Ray Parks Jr. and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins stay alive in the B.League Playoffs.
Ray Parks Jr.’s most productive playoff game in Japan couldn’t have come at a better time.
Parks Jr.’s strong first half helped spark a crucial Nagoya win, as the Diamond Dolphins took an 84-77 victory over the Hiroshima Dragonflies in Game 2 of the B.League B1 semifinals Sunday.
Ray scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, leading Nagoya to a 51-37 lead at the break.
The cushion was more than enough to absorb another strong second half for the Dragonflies and the Diamond Dolphins forced a decisive Game 3 for a B1 Finals stint.
Aside from his 14 points, Parks Jr. added five rebounds, two assists, and a key steal in the fourth quarter with 2:20 left, preventing an easy fastbreak for Hiroshima that would have cut the Nagoya lead to five.
Scott Eatherton led the Diamond Dolphins with 18 points, Tim Soares added 13, while former PBA import with TNT Joshua Smith was good for 10 points in limited minutes off the bench.
Dwayne Evans paced Hiroshima with 25 points. The Dragonflies were victorious Game 1 Saturday, using a 24-3 third quarter to erase a 16-point Nagoya lead and win 79-75.
Game 3 is set Monday.