal.
However, Sotto failed to help the Alphas clinch back-to-back wins after falling to the same opponent, 92-75, in their scheduled rematch.
Despite the loss, Sotto still reached double digits in scoring, registering 12 markers, four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal.
So far, Sotto is at the top of the Asian Player Quota imports playing in Japan, with his double-double against Shimane boosting his points to edge Matthew Wright, Kiefer Ravena, and Bobby Ray Parks Jr.
On the other hand, AJ Edu, another Filipino playing as an Asian reinforcement, had an all-around performance to help Nagasaki take down the Gunma, 78-72.
Edu was a force in the shaded lane and anchored Nagasaki’s paint with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two blocks.
