Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has added two more to the Gilas Pilipinas pool.
According to highly-placed sources, Thirdy Ravena and Jaydee Tungcab will join Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, Allyn Bulanadi, and the Nieto twins in the team.
Ravena, who stands at 6-foot-3 and is just 23 years old, was the youngest member of the 33-man Gilas pool that played during the 2020 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers early this year.
In his final year in Ateneo, he posted norms of 14.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.13 steals, and 0.47 blocks per game. He capped his sensational stay in Katipunan with three championships and three Finals MVP plums.
Unlike Go, Suerte, Bulanadi, and the Nietos, the second generation cager did not enter the 2019 PBA Draft. The same goes for Tungcab, who is a surprise choice for this elite squad.
Standing at 6-foot-3, the 22-year-old — who hails from Sta. Rosa, Laguna — makes the selection for being a two-way player, as seen during his stay in University of the Philippines.
Though only averaging just 2.94 points and 1.63 rebounds per game in his final year, he had the task of defending the best players of the opposition on a nightly basis.
Gilas expect full commitment from all seven players, since they will be solely focused on the national team.
All seven players will be part of the team that will compete in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers that begins in February. Gilas Pilipinas is situated in Group A together with Thailand, Indonesia, and South Korea.
The Philippines will open its campaign versus Thailand on February 20, before facing Indonesia on the 23rd.
