Paras held scoreless but Niigata get back at Gunma

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 7:46 p.m.) — A scoreless outing from Filipino import Kobe Paras was not a problem for the Niigata Alibrex BB as they got back to the win column, winning against the Gunma Crane Thunders, 96-79, on Sunday.

Niigata snapped a two-game losing streak even as Paras grew cold with a 0-4 shooting performance in almost 16 minutes of play.

After giving up a double-digit lead at the end of the first quarter, 13-24, Niigata outscored their opponents, 60-31, in the next two salvos to break the game wide open in their favor.

Paras' fellow reinforcement Rosco Allen led Albirex BB in scoring with 20 markers.

Though scoreless, the Filipino was able to chip in with two rebounds and an assist.

Elsewhere, Javi Gomez de Liano's Ibaraki Robots got back at the Toyama Grouses, 85-79, as the latter missed the services of Dwight Ramos who is in the Philippines for Gilas Pilipinas.

The Robots jumped to a huge 35-10 advantage in the opening quarter to swing momentum in their favor.

They thus split their weekend series, 1-1.

Gomez de Liano was a non-factor in the game as he tallied no stats in the 1:15 minutes he was on the floor.

Matt Aquino, for his part, contributed with three rebounds in the Shinshu Brave Warriors' 72-51 victory over the Kyoto Hannaryz.

In the final game of the day, Thirdy Ravena came off the bench for the first time this season as the San-En NeoPhoenix stumbled to their eighth straight defeat.

They fell to the Ryukyu Golden Kings, 72-100.

Ravena finished with eight points in 21 minutes as a sub. He also had four rebounds, two assists and a steal.

The NeoPhoenix are now the cellar-dwellers in the B. League with a 4-27 slate.