Kiefer Ravena and the no. 2 Shiga Lakes won the short best-of-3 series to move on to the B2 semifinals.
Survive and advance.
Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakes avoided a massive upset in the 2024 Japan B2 Playoffs, winning a second-straight do-or-die game Sunday against the Aomori Wat’s, 92-79.
The no. 2 Lakes won the short best-of-3 series, 2-1, to move on to the B2 semifinals.
[Related: Kiefer Ravena scores his B.League career-high to save Shiga Lakes from playoff elimination]
Ravena poured 21 points and six assists, helping the Lakes buck a 0-1 series deficit against the no. 7 Wat’s.
The final score for Game 3 does not indicate Shiga’s tough outing, as the Lakes had to come back from an early second-half deficit before taking control again.
Holding on to a one-point lead at the break, Shiga went cold to start the third, as Aomori took a 50-45 lead.
But behind Justin Burrell, the Lakes would soon catch up and would later pull away in the fourth quarter. Kiefer’s triple with three minutes to go was the early dagger, giving the Lakes an 86-74 lead.
Burrell led the way for the Lakes with 34 points, 19 in the second half.
Ravena averaged 24 points in his first playoff series in Japan, including a career-high 30 points in the Game 2 win.