ANOTHER RAVENA is set to pioneer a new phase in collegiate basketball. Thirdy Ravena, son of Philippine Basketball Association legend Bong Ravena and younger brother of Ateneo star Kiefer Ravena, is the subject of high expectations. He takes his place in the seniors division of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) basketball tournament this season.
The highly sought after Ateneo de Manila High School standout will continue to don the blue and white as he joins his brother in the task of redeeming the Ateneo from last year’s season. This year marks the first time that the brothers will play for the same team. The communications technology management freshman expresses both excitement and pressure to live up to his brother’s reputation.
Late bloomer
While many may think that a seasoned player such as Ravena started playing the sport intensively at a young age, he admits that he never considered playing basketball competitively until his sophomore year in high school. “To me, playing the sport was always just for fun until I reached my second year in high school, unlike my brother, Kiefer, who knew that he wanted to play competitively from the age of four,” he shares.
His participation in early tournaments is a testament to this statement. Although Ravena took part in several podium finishes in his elementary level competitions, these, to him, were mere products of his enjoyment of the sport.
However, he took on a different outlook after seeing his brother dominate the courts upon his entrance to the juniors division. He knew he needed to take his ball game up a notch if he was to follow in his brother’s tracks and keep up with his more experienced teammates.
The six foot two standout was quickly able to forge his way to the top of the ranks in only a few years. In his senior year, he earned the Most Valuable Player award in both the UAAP Season 76 Juniors division and the 2013 Filipino-Chinese Basketball League (FCBL). He was also included in the UAAP Mythical Five, the top players of the season, for two straight years, which made him a highly touted athlete among prospective recruiters.
Atenean loyalty
Despite the many offers from other universities, Ravena chose to stay with his alma mater simply because he wanted nothing more than to earn an Ateneo diploma. “My decision was not just about basketball. I thought about how I could pursue what I liked outside of basketball, and I knew that an Ateneo education would open many opportunities for me in the future,” he says.
With his mind set on playing for the Ateneo, Ravena is now focusing on helping his team recuperate from the injury-filled Season 76 by giving it his all during training sessions. In order to keep himself going, he follows a simple mantra of providing energy for the team and doing what the coach tells him to do in order to keep him going. These are for him the most important things he can contribute as a new member of a rebuilding team.
Ravena also keeps in mind his motivations to help him succeed in the new chapter of his career. He remembers to always play well to represent the school, the Atenean community and God. He is dead set on helping the team secure the championship trophy, which he prioritizes more than any other recognition, despite being a contender for the Rookie of the Year award.
As his collegiate debut draws nearer, he is confident that he is ready to rally the court alongside veteran collegiate competitors and fight his way to the top of the ranks. He is out, with a conscious effort, to prove this season that he is not just Bong Ravena’s son or Kiefer Ravena’s brother, but Thirdy Ravena himself.
