Filipino imports shine in B.League Asia All-Stars win over Rising Stars

Filipino imports led the way as the Asia All-Stars emerged victorious over the Rising Stars, 118-114, in the Japan B.League's Asia Rising Star game on Friday in Mito, Japan.

The Asia All-Stars, which is composed of brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena, Ray Parks, Roosevelt Adams, Kobe Paras, Jordan Heading, and Matthew Wright, along with other Asian quota players, relied on a strong first half which ended at 69-49. 

The league's Rising Stars outscored the Asian quota players, 31-17, in the third period to trim the deficit 86-80 by the end of the third period. 

The Asia All-Stars had the lead, 116-103, with less than two minutes in the game before the local Rising Stars made an 11-0 run to inch closer, 116-114, at the last 38-second mark. A Weijia Wang shot sealed the deal for the Asia All-Stars team.

Wang topped in scoring with 18 points, while five Filipino players scored in double digits.

Wright and Slaughter both flirted with a double-double. The former turned in a 14-point, nine-rebound performance while the latter tallied 12 points and nine boards.

Paras listed 12 markers while Parks and Heading tallied 11 points each. Kiefer and Thirdy made eight and seven points, respectively.

Taiki Okada led the local Rising Stars with 26 points while Yudai Nishida added 18 points.

In the other events, Heading placed third in the 3-point contest with 17 points, two points shy of top scorer Takumi Saito's 19. Kiefer, meanwhile, placed fifth in the skills challenge with 29.8 seconds. Yuki Kawamura topped the skills contest with 20.9 seconds.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News