Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

2023 FIBA World Cup

After two years, Thirdy Ravena gets to play in front of home crowd


Extra special will be Gilas Pilipinas’ game against India on Friday.

For the first time since Game Two of the UAAP Season 82 Men’s Basketball Finals — November 20, 2019 to be more specific — that he will be playing in front of his compatriots.

“I’m very, very excited. You know, it’s been a while since I last played for the Philippines and when the national team calls for your service, you’d always want to represent,” he told The Game.

Since that game, Ravena has played all over the region.

Ravena’s second appearance for the national team happened in Jakarta, Indonesia back in February of 2020. He then signed with B.League club team San-En. He also joined Gilas in Jordan for the King Abdullah Cup.

But unlike his first two stints with the national team, there’s a different man in charge.

It’s no longer the hard-tongued but amiable Yeng Guiao nor the tactical yet lovable Tab Baldwin. It’s now Chot Reyes who is steering the team.

Admittedly, learning a new system has been a challenge not just for him but also for the likes of William Navarro, Angelo Kouame, and Dwight Ramos.

2019-fiba-wcq-asia-gilas-x-kazakhstan-thirdy-ravena After two years, Thirdy Ravena gets to play in front of home crowd 2023 FIBA World Cup Basketball Gilas Pilipinas News  - philippine sports news

Photo from FIBA.basketball

“For me, it’s also a challenge not just with the system but also the overall experience of being called to the national team given the short amount of preparation time that we have,” the second generation cager shared. “All of those things included as well like a new head coach and teammates. We basically had two weeks to prepare.

“It’s a challenge not just for me but also the entire team. I’ll just do whatever it takes to understand the system and also feel out the new teammates. Hopefully, we can pull off more wins.”

Come the next three days though, Ravena will set aside all his emotions.

#ReadMore  Lady Falcons send Lady Bulldogs spiraling to third straight loss

He will be part of the team that takes on India on Friday and, hopefully, be part of the team against New Zealand on Sunday.

The goal is to win. Nothing else.

“The goal is to win and to put up a fight. Ang importante kung ano yung nasa loob namin at para makapaglaro para sa bayan. Time and time again, it’s always about puso,” he said.

“It might not be perfect or as well run as people expect but at the end of the day, bibigay pa rin namin lahat ng makakaya namin to gain an edge over our opponents.”

All Group A games of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers will stream live on GigaPlay. Download it now on Android or IOS.

The second game of each playdate is also livestreamed on SMART Sports.

Written By




You May Also Like

Basketball

AJ Edu is ready to step up and take on a bigger role in the frontcourt as Gilas Pilipinas continues to deal with injuries...

Basketball

Tim Cone believes fatigue will be Gilas Pilipinas’ biggest challenge as the national team ramps up preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 this...

Basketball

Kevin Quiambao’s return to Gilas Pilipinas remains uncertain as he continues his pursuit of an NBA opportunity, currently working out for five teams in...

Basketball

A new era begins for Gilas Pilipinas. German sportswear adidas has unveiled the new set of jerseys for the Philippine national basketball teams on...

Basketball

Eager to make up for lost time, Rhenz Abando is more than willing to do whatever it takes for another shot at glory with...

Basketball

It may only be a matter of time before Dwight Ramos returns home for good — and takes his talents to Asia’s first-ever pay-for-play...

Basketball

Is Zavier Lucero eligible for Gilas? Fans online quickly asked as much after news of the Fil-Am wing’s inclusion in the Gilas Pilipinas pool...

Basketball

RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario were among the notable players present as Gilas Pilipinas commenced its preparations for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025. Head...

Advertisement