By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Young Filipino hoops star Dwight Ramos made sure to get out of his shooting slump as he welcomed the New Year after helping the Toyama Grouses stun the powerhouse squad Hiroshima Dragonflies, 90-74, in the ongoing season of the Japan B. League.
The Gilas Pilipinas cadet opened his 2022 on a high note after erupting for an efficient 15 point-performance in just 18 minutes of playing time.
Ramos only missed two attempts, finishing the game on 5/7 shooting from the field including 3/5 from long-distance.
The Filipino’s outstanding performance proved to be a sigh of relief for the Grouses after combining for a poor 5/26 shooting field goal in his past games.
Ramos started the game waxing hot from the field and joined his teammates’ efficient shooting night led by Naoki Uto with 21 points on 8/11 shooting from the field.
Meanwhile. Former PBA import Joshua Smith, who played for the TNT Tropang Giga several years ago, was a steady force in the shaded area and finished with 14 points and nine rebounds.
Toyama seized control of the ball game from start to finish, increasing their nine-point lead to double digits once the second half began.
For the other Filipino imports under the Asian Player Quota rule, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. continued his solid performance and helped Nagoya extend their winning streak to nine while Thirdy, Kiefer Ravena, and Kobe Paras all lost their 2022 opening games.
