SCHEDULE
B1 ROUND 33 : April 19, 2023
SHIGA LAKES 88 - 99 HIROSHIMA DRAGONFLIES
(KIEFER RAVENA: KR) Today's game i mean very undermine, two of our importswasn't able to travel with us fortunately, but part of the team on how we fought back, felt like the game slipped away from the start but we glow the way back and make made it competitive. Very proud on how everybody filled in the spot of Kelvin and Ivan and that we have six more games left to dial it in and focus on our last remaining games make sure that we put ourselve in a good position to stay in B1.
(KR) You know very optimistic about it, I just feel like you know one thing that we have to really have the mindset. Our record doesn't even justify how we play at the team I feel like we're way much better than a record. Obviously you know it's there, but not an excuse for us not to play well and I feel like we've been playing well in the past couple of months. We adjust our system with one another a lot of changes happened all throughout the year but nevertheless we're down to the last 6 games the very important 6 games of this season, we have to treat it as like our finals so to speak so we're excited we look forward to every game to battle it out.
(KR) Yeah I mean with Yusuke Karino he's always been a great shooter in the league his well-known and his respected when it comes to shooting the three, it's always going to be hard for him to get open shots that we tried to do, me and Kai had 8 assists trying to find open guys make basketball a lot easier for us and with Hayato Wakugawa, his from Hiroshima and sure he was really excited to play in front of the hometown. He's the future, I believe he is the future of Japan basketball along side and all the other guys who are making their names out here.
(KR) I've spoken to Kai even before even before he was going here he was asking me on on tips on how it is in Hiroshima now he was telling me he's in a good place he's in a good city. Team has a good plan for him, being the anchor there, underneath the basket and you know being 220 in the B.LEAGUE and as an asian import it's really a big advantage cause you can play two other import with him and he's a very smart kid, he's a very smart player so I'm very proud of his journey out here in obviously he has bigger dreams to achieve, but what they call me MANON, I just always here as a older brother to guide him and if he needs anybody to talk and tips on how to stay in Japan. living wise to help a fellow Filipino.
(KR) This is the first time actually internationally that I played against Kai, it's very special to play in front of a couple hundred Filipinos who came out to watch, I was really excited coming out after half time I thought i was hearing something else but I definitely heard some Filipino music playing so it got me going and show we're very proud of our heritage, very proud of Filipinos. It actually never feels like we left home because there's always Filipinos everywhere and they come out to support us every game, so very proud to be a Filipino play against Kai obviously had fun up there a lot of talking, a lot of mocking, playing around each other even before the game started. We had a physical game at the same time, we talked about him just not blocking my shots, I don't want to be in the highlight or dunking over me, thingds like that, we're good friends, but once you're inside the dimensions of a basketball court everything's set aside, you try to be as competitive as you can, and the same time we have fun, that's the most important thing.
(KR) Most important thing I've learned here in Japan is to really be a professional, the truest sense as a import, Asian or not, we go into a country where cultural is a pig part. I feel like I've adjusted to it and at the same time I've embraced it, found a home in Shiga, and things like that, just by keeping it professional it goes a long way on and off the court, and just be abke to perform day in and day out, play basketball, play the game that I love. Tito Chio who asked the question, he seen me since I was a baby, he's covered my dad's game in the past, so he actually knows how I grew up, loving the sport and just being out there. We're very proud to represent the country and we hope that all the Filipinos back home or everywhere else in the world are just as proud as we are representing our flag, playing basketball game in Japan.
