Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix ended a seven-game skid in the B.League after getting back at the Shiga Lakestars, 82-76, Sunday, April 11 at the Ukaruchan Arena in Otsu, Japan.
Ravena had seven points on 3-of-10 shooting with six rebounds and three assists in just his fifth game back, helping the NeoPhoenix claim just their 12th victory in 53 games.
Serbian center Stevan Jelovac led the charge for San-En with 28 points and 12 rebounds for San-En, which led by 15 at one point. Hayato Kawashima and Tatsuya Suzuko added 16 and 13 points while each dishing out five assists.
It was also San-En’s first win since Ravena returned from a 22-game absence due to a fractured right finger.
San-En also avenged its 94-87 defeat to the same squad the other day, but not after squandering a nine-point lead in the third.
This time, the NeoPhoenix were able to sustain their lead, even hiking the margin to 12 points entering the payoff period, 65-53.
The quarter didn’t end without Ravena providing one of the game’s best highlights, scoring a one-handed dunk off the break to put San-En up by double digits for the first time at 57-47 with over two minutes left in the third.
Ravena played almost 30 minutes despite an inadvertent elbow to the side of the head from Shiga import Jordan Hamilton late in Saturday's contest.
READ: Shiga frustrates Thirdy, San-En in B.League
Hamilton, who starred in Shiga’s win the other day with his three-point barrage in the fourth, scored 25 points in the loss.