ROOKIE guard Kiefer Ravena has been living up to high expectations two games into the Philippine Basketball Association’s 43rd season.
The young Ravena has been phenomenal during his first week as a pro, posting stellar averages of 19 points, 8.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and two steals to lead the NLEX Road Warriors to victories over the KIA Picanto and the GlobalPort Batang Pier, respectively in the Philippine Cup.
Ravena’s inspired showing earned him the first PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award for the season to beat NLEX teammate JR Quinahan, San Miguel Beer slotman June Mar Fajardo, Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter, Meralco Bolts forward KG Canaleta, and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ big men Beau Belga and Raymond Almazan.
The former two-time University Athletic Association of the Philippines 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 KIA Picanto side, 119-115 during their season debut last Dec. 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 24-year-old former Ateneo stalwart 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 sweet-shooting guard finished with 20 points, to go along with five assists, four steals and two rebounds against a GlobalPort side that relied heavily on Stanley Pringle as the the Batang Pier will continue to miss the services of an injured Terrence Romeo.
NLEX will be gunning for its third straight win in the All-Filipino conference when it returns to action on January 7 against Phoenix at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.