Kiefer downplays big win over Archers

MANILA, Philippines -- Kiefer Ravena downplayed the Ateneo Blue Eagles huge 97-86 win over their rival and defending champion De La Salle Green Archers at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.

"It feels good to get one against them pero it's early in the season to judge anything. Iniisip namin last year nung 0-2 kami na matagal pa yung season," said Ravena, who scored a game-high 29 points including four booming triples in the payoff period.

"A lot of things can happen during the season. We just have to take it a game at a time," he added.

The heated ADMU-DLSU rival lived up to its pre-hype expecations that featured a very physical and high-scoring game.

"It's in the heat of the game, it's not just me it's the way of the players of releasing the pressure brought by the game. Yung Ateneo-La Salle malaking pressure talaga yan pero after game magkakaibigan na ulit kami," said the fourth year guard.

The former Rookie of the Year awardee is looming to be one of the early candidates for the MVP award, proven by the "MVP" chants from the crowd late in the game.

"Ang aga nga ng chant pero di ko naman iniisip yun. Kung mangyari man as long as we win pero mas maganda isigaw na lang nila 'W' mas madali pa for them," he said.

Ateneo came into the game as underdogs against their experienced counterparts while they featured several blue-chip rookies in their line-up and did not expect to win the way they did yesterday.

"To be honest sabi lang namin gusto namin idikit lang para may chance manalo. Nagulat kaming lahat with the way we won. A win is a win and we'll take it," he ended.