By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Gilas Pilipinas superstar forward Dwight Ramos’ efficient offensive outing steered the Levanga Hokkaido to a win against the Ibaraki Robots, 93-80, in the ongoing 2022 Japan B. League last October 26.
After back-to-back disappointing losses at the hands of Gilas teammate and co-Asian import Ray Parks Jr. and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, Ramos suddenly went beast mode and erupted for a team-high 16 points.
Ramos’ steady offensive game built from several wide-open three-pointers helped Levanga gain the early advantage midway in the second quarter.
With his teammates struggling to pick up their offensive rhythm, Ramos became Hokkaido’s spark plug in the game that paved the way for a late second-half explosion from his team.
Aside from his offensive output, Ramos was also a key contributor in the rebounding department after pulling down eight boards while also dishing out three assists to his teammates.
Ramos’ performance not only helped Hokkaido grab the much-needed win but also lifted them out of a possible 2-7 start in the young B. League season.
Currently, Hokkaido has a 3-6 win-loss record and is deadlocked with Utsonomiya, Osaka, Yokohama, and Sendai at the bottom of the league standing.
Meanwhile, Kiefer Ravena’s 21-point performance wasn’t enough to give the Shiga Lakes a win over Shimane Magic, 87-63.
The veteran point guard ended the game with 21 points off an impressive 8/12 shooting from the field, three assists, two steals, and a rebound.
Ravena and the Lakes are currently facing a five-game losing streak and will have almost two weeks of preparation before taking on the Ryukyu Golden Kings in their next game.
