By Jerome Lagunzad
Ateneo wingman Thirdy Ravena is starting to step out of the shadows of his more illustrious brother and that’s a sight to behold for the Blue Eagles.
The 6-foot-3 Ravena has been a consistent force so far in the UAAP Season 80 basketball tournament, leading the Blue Eagles to three straight solid victories in a span of eight days and a hold of the solo leadership.
The younger brother of former Ateneo star and two-time league MVP Kiefer is accounting for 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, practically doing a little bit of everything in his bid to lead the Blue Eagles back to the Promised Land.
“I need to stay more consistent than last season,” admitted Thirdy, who’s been eager to make up for his so-so showing in the finals last year when Ateneo fell prey to archrival La Salle via a two-game sweep.
“Last season, I’ll have a good game then polar opposite. I’m just mentally focused coming into the season, that I need to stay consistent,” added the proud member of last year’s Mythical Team.
Ravena’s marked improvement was immediately validated as he earned the first Chooks-to-Go UAAP Press Corps Player of the Week citation this season, edging out La Salle’s diminutive guard Aljun Melecio and Paul Desiderio of University of the Philippines.
