King Eagle Ravena bags UAAP player of the week award

MANILA, Philippines -- Come crunch time, expect Kiefer Ravena to deliver the goods for the Ateneo Blue Eagles.

The fourth-year guard showed brilliance even under tremendous pressure, hitting clutch baskets in the Blue Eagles’ back-to-back victories in the week that was.

Ravena averaged 27.5 points, 7 rebounds and 6.5 assists in games against University of Sto. Tomas Tigers and University of the East Red Warriors for Ateneo’s sixth win in seven outings to finish the first round on top of the standings, more than enough to earn his second UAAP Press Corps-Accel Quantum Plus/316 Player of the Week citation.

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The rookie of the year winner four years ago came out big Sunday, draining seven of the Blue Eagles’ last nine points in the first overtime game of the 77th men’s basketball season to complete his team’s come-from-behind 93-91 win against the Red Warriors after falling in a 21-point hole early in the regulation.

All of these to cap off his career-high 38 points spiced with nine dishes and five rebounds.

And Ateneo coach Bo Perasol was all praise for his prized guard, who started out flat with just 2-of-9 field goal shooting before halftime, but came out with the game-tying pull up jumper with 23.4 ticks left in the fourth period to force the extension.

“He’s always to be the one to lead them. It doesn’t matter whether he’s going to score or not,” said Perasol of his ward, whose 19-of-25 foul line clip was most in the league after former King Eagle Chris Tiu’s 17-of-19 six years ago. “It’s just the epitome of showing that ‘can-do’ attitude regardless of the situation. Obviously, he was able to deliver us in the end again.”

Five days before his career-game, Ravena drained the game-winning floater with 3.7 seconds to go from 15 feet over the outstretched arm of Cameroonian center Karim Abdul in an exhilarating 63-61 escape off the Tigers’ fangs to highlight his 17-marker, 8-boards and 4-assists outing.
Ravena admits that he gets his confidence from the trust given to him by the whole team.

“Siguro it's just nakakatanggal lang ng kaba kung yung coaches and yung mga teammates mo sila na ang unang nagtitiwala sa iyo. At least nai-ease off yung pressure, nai-ease off yung kaba,” he said. “So once na tinawag talaga nina coach Ronnie (Magsanoc) and coach Bo yung play sa akin and then my teammates, sinasabi sa akin na ‘kayang-kaya mo na yan nagawa mo na yan before’, siyembre nakakakompiyansa talaga yun.”

Still, Ravena downplays his heroics and credits his teammates for doing their part for the cause.

“Yung confidence ko kinukuha ko lang rin talaga kung maganda ang ipinapakita ng mga teammates ko,” he added.

Ravena eclipsed the likes of Mikee Reyes and Rey Gallarza of the University of the Philippines, both putting up marquee performances to end the Maroons’ 27-game losing slump, and La Salle’s Jeron Teng for the weekly plum supported by Bactigel hand sanitizer, Doctor J Mighty Alcohol and Mighty Mom Anti-bacteria.