
Gilas Pilipinas’ Kiefer Ravena. Photograph by Fiba
MANILA, Philippines — Love him or hate him, Kiefer Ravena is all the time able to serve the Gilas Pilipinas and he’s decided to present the nation a memorable internet hosting of the Fiba World Cup 2023 in August.
For the Gilas mainstay, taking part in for the nationwide workforce isn’t a sacrifice as he relished the chance to hold the flag and be taught along with his teammates from the worldwide competitions.
“We’re right here doing this sacrifice, although we’re our trip, however the sacrifice for me is the straightforward half. I don’t even think about this a sacrifice, since you’re right here taking part in basketball together with your brothers, you be taught in your particular person profession and for the workforce. You get to play the game you’re keen on and also you carry your nation’s title,” mentioned Ravena in Filipino in a video posted by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
“We’re actually blessed to be on this scenario…As a lot as we will, we are going to attempt to symbolize the nation if we’re wanted and that’s not going to vary,” he added.
In terms of Gilas Pilipinas, Kiefer Ravena’s reply is all the time a convincing sure.
Posted by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas – SBP on Tuesday, July 4, 2023
The Japan B.League star of Shiga Lakes has been receiving criticisms on social media over his previous stints with Gilas together with a winless World Cup marketing campaign in 2019, a disappointing silver medal end in final 12 months’s Southeast Asian Video games in Vietnam, and an underwhelming efficiency within the Fiba Asia Cup 2022.
He respects the opinion of others however what’s vital for him is his relationship along with his Gilas teammates.
“Individuals have differing opinions about who they assume is deserving, however by way of us gamers, there’s none. We’re like brothers right here. We stock one another’s masses once we’re taking part in abroad. It’s nearly not possible for us to have a beef with one another. There’s nothing like that,” mentioned Ravena.

Gilas Pilipinas earlier than taking up India within the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers at Mall of Asia Area. Photograph by Fiba
The 29-year-old level guard, who first represented the boys’s nationwide workforce in 2016, is joyful that he began his Gilas profession early and he is able to carry all of the learnings from his previous stint if he makes it to the ultimate roster of the workforce for the World Cup in Manila beginning on August 25.
“2016 was the primary time I used to be included within the males’s pool and launched to Fiba males’s competitors. That’s the place I noticed the extent I needed to achieve as an expert as a result of these folks had been better of one of the best, cream of the crop on the subject of basketball,” Ravena mentioned. “It taught me numerous classes on and off the court docket. That’s why I’m very lucky I began younger and I used to be molded by that form of play.”
The previous Ateneo star, who’s at present in Lithuania with the nationwide workforce, is leaving no stone unturned of their remaining time to arrange for the World Cup, the place he hopes to put in writing a great story to share sooner or later.
“I suppose lots of people will agree that it will by no means occur once more in our lifetime, to have the ability to host the World Cup. Hopefully, it does, however I’m simply cherishing the second,” Ravena mentioned. “It is a story that I’ll be glad to inform my youngsters, my grandkids sooner or later, I used to be capable of symbolize the nation in our house soil and I simply need to be that story with a cheerful ending once I inform it each single time.”
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