Ray Parks Jr. will be the lone Filipino player to take part in the B.League playoffs after the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins were among the top eight teams at the conclusion of the Japanese league’s regular season.
The Diamond Dolphins went 34-15 during the 2021-22 season, good enough to sixth overall and date with the Kawasaki Brave Thunders in a best-of-five series which starts this weekend.
Parks averaged 10.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.09 steals in 44 games for Nagoya, which gained momentum midway into the campaign behind an eight-game winning streak.
Nagoya will visit Kawasaki for the first two games of the series slated May 14 and 16.
Other playoff pairings pit the top seed Ryukyu Golden Kings against the No. 8 Akita Northern Happinets, defending champion Chiba Jets are seeded No. 2 against No. 7 Utsunomiya Brex while No. 3 Alvark Tokyo faces No. 6 Shimane Susanoo Magic.
Other Filipino players hardly contended for playoff berths through the season which started last October.
Kiefer Ravena’s maiden season with the Shiga Lakestars resulted in a 14-43 record while younger brother Thirdy saw the San-En Neophoenix go 10-48.
Kobe Paras endured a pair of skids as Albirex Niigata held the league’s worst mark at 7-45 while Dwight Ramos and the Toyama Grouses went 24-35.
Javi Gomez de Liano was hardly used during the Ibaraki Robots’ 16-38 campaign even as Matthew Aquino, listed as a local player, was hardly used by the Shinshu Brave Warriors, who posted a 28-26 record.