GILAS Pilipinas stalwarts Dwight Ramos and Thirdy Ravena are expected to be back in Japan B.League action today with hopes of helping their struggling mother clubs string some needed wins midway through the season.
Mr. Ramos, with the Toyama Grouses, and Mr. Ravena’s San-en NeoPhoenix play different opponents on the road in an attempt to climb from the bottom-half of team standings after over 30 matches.
The two rising stars returned to Japan last week after the Manila qualifiers of the 2023 FIBA World Cup (WC) held on Feb. 24-28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum but did not play yet in their teams’ matches over the weekend.
Their contributions are hugely needed tonight as Toyama lurking at 14th place with a 16-22 card visits Osaka at the Ookini Arena Maishima at 6:05 p.m. while the 21st-running San-en (5-30) plays at the same time against Nagoya (21-9) at the Dolphin’s Arena.
Nagoya is led by another Filipino stalwart in Ray Parks, Jr., who eyes to assert mastery of his compatriot Mr. Ravena and the NeoPhoenix after their 98-70 win last October.
But Mr. Ravena is unfazed of the challenge with momentum on his side after a superb performance with Gilas that split its campaign in Group A of the WC qualifiers.
Mr. Ravena bannered the Nationals under the tutelage of Chot Reyes with 19.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in two games — a win against India, 88-64, and a loss to New Zealand, 88-63.
Mr. Ramos, for his part, also sizzled with averages of 17.5 points, 7.0 assists, 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocks that he is hoping to carry over in Toyama.
Other Pinoy players in Kiefer Ravena (Shiga), Javi Gomez de Liaño (Ibaraki), Kobe Paras (Niigata), Matthew Aquino (Shinshu), and Kemark Cariño (Aomori) also take on different assignments. — John Bryan Ulanday