WHO says there’s brotherly love in Japan?
Kiefer Ravena’s Shiga drew first blood against Thirdy Ravena’s San-En last Saturday.
A day later, Thirdy Ravena exacted payback on his older brother in their two-game series.
With Thirdy Ravena leading the way, the visiting NeoPhoenix got back at the Lakestars, carving out a 101-96 victory in overtime yesterday in the Japan B. League at the Ukaruchan Arena.
Thirdy wound up with 21 points, pulled down seven rebounds, and issued five assists, while Elias Harris added 18 markers, 10 boards, three steals, two dimes, and two blocks for San-En.
Robert Carter had 17 and three as NeoPhoenix bounced back from a sorry 83-93 loss to the same foes where they squandered a 22-point lead and notched their first win of the season.
Thirdy said it was a big sigh of relief to get his squad’s first win and added it was a team effort.
“It definitely felt better than how we felt yesterday. This game was kind of the opposite of how yesterday’s game was,” he said.
“They made a big run in the first half, but we were able to bounce back in the second half. It was a team effort,” he added.
San-En gave Shiga a dose of its own medicine this time.
NeoPhoenix charged back from an 18-point hole and stunned the Lakestars.
Shiga import Ovie Soko had a chance to win it for Shiga, but he could not convert in the last 2.2 ticks of the payoff period.
Thirdy sank a booming three-pointer that pushed San-En’s lead to 97-89, only 2:17 left in overtime.
Kiefer Ravena scored 20 points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep, on top of seven rebounds off the bench for the Lakestars.
Soko also had 20 and 12, while Sean O’Mara hadt 19 points, nine rebounds, and three assists in the defeat.
NeoPhoenix tangles with Kobe Paras and the Niigata Albirex BB in a two-game homestand at Toyohashi City General Gymnasium this weekend.
Shiga collides with the Ibaraki Robots, who are still missing the services of Javi Gomez de Liaño.
“I was struggling from the three-point line the whole game,” Thirdy said of his backbreaking trey in the extra period. “I was just so happy the shot went in.”
