FORMER TNT import Joshua Smith will be one of the new peers for Dwight Ramos in the Toyama Grouses camp as the latter embarks on his first professional season in the B.League.
The hefty 6-foot-10 Smith, who had two tours of duty for the KaTropa, will be one of the three imports for the club this season as they seek to help Toyama make a return trip to the playoffs.
Smith, who came in as a replacement for Lou Amundson and Donte Greene, helped TNT reach the Finals of the 2017 PBA Commissioner's Cup before losing to San Miguel in six games.
He came back a year later, but the KaTropa fell to the same Beermen team, this time in the quarterfinals.
Smith, 29, has since stayed in Japan, playing first for the Kyoto Hannaryz before staying with the Grouses since 2018.
Dwight Ramos teammates in Toyama
Aside from Smith, Ramos is also looking to link up with Zimbabwean center Julian Mavunga, who recently played for Kyoto, and former Los Angeles Clippers forward Brice Johnson as they seek to help Toyama improve its 39-21 win-loss record last season to end up at fifth place.
The Grouses are also welcoming a new coach in Honoo Hamaguchi, who coached Kyoto Hannaryz last season and amassed a 21-36 record to end up at 14th place.
Other new faces for Toyama are Kevin Hareyama (Chiba Jets), Keijuro Matsui (Kyoto Hannaryz), and Ryumo Ono (Shinshu Brave Warriors).
It also retained locals Naoki Uto, Yuki Yamaguchi, Takeshi Mito, Tomokazu Abe, Toshiki Uesawa, and Yuuki Ameya.
Ramos makes his debut for the Grouses on Oct. 2 and 3 against the Shinshu Brave Warriors at home at Toyama City Gymnasium.
It won't be long before he mixes it up with a fellow Filipino, facing Bobby Ray Parks and the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins at home on Oct. 16 and 17, before locking horns with Thirdy Ravena and the San-En NeoPhoenix on Nov. 13 and 14, still at home.
Kiefer Ravena and the Shiga Lakestars host the Grouses on Dec. 11 and 12, as well as on Jan. 26 at Ukaruchan Arena, before Ramos and Parks face off anew, this time at Dolphin's Arena on Dec. 18 and 19.
Ramos also faces his Gilas peer Javi Gomez de Liaño as Toyama heads to the Adastria Mito Arena on Feb. 5 and 6 to face the Ibaraki Robots.
Thirdy Ravena and San-En host the Grouses on April 9 and 10 at Toyohashi City General Gymnasium, while Ramos and Toyama come back home to meet Kiefer Ravena and Shiga on April 20 for the last of their four-game affair.
No games were set between Ramos' Toyama and Kobe Paras' Niigata Albirex BB.
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