By Adrian Stewart Co
Another Filipino is headed to Japan’s B.League after forward Kobe Paras agreed to a deal with the Niigata Albirex BB for its 2021-2022 season campaign that will begin next month.
The team announced the acquisition of the former University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons forward under the league’s special Asian quota yesterday morning.
“(Kobe) will be the team’s first registration in the special Asian quota,” Niigata Albirex wrote on its website. “By the conclusion of this contract, Kobe’s entry into Japan is not permitted.”
The 23-year-old Paras, for his part, said he is thankful and grateful to the opportunity given to him by the Niigata team management and its head coach Fujitaka Hiraoka.
“I’m very excited. I can’t wait to meet my new teammates out there and hear the amazing fans cheer us on every game,” Paras said in an interview with Tiebreaker Times.
“I am so grateful for my team, its coaching staff and boosters for giving me a chance to play for such a great league as B.League,” added the former Gilas Pilipinas forward.
Paras is not new to playing overseas as he suited up for the United States” NCAA Division 1 squad Creighton University before returning to the Philippines to play for a year with the Fighting Maroons.
Paras is the seventh Filipino to play in the B.League aside from former Fighting Maroons teammates Juan Gomez de Liano (Earthfriends Tokyo Z) and Javi Gomez de Liano (Ibaraki Robots).
Also playing as special Asian quota players in the league are Ilonggo brothers Thirdy Ravena (San-En NeoPhoenix) and Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), and Kemark Carino (Aomori Wat’s).
Niigata Albirex BB, a team that was established in 1954, is coming off a 16-38 campaign – ninth place in the East District – during the 2020-2021 Japan’s B.League season./ASC, WDJ