Kiefer Ravena is looking forward to facing Ray Parks Jr. for the first time in Japan as their two teams face off in this weekend’s B.League.
Parks’ Nagoya Diamond Dolphins host Ravena and the Shiga Lakestars for a two-game set which starts Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium.
Both games, including the last of the series slated the following day, will tip off at 2:05 p.m. local time (1:05 p.m. Philippine time).
The B.League will be the third competition that the two second-generation Filipino players will square off.
Ravena and Parks famously had their battles in the UAAP with Ateneo and National University before meeting twice in the PBA, with the latter winning both times.
“I’m excited to play a fellow Filipino and a friend with Ray Parks Jr. over there, and hopefully we can represent our country and just give it our best for my team and his team,” said Ravena in a video posted by the Lakestars on their YouTube channel.
Ravena has helped Shiga win five of its first six games in the 2021-22 season and is averaging 11.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists which is ranked ninth in the league.
Parks, meanwhile, played a big role in the Diamond Dolphins sweeping last week’s two road games against Dwight Ramos and the Toyama Grouses, scoring a combined total of 32 points in that series.
He has raised his averages to 8.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists after being given limited minutes in his debut two weeks earlier.
Ramos and the winless Grouses will have their hands full as they play two home games against Ryukyu Golden Kings at 5:05 p.m. PH time Saturday and 12:05 p.m. Sunday.
Matthew Aquino is expected to see action for the first time with the Shinshu Brave Warriors, who will visit Osaka Evessa for the two games both at 3:05 p.m. PH time.
Thirdy Ravena and the San-En Neophoenix travel to the home turf of the winless Ibaraki Robots, who will still play sans Javi Gomez de Liano, for two matches with similar tipoff times of 1:05 p.m. PH time.
Kemark Carino could see action for the first time as the Aomori Wat’s meet the Kagawa Five Arrows for two road games in the second division at 5 p.m. PH time Saturday and 2 p.m. PH time Sunday.
Juan Gomez de Liano hopes to play a role in Earthfriends Tokyo Z’s bid to end its winless campaign also in the second division against the Toyotsu Fighting Eagles Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PH time and Sunday at 2 p.m. PH time.