Kawasaki guard Matthew Wright in action in the 2024-25 B.League Division 1. (c) B.LEAGUE
The Kawasaki Brave Thunders on Saturday finally ended a 10-game losing streak, taking down the Ibaraki Robots 82-74 at the Kawasaki Todoroki Arena.
Matthew Wright had 16 points and six assists to help the Brave Thunders claim their first win in the 2024-25 B.League season since November 10, when they downed Kyoto 91-82.
It was a nip-and-tuck affair before Reiya Nozaki knocked down a three-pointer with 6:31 to go that put Kawasaki ahead for good, 68-65. Their lead ballooned to double-digits, 75-65, off another triple by Koya Kobari with less than three minutes to play.
Kawasaki is now 5-20 in the tournament.
Also triumphant was the Nagasaki Velca, who clobbered the Sendai 89ers 79-66 at the Kamei Arena Sendai.
Gilas Pilipinas center AJ Edu played 13 minutes in the win, making both of his field goals for four points along with an assist, a rebound, and two blocks.
Nagasaki is now 13-12.
However, other Filipinos came up short on Saturday in Japan.
Kiefer Ravena and the Yokohama B-Corsairs absorbed an 84-80 loss against the San-En NeoPhoenix, despite a 15-point, 4-assist effort from the former Ateneo superstar.
The B-Corsairs were up 80-79 with 1:23 to go, but two charities by David Nwaba -- off a Ravena foul -- put the NeoPhoenix ahead, 81-80, with 50 seconds left. Ravena bricked a three-pointer in their next possession, and San-En responded with a dunk by David Dudzinski to make it a 3-point game with under 10 seconds to go.
The loss dropped Yokohama to 9-16 in the season.
Meanwhile, Dwight Ramos was held to four points in Levanga Hokkaido's 86-69 defeat to the Seahorses Mikawa. The Gilas Pilipinas standout also had five assists in an 18-minute stint, but Hokkaido still dropped to 9-16.
The Akita Northern Happinets handed Ray Parks Jr. and Osaka Evessa an 85-73 defeat on Saturday, with the former Gilas guard held to 10 points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field.
It was Osaka's second straight loss, dropping them to 13-12 in the season.
In Division 2, Roosevelt Adams and the Yamagata Wyverns hacked out a 92-90 win against Kumamoto, with the Fil-AM guard contributing six points and three rebounds.
However, Geoffrey Chiu and the Ehime Orange Vikings suffered a 90-62 blowout against Shizuoka. The former Ateneo big man had two points, three boards, an assist, and a steal in 25 minutes of playing time.
Yamagata now has a 12-16 slate, while Ehime still has only one win against 26 defeats.