Filipino center Kai Sotto. (c) B.LEAGUE
(UPDATED) Kai Sotto and the Hiroshima Dragonflies absorbed a painful 90-88 setback against the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins in the B.League on Wednesday night at the Dolphins Arena.
Coty Clarke's jump shot at the buzzer lifted the hosts to victory -- the third straight win for the Diamond Dolphins who played with just eight men in the game.
Sotto had eight points, four rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in the loss that ended a three-game winning run for the Dragonflies.
Alan Williams had 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Clarke finished with 21 points for Nagoya. Filipino guard Ray Parks Jr. remains unavailable for the Dolphins.
HIroshima dropped to 31-12 while Nagoya improved to 30-13 in the 2022-23 season of the B.League.
Meanwhile, Dwight Ramos registered a career-best 26 points to lift Levanga Hokkaido over the Gunma Crane Thunders, 96-82, at the Hokkai Kita-yale.
The Gilas Pilipinas mainstay made eight of 17 shots and added six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks in an all-around effort.
Levanga improved to 12-31 in the tournament.
Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes won for just the seventh time in the season after booking an 88-80 triumph over the Fighting Eagles Nagoya at the Nagoya Biwajima Sports Center.
Ravena contributed 18 points on 6-of-10 shooting, si xassists, and four rebounds in the win. Ivan Buva (30 points, 11 rebounds) and Kelvin Martin (17 points, 10 rebounds) both tallied double-doubles.
The Lakes are now 7-36 for the season, a game ahead of Niigata for the worst record in the league.
Carl Tamayo and the Ryukyu Golden Kings outplayed Matthew Wright's Kyoto Hannaryz, 86-80, at the Kyoto City Gymnasium.
Tamayo again got the starting nod and had seven points and three rebounds in 10 minutes. Leading the way for Ryukyu was Jack Cooley with 25 points and 14 rebounds.
The Golden Kings have now won five straight games, fortifying their playoff bid with their 34-9 record.
Wright scored 12 points and added four rebounds and four dimes for the Hannaryz, who lost a fourth straight game to fall to 16-27.
Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix bowed to the Shinshu Brave Warriors, 79-68, at the White Ring.
Ravena struggled with his shooting, making just three of 13 shots for 11 points. He did contribute eight assists and three rebounds.
But the NeoPhoenix still dropped their fourth consecutive game for a 17-26 slate.