Ravena backing up the hype with stellar debut for NLEX

MANILA, Philippines — The hype hovered Kiefer Ravena for a more than a decade -- in his varsity years, during the lull between the amateurs and the pros. Heck, even when he was asked to don the national team tricolor.

On Wednesday night at the Flying-V Arena in San Juan, he answered the hype anew in the remaining chapter of his hooping career: as a professional. And he did so with a compelling performance.

Ravena, NLEX’s rookie out of Ateneo de Manila, mounted a standout performance, coming up just three rebounds shy from a triple-double in the Road Warriors' grind-out win over Kia Picanto.

But if you ask the 23-year-old guard, he’d rather focus on what matters — the long haul, the little kinks and room for personal growth.

“Ako, I just tried to play my game, stick to the system,” Ravena said when asked of his assessment of himself. "We can't always play like this — wait 'til the end or wait 'til somebody bails us out. Kung kaya naman naming manalo convincingly, why not? 'Di ba, wag naming pahirapan ang sarili namin.”

But no matter how much how he try to nudge the spotlight away from him, all eyes are simply just that: on him.

"He's exactly what we're looking for and what the doctor ordered for us,” said the tough-talking coach of NLEX Yeng Guiao. “[He] played well for us, I had to no doubt that he can make an impact and he can lead the team as a rookie and that's exactly what he did.

"He's going to be a very special player in this league,” he added.

The mentor from the other side of the court almost had the same praise, "immediate impact."

"We knew going in that Kiefer was going to be a big focal point for them,” he shared. "It just shows you the type of talent he’s capable of really going in there as a rookie and having that immediate kind of impact in the game.”

Over the course of 29 minutes, Ravena scattered 18 points and dished out 12 assists. He played defense, too, registering two steals before a skeletal crowd that also featured his parents — Bong, a a former PBA player and Mozzy, an athlete herself.

“I’m very pleased with his performance,” the patriarch said. “Una palang, 'yun na ang gusto niya — ang makatulong sa team at mag-improve. So lahat, gagawin niya.”

“Ever since, si Kiefer was known to like pressure talaga,” Mozzy said. "And he plays well with pressure pero syempre, 'yung fear ko is ibang pressure dito sa PBA. But then again, I guess he’s doing pretty well.”

“He always likes the challenges kasi,” she went on. “So bagong challenge ito sa kanya. Alam kong this will be exciting for him."

The truest testament, though, to how impeccable Ravena was lay not in his final statline, but rather, on the comparisons made by his new mentor. Guiao said his prized freshman reminded him of scoring playmakers Paul Lee, Mike Cortez, Willie Miller and Johnny Abarrientos — all who have left indelible marks in the league and Philippine basketball.

Ravena though, who is clearly wise beyond his years, is aware that the victory is only one of the many he will play in. And that the it’s only going to be harder from now on.

"'Yun na nga siguro ang mahirap dun, first game pa lang, dadagdag na lang ng dadagdag,” he admitted.

“[Pero] talagang nag-focus ako sa larong ito, knowing that this (could) make or break what everybody is thinking about me, of me in the PBA,” he closed.