Filipino imports to take part in Japan B. League’s All-Star festivities

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Japan B. League’s chairman Shinji Shimada just made an exciting announcement for the upcoming All-Star Game festivities.

Shimada disclosed that the league will be organizing a “B. League Asia-Rising Star Game” where the Filipino imports under the Asian player quota will be going up against the promising rookies that will take part over the All-Star weekend on January 15, 2022.

Shiga’s Kiefer Ravena, San-En’s Thirdy Ravena, Nagoya’s Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Toyama’s Dwight Ramos, Niigata’s Kobe Paras, and Ibaraki’s Javi Gomez de Liaño are the Filipinos in the B1 division of the league and will automatically participate in the All-Star game.

However, the B2 Filipino imports: Juan Gomez de Liaño of Tokyo Z and Kemark Carino of Aomiri weren’t confirmed by Shimada if they will join.

Playing alongside the Ravenas, Parks Jr., Ramos, Paras, and de Liaño are Yang Jaemin from Korea, Wang Weijia from China, and Indonesia’s Brandon Jawato.

The 2022 All-Star game will feature the White team: Utsunomiya, Ryukyu, Mikawa, Toyama, Nagoya, Akita, Shinshu, Kyoto, Hokkaido, San-En, and Ibaraki going up against the Black team composed by Chiba, Kawasaki, Osaka, Shibuya, Tokyo, Shimane, Shiga, Yokohama, Niigata, Hiroshima, and Gunma.

Thirdy Ravena had his first All-star selection last season after getting a unanimous decision from the panel but had to pull out due to an injury.