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Thirdy Ravena remains fully committed to Gilas Pilipinas

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asian Cup qualifiers in February 2020. FIBA.basketball" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/10/07/20211007_thirdy.jpg"/><figcaption>Thirdy Ravena in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asian Cup qualifiers in February 2020. <em>FIBA.basketball</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Thirdy Ravena is &quot;always game&quot; to play for the Philippines and is especially eager to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup that the country is co-hosting.</p><p>Ravena is currently in Japan, where he plays for the San-En NeoPhoenix in the B.League as an Asian import. Before the start of the B.League season, Ravena played for Gilas in the King Abdullah Cup in Jordan, in what was supposed to be a tune-up for the FIBA Asia Cup that has since been postponed to 2022.</p><p>The Philippines will return to action in November for the first window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, where Gilas is with New Zealand, South Korea and India in Group A.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/01/21/fiba-baldwin-anticipates-tough-games-for-gilas-in-group-a">READ: Gilas avoids China, Australia, but Baldwin anticipates tough games in Group A</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/01/21/no-change-in-gilas-mentality-despite-world-cup-slot">READ: No change in Gilas mentality despite assurance of World Cup slot</a></li></ul><p>&quot;For the November window, there hasn&#x27;t been any conversation na dumating. But you know me. I&#x27;m always game to represent the country,&quot; Ravena told reporters in a press conference on Wednesday.</p><p>Ravena made his debut for the senior team in 2019, when he was invited to play for Gilas in the qualifiers to the 2019 FIBA World Cup while still a collegiate student-athlete for Ateneo de Manila University.</p><p>He played one game in the FIBA Asian Cup qualifiers, putting up a dominant 23-point, eight-rebound performance in a 100-70 rout of Indonesia in February 2020. </p><p>Ravena missed the subsequent qualifying windows due to his responsibilities with San-En as well as an unfortunate bout with COVID-19 and injuries that he suffered earlier this year. He is hopeful, however, that he will be able to play in November where the Philippines will play Korea twice.</p><p>&quot;NeoPhoenix is adamant about players representing their countries as well because it&#x27;s a very big thing. As basketball players, &#x27;yun naman talaga &#x27;yung goal natin,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;So hopefully, if we get the call up and everything goes well, you know, I&#x27;ll be able to represent the country,&quot; he added.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/07/05/21/fiba-gilas-basketball-was-beautiful-to-watch-says-thirdy-ravena">READ: Gilas basketball was &#x27;beautiful to watch,&#x27; says Thirdy Ravena</a></li></ul><p>As early as now, Ravena is already targeting a spot in the Gilas Pilipinas team that will play in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. </p><p>The Philippines is co-hosting the showpiece event with Indonesia and Japan, the first time that the tournament will be held across multiple countries. As hosts, Gilas is already assured of a World Cup spot.</p><p>&quot;The 2023 World Cup is gonna be special. I don&#x27;t know kung special lang ba &#x27;yung word, &#x27;cause it&#x27;s gonna be in our country. We never know when it&#x27;s gonna happen ever again, if I&#x27;m gonna see it in my lifetime,&quot; said Ravena.</p><p>&quot;So, definitely I&#x27;d like to play in that World Cup kasi dito sa Pilipinas gaganapin &#x27;yan,&quot; he added.</p><p>Ravena believes that by the time 2023 comes around, he will be a much better player, bolstered by at least two more years of playing in the B.League and armed with plenty of experience.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s gonna be good timing din, kasi I&#x27;ll be 26 by then. I think I&#x27;ll be a better player, and I&#x27;ll have a lot to offer to the team. So, hopefully I get selected to play for the 2023 World Cup,&quot; he added.</p><p>ABS-CBN News has reached out to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) on the status of Ravena as well as other Filipino players in Japan for the November window of the World Cup qualifiers.</p><p>Aside from Ravena, seven other Filipinos have signed as Asian imports in the B.League this year, all of whom have previously played for the national team: Kobe Paras (Niigata Albirex), Javi Gomez de Liano (Ibaraki Robots), Dwight Ramos (Toyoma Grouses), Kiefer Ravena (Shiga Lakestars), Bobby Ray Parks Jr. (Nagoya Diamond Dolphins), Kemark Carino (Aomori Wat&#x27;s), and Juan Gomez de Liano (Earthfriends Tokyo Z).</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1793954" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

Thirdy Ravena is 'always game' to play for the Philippines and is especially eager to suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

Thirdy Ravena remains fully committed to Gilas Pilipinas

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Thirdy Ravena remains fully committed to Gilas Pilipinas

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 07, 2021 12:09 PM PHT

Read More:

FIBA

FIBA Basketball World Cup

Gilas Pilipinas

Thirdy Ravena

Japan B.League

San-En NeoPhoenix

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas

SBP

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