The woes of Kobe Paras and Niigata continued Saturday evening, absorbing a 62-79 loss to Akita in the 2021-22 B.League Division I tournament at City Hall Plaza Aore Nagaoka.
Paras played 25 minutes in the game, finishing with nine points on 4-of-9 shooting with two turnovers.
It was a clinical outing by the Northern Happinets as it led by 38-29 by the half and 44-58 entering the final frame.
Colton Iverson and Jordan Glynn combined for 17 of Akita’s 20 third quarter points that helped break the game wide open.
Akita led by as much as 22 points in the final frame, dealing Niigata its 12th straight loss to fall to 2-13.
The Northern Happinets, who went up to 8-7, were led by the 21 points of Iverson, who went 8-of-13 from the field.
Glynn added 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists while Hayato Kawashima scored 12 points from off the bench.
Rosco Allen led the charge for Albirex with 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists while Tshilidzi Nephawe and Jeff Ayres got 10 points each. Ayres also grabbed eight rebounds.
The two squads face off again tomorrow.
