I IMMENSELY enjoyed myself watching the B.League debut of Kiefer Ravena with the Shiga Lakestars versus his brother, Thirdy’s San-En Neophoenix, in a come from behind 93-83 win.
I must say that I did check on Japan’s professional basketball league a couple of years ago due to Ryo Tawatari who was on Terrace House 2019-2020. The latter is one of my favorite reality television shows, and Tawatari at that time was playing for the Yokohama Corsairs.
It took the move of Thirdy Ravena a season ago to increase my interest that was heightened further by the move of Kiefer Ravena, Kobe Paras, Juan and Javier Gomez de Liano, Dwight Ramos and Kemark Carino to Japan.
I love international basketball and that is why I enjoy the Asean Basketball League, the Euroleague, and now, the B.League. The National Basketball Association, of course, has gone global for some time now.
Locally, I am not a fan of this isolationist attitude that Filipinos have. The local National Collegiate Athletic Association in particular for not allowing foreign players.
Remember years ago when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) had some Asian imports? They were treated like novelties rather than real players. And two seasons later, it was dead in the water.
The Filipino is selfish. Generally, he thinks the worlds revolves around him when it does not. He wants to have the world’s slice of cake but when it comes to sharing his own, he doesn’t want. All in the guise of protecting his own.
You can be sure every Filipino basketball player now has an eye to playing in Japan.
How the PBA reacts is anyone’s guess.
One can argue that the United States of America and Europe are so far ahead in sports they can afford to open their doors to foreign players. And yet, Japan, a technological leader is showing us the way.
There is a rub, in my opinion though, to how the B.League is set up.
At first I thought that having two imports play at the same time alongside the Asian import could hurt Japanese basketball. That leaves at any one time, two slots left for the homegrown players.
I can understand that B.League chairman Shinji Shimada, who also owns the Chiba Jets, disagrees and believes that it can only help local hoops and that it will force the locals to raise the level of their game. Sure it does, I just think they are better served having more home grown players on the court, and that they have a direct outcome on the game.
Yet, all these moves have been to increase awareness and participation of basketball in Japan which is a rapidly growing sport. Each B1 club needs an annual revenue of $285,000 to gain a license to participate in the division.
That they have 22 clubs in their professional league is a triumph.
Yes, the pandemic hurt them financially last year, but they have put measures in place—an emphasis on live streams to augment the limited live attendance that is allowed.
Incredibly, Shimada’s goal is to have half a million subscribers per month from the start of the season all the way to its end.
The internationalization of their game is something worth watching and you can be sure the neighboring Asian pro leagues will be watching.
I think too that part of the appeal of the league is it is in Japan, a most beautiful, interesting, and intriguing country. They are a first world country and the first in the post-World War II period to become an economic power. The “success” of the recent Tokyo Olympics and the strong finish of their home teams has elevated sports in their country.
While this pandemic is nowhere near done, how the B.League fares will also provide a template to all.
Right now, the B.League is every bit worth watching.
The B.League can be viewed at Tap Go. Check out the Tap Go FB page for details on how to subscribe.