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Coach Perasol confident 'tough' Kiefer will bounce back

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/news-special1/sports/11/13/111316-up.jpg"/></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – University of the Philippines (UP) coach Bo Perasol shared the shock and dismay of Filipino basketball fans when he heard the news that NLEX rookie Kiefer Ravena had tested positive for banned substances and will thus be suspended by FIBA for 18 months.Perasol, who coached Ravena for three years at Ateneo de Manila University, was eagerly anticipating his former player&#x27;s participation in the Visayas leg of the 2018 PBA All-Star Week last Sunday, only to find out that Ravena had been pulled out of the event.&quot;Then, noong nagkaroon ng drugs, paano naman nangyari &#x27;yun, ano?&quot; Perasol said Tuesday after a press conference in UP Diliman, where the Fighting Maroons sealed a partnership with 3M Philippines.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/05/29/18/uaap-basketball-up-fighting-maroons-get-3m-boost">FULL STORY: UP Fighting Maroons get 3M boost</a></li></ul>Ravena had taken full responsibility for his positive test, explaining that he ingested a pre-workout drink called &quot;DUST&quot; that contained three substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/pba/news/2018/05/30/pba-nlex-plays-first-game-since-kiefer-s-fiba-ban-42233">READ: NLEX plays first game since Kiefer&#x27;s FIBA ban</a></li></ul>&quot;I believe him when he said it was an honest mistake. I&#x27;m really sorry that it happened to him. I don&#x27;t think that he deserved that,&quot; Perasol said of Ravena. &quot;Wala akong nakikitang mabigat na reason para mangyari sa kanya &#x27;yun. I&#x27;m really sorry that it happened to him,&quot; he added.Having coached Ravena for some time, however, Perasol is well aware of how strong the NLEX guard is, and how solid Ravena&#x27;s support system is.Thus, he is confident that Ravena will find a way to recover from this latest setback in his career.&quot;He&#x27;s a tough guy,&quot; said Perasol. &quot;He&#x27;s going to bounce back better in this situation. I&#x27;m happy that his family, his corporate family is there, &#x27;yung basketball community is supporting him.&quot;&quot;This is going to pass through,&quot; he added. &quot;My prayers are with him. I don&#x27;t doubt that he&#x27;s going to bounce back better.&quot;<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/sports/05/28/20180528-ravena-kiefer-gc-1.jpg"/></figure></div>Ravena and stakeholders of Philippine sports are already looking to make the most of the unfortunate situation. On Monday, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio announced that they will conduct an awareness campaign, in cooperation with the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.The PSC and the POC also bared plans to ramp up their anti-doping program, while SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan said he is pondering the creation of an anti-doping facility.This, for Perasol, is the silver lining in what is clearly a brutal development for Ravena, his PBA team, and the Gilas Pilipinas program.&quot;With the kind of person that he is, of his status… people are going to be very careful,&quot; said Perasol. &quot;Kasi kung nangyari lang &#x27;yun sa mga iba na hindi kilala, baka mangyari at mangyari pa rin eh.&quot;&quot;Players are going to be aware, players are going to be watchful of what they intake, sa sarili nila. PBA, national team players, probably even &#x27;yung mga collegiate players,&quot; he added.There is still some hope that Ravena can play for the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA even as he is banned from all international competitions until August 24, 2019. The SBP has sent a letter to FIBA, asking for clarification of Ravena&#x27;s status with the PBA and Ravena made it clear on Monday that he has passed two random drug tests conducted by the league.But if the worst case scenario comes true, and Ravena cannot play for NLEX – or any other team, for that matter – until next year, then Perasol has an idea of what his former star can do in the meantime.&quot;He can practice with us,&quot; said Perasol, chuckling. &quot;He can practice with us, para lang maging kundisyon siya.&quot;For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

UP coach Bo Perasol shared the shock and dismay of Filipino basketball fans when he heard the news that NLEX rookie Kiefer Ravena had tested positive for banned substances and will thus be suspended by FIBA for 18 months.

UP coach Bo Perasol shared the shock and dismay of Filipino basketball fans when he heard the news that NLEX rookie Kiefer Ravena had tested positive for banned substances and will thus be suspended by FIBA for 18 months.

Coach Perasol confident 'tough' Kiefer will bounce back

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Coach Perasol confident 'tough' Kiefer will bounce back

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 30, 2018 12:28 PM PHT

Read More:

UP Fighting Maroons

Bo Perasol

Kiefer Ravena

FIBA

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