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San-En NeoPhoenix failed to preserve Thirdy Ravena’s best game so far in the 2020-21 B.League season after falling into the clutch against Osaka Evessa, 85-84, on Wednesday at the Toyohashi City Gymnasium.
Ravena scored 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting and scored three 3-pointers to finish with five rebounds and three steals, but his home debut was marred by a late dagger from Osaka’s Takuya Hashimoto.
After San-En’s Shingo Okada put his team ahead by one, 84-83, through a huge corner 3-pointer with 12 seconds left, Hashimoto managed to break free and weave inside NeoPhoenix’s defense for a layup that put Osaka up with 3.9 seconds left.
San-En had a chance to win it on the next possession after a timeout, but Atsuya Ota fumbled the ball and handed the visitors victory.
Hashimoto had 25 points on 10 of 16 shots to lead Evessa,
Despite the loss, it was still an encouraging night for Ravena, who started the offense at a time when San-En’s setups stalled on that side of the court.
Osaka accelerated to a 6-0 run in the opening, but Ravena set the pace for the NeoPhoenix by burying three in a row to help them level from the start.
When San-En gave up an 8-0 run to Hashimoto and former San Miguel import Beer Ira Brown in the second quarter, Ravena came back in and got the NeoPhoenix back on track by pressing inside for a layup and hitting a big three. to put his team ahead 29-28 with less than five minutes to go.
After fellow import Kyle Hunt prevented San-En from falling further in the third quarter, Ravena went to work helping his team overcome a 66-55 deficit by entering the final draw.
Ravena opened the quarter with five straight points, including a three-point play that cut it down to six, 66-60, and then converted on a layup of his own steal to give NeoPhoenix a 68-67 lead.
It was mostly Osaka from there though, as Evessa import Deejay Newville broke a 69 tie by burying a huge 3-pointer and completing a three-point play to restore order.
Osaka even led by four, 83-79, with less than two minutes remaining before Hayato Kawashima’s free throws and that great shot from deep from Okada helped San-En get ahead.
Hunt charged the NeoPhoenix with 28 points and eight rebounds, but no player other than Ravena scored in double figures. Big man Stevan Jelovac, who led San-En with 23 points in a loss to Shimane on Sunday, was quiet in 29 minutes and only had six points on 2 of 8 shooting from the field.
Osaka, now 5-8, snapped a two-game winning streak and drew 18 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals from Brown, who now plays as a naturalized player for Japan. Newville and Garrett Stutz added 13 and 11 each.
San-En fell to 2-11 in the Western District standings, but can try to rebound against defending champion Alvark Tokyo (8-4 in the Eastern District) when they meet on Saturday, November 14. Both teams will also play again on the next day before NeoPhoenix, take a 17 day break.
THE SCORES
Osaka 85 – Hashimoto 25, Brown 18, Newville 13, Stutz 11, Harrellson 9, Ito 7, Donley 2, Nakamura 0.
San-En 84 – Hunt 28, Ravena 18, Kawashima 9, Suzuki 9, Shuto 7, Jelovac 6, Okada 5, Ota 2, Yamamoto 0, Kitahara 0.
Trimesters: 18-20, 44-39, 66-55, 85-94.
