Ray Parks and Nagoya started the calendar year the way they ended 2021, with a win.
The Diamond Dolphins pushed the pedal in the final frame, zooming past the Shimane Susanoo Magic and taking a 91-76 win in the 2021-22 B.League season, Sunday at Matsue City Gymnasium.
Holding a 67-63 lead with eight minutes left, the trio of Parks, Takumi Saito, and Scott Eatherton went on a furious endgame rally.
In a span of four minutes, the troika was able to push the Diamond Dolphins’ lead to 14, 85-71, with 2:29 left. Parks nailed the dagger with 1:40 remaining.
Nagoya racked up its ninth straight win to rise to 18-7 in the standings while dropping Shimane to 17-8. Pivotal was the win as the Diamond Dolphins took solo second in the West.
Parks had 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting with five rebounds and four assists.
Leading the way for Nagoya was Eatherton with 21 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field with nine rebounds. Saito and Coty Clarke had 14 points apiece as well, with the former also dishing out seven assists.
Reid Travis was the high point man for Shimane with 21 points, but he went just 4-of-12 from the field. Perrin Buford scattered 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists against five turnovers.
Former Meralco import Seiya Ando added 10 points and nine assists.
The two teams face off again tomorrow.
