Kiefer Ravena has been living up to the high expectations, just two games into the PBA’s 43rd season
The 24-year-old guard has been phenomenal during his first week as a pro, posting stellar averages of 19.0 points, 8.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.0 steals, leading the NLEX Road Warriors to victories against the Kia Picanto and the GlobalPort Batang Pier.
Ravena’s strong start earned him the first PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award for the season, beating NLEX teammate JR Quinahan, San Miguel Beermen slotman June Mar Fajardo, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Greg Slaughter, Meralco Bolts forward KG Canaleta, and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ big men Beau Belga as well as Raymond Almazan.
The former two-time UAAP Most Valuable Player got off to an explosive debut as a rookie after churning out a near triple-double output of 18 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds to help NLEX shake off a tough Picanto side, 119-115, during their season debut last December 20.
NLEX coach Yeng Guiao had nothing but glowing words for NLEX’s prized recruit.
“I had no doubt he can make an impact and lead the team as I was hoping. That’s exactly what he did. He’s going to be special,” Guiao said of Ravena, who was selected second overall in the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft.
Five days later, the second generation cager proved that his impressive debut was no fluke after leading NLEX past GlobalPort, 115-104, on Christmas Day at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
The combo guard finished with 20 points to go along with five assists, 4 steals, and two rebounds, against a GlobalPort side that relied heavily on Stanley Pringle as the Batang Pier continue to miss the services of an injured Terrence Romeo.
NLEX will be gunning for their third straight win in the all-Filipino conference when they return to action on January 7 against the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
