By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Filipino hoops sensation Kobe Paras finally got out of his disappointing shooting slump and scored his first double-digit performance in 13 games in the ongoing season of the Japan B. League.
Despite the crushing 107-85 loss of Paras’ Niigata Albirex BB against the Levanga Hokkaido, the Filipino star re-imposed his will in the hardwood and finished with 14 points in just 19 minutes of playing time.
Paras immediately caught fire and torched the entire Hokkaido squad after scoring 10 quick points in the first five minutes of the opening quarter, hitting his three-pointers at will while relentlessly attacking the basket.
However, Paras cooled down and only managed to score four more points in the entire game when the Hokkaido defense began to focus on him and prevented him from taking advantage in isolation situations.
Paras finished the duel on a perfect three-for-three from rainbow country and sank five of his total nine attempts from the field.
The former Gilas Pilipinas young cadet last scored double-digits on November 14, 2021 when he chipped in 15 points against the B. League’s top squad, the Chiba Jets.
Since then, Paras struggled from the field and recorded 12 straight games of scoring in single digits with Niigata falling for the 26th-straight time.
Paras will seek to continue his newfound momentum and lead Niigata to their first victory in 27 games when they square off against Javi Gomez de Liaño and the Ibaraki Robots.
