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Ibaraki squanders big lead, outlasts Dwight Ramos-less Toyama

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Javi Gomez de Liaño played spot minutes in Ibaraki" s="" upset="" of="" Toyama.="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/02/06/20220206-japan-b-league.jpg"/><figcaption>Javi Gomez de Liaño played spot minutes in Ibaraki&#x27;s upset of Toyama. (c) B.LEAGUE</figcaption></figure></div> Javi Gomez de Liaño played sparingly in Ibaraki&#x27;s 85-79 upset of the Toyama Grouses on Sunday, which saw the Robots squander a big lead before pulling away in the final minute at the Adastria Mito Arena.Gomez de Liaño played just a minute and 15 seconds, going scoreless in his brief stint. It was Chehales Tapscott (16 points, 8 rebounds) and Eric Jacobsen (14 points, 7 boards) who starred in the win for the Robots.Ibaraki raced to a 35-10 lead after the first frame, pouncing on the undermanned Grouses who were missing the services of Filipino import Dwight Ramos as well as veteran forward Julian Mavunga.But Toyama recovered in the middle quarters where they outscored Ibaraki 51-27, making it just a one-point game, 62-61, heading into the final quarter. In a nip-and-tuck ending, Johnson forced a 79-all deadlock with just 1:11 to go off a floater.It proved to be the last time that Toyama would get on the board, however. Ibaraki scored the final six points of the contest, all on free throws, while the Grouses bricked their last three attempts from the field.Asahi Tajima nailed the go-ahead free throws with 53 seconds left, and Jacobsen and Keita Tsurumaki were also steady at the line to ice the win for Ibaraki.Johnson finished with 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting, along with 11 rebounds and five assists. Joshua Smith had 18 points and 13 boards, but the Grouses committed 20 turnovers that Ibaraki converted into 35 points.It was a bounce-back win for the Robots, who lost 96-88 to Toyama on Saturday. They return to action against Sunrockers Shibuya on March 16.Meanwhile, Toyama will play on March 2 against the Shiga Lakestars.

Javi Gomez de Liaño played sparingly in Ibaraki's 85-79 upset of the Toyama Grouses on Sunday. 