According to multiple reports, two-time UAAP Men’s Basketball Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena has been tasked to complete Gilas Pilipinas’ lineup for the final window of the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
“He’s supposed to be the fifteenth man. But he had to seek permission from his school and coach Tab first, so we had to withhold his name initially. I was told unofficially that he was allowed to join,” national team head coach Yeng Guiao told Spin.ph.
The announcement of the 6-foot-3 forward’s addition was delayed due to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas still needing clearance from Ateneo de Manila University for this daunting task for the student-athlete.
Ravena will join Jayson Castro, Paul Lee, Scottie Thompson, Mark Barroca, Roger Pogoy, Marcio Lassiter, Gabe Norwood, Troy Rosario, Japeth Aguilar, JP Erram, June Mar Fajardo, Raymond Almazan, Andray Blatche, and Christian Standhardinger in the pool.
Rosario, Almazan, and Standhardinger are dealing with injuries.
Ravena, who is just 22 years old, completed one of the most dominant individual outings in a Finals the UAAP has ever seen last December. During Ateneo’s two-game sweep of UP, he posted norms of 29.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks.
Moreover, the second-generation cager has showed that he can compete with the big boys, averaging 13.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 0.8 blocks during the 2018 William Jones Cup.
This is not the first time a Gilas Cadet has joined the Elite division; in the fifth window, Kai Sotto and Ricci Rivero were called up to be part of Gilas. Both were not able to crack the lineup during the team’s two-game homestand.
