Thirdy's San-en and Kiefer's Shiga notch wins in Emperor's Cup

Brothers Thirdy and Kiefer Ravena both notched wins in the 97th Emperor's Cup All Japan Basketball on Sunday.

Thirdy and the San-en Neophoenix defeated the Koshigaya Alphas, 90-76, with the younger Ravena tallying 15 points, five assists, and three rebounds. Justin Knox listed 24 points to lead San-en to the win.

Meanwhile, Kiefer and the Shiga Lakestars won against the Rising Zephyr Fukuoka, 91-82. Ravena registered 12 points and a game-high nine assists in the win, while teammate Sean Omara topped the team with 29 points and 13 rebounds.

Dwight Ramos' Toyama Grouses also escaped the Shimane Susanoo Magic, 81-77, with the Filipino player contributing three points. Joshua Smith registered monster numbers 35 points and 20 rebounds for the Grouses.

Matt Aquino's Shinshu Brave Warriors, on the other hand, defeated Ray Parks, Jr.'s Nagoya Diamond Dolphins, 90-80. Aquino saw 1:28 minutes of action, though the second generation player was unable to score in his limited time. Parks, meanwhile, had two points in the game.

Kobe Paras' Niigata Albirex BB, meanwhile, were eliminated from the Emperor's Cup after losing to the Hiroshima Dragonflies, 105-102. Paras had a strong showing, scoring 21 points that included four triples.

On Monday, the Shinshu Brave Warriors will face the Hiroshima Dragonflies, while the San-en Neophoenix will play the Kagawa Five Arrows. Toyama and Ibaraki will also play on the same day, while the Shiga Lakestars will wait for the winner of Alvark Tokyo and Altiri Chiba.

The Emperor's Cup is a knockout tournament which serves as a national championship for Japan. The fourth round of the tournament will start on December 1, with the quarters scheduled on January 5, semis on February 9, and finals on March 12 next year.

—JMB, GMA News