Ray Parks, Osaka stretch win streak to 3 after sweep of Koshigaya

January 6 ------ RAY Parks is coming to the Japan B.League All-Star break in top form. The Southeast Asian Games gold medalist was instrumental in Osaka Evessa's home sweep of the Kai Sotto-less Koshigaya Alphas at Ookini Arena Maishima​ over the weekend as they head to the midseason classic on a three-game win streak.

Parks first put up 16 points on a 3-of-4 clip from deep, to go with seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal in their 86-56 blowout win on Saturday, before following it up with 14 points built on four triples, four boards, four assists, and three steals in a 76-58 trouncing on Sunday. Osaka moved up the standings to 13-17. Also on a roll are AJ Edu and the rest of the Gunma Crane Thunders, who have won three of their last four after a weekend split against the Saga Ballooners at Saga Arena.

The Gilas Pilipinas stud was a menace on defense even in their 84-78 defeat on Saturday, where he notched 10 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and three steals, before bouncing back in a 81-51 rout the next day where he scored four points, but collected nine boards, three assists, and two blocks. That win Gunma in the top eight with its 19-11 slate.

Unfortunately for Dwight Ramos, this weekend saw the end of Hokkaido's four-game win streak after a split against Kawasaki Brave Thunders at Todoroki Arena. Hokkaido took the 83-77 triumph on Saturday where Ramos got nine points, six rebounds, and two assists. But his nine points, three steals, two boards, and two assists could not prevent Sunday's 79-69 loss. That saw the Levanga slip to a 23-7 card.

Kiefer Ravena and Francis Lopez' teams, meanwhile, suffered similar fates as they lost back-to-back games before the All-Star break. Yokohama B-Corsairs absorbed a 100-85 defeat to Nagasaki Velca at Happiness Arena on Saturday where Ravena got seven points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal, followed by a 91-78 loss on Sunday where the Filipino import only having six points, four dimes, and a board to go down to 11-19.

Fighting Eagles Nagoya, on the other hand, was dealt an 89-78 setback by SunRockers Shibuya on Saturday at Aoyama Gakuin Memorial Hall with Lopez limited to just four points and a rebound. That happened again on Sunday in their 95-80 loss where he had four points and two boards as Nagoya dropped to 12-18 for the season.

Source: spin.ph