MST:
ATENEO Blue Eagles maintained their supremacy at the University Athletic Association of the Philippines men’s basketball leader board this 74th season, after thromping off with their 13th straight win for the second round, with a 61-39 demolition of the National University Bulldogs last Saturday at the Big Dome.
The Loyola Heights-based team moved into the finals straight away, with a thrice-to-beat advantage against whoever will survive the semifinals stepladder. Although everything seems to be well in the Blue Eagles’ mission to claim their fourth consecutive championship trophy this year, Kiefer Ravena says this is no excuse for them to rest on their laurels.
“We still got a lot of work to do,” the 6-footer shooting guard who wears jersey no. 15 begins. “The toughest teams for us to guard are Adamson [Falcons] and FEU [Tamaraws] because they are very talented. The hardest one for me to guard is RR Garcia of FEU. He is steady, a veteran and [also] the reigning MVP at UAAP. But the [toughest] player who guarded me was Simon Atkins of La Salle, he’s strong, fast and very intelligent in playing defense.”
“The Phenom,” “The Kid with the Million Moves,” “Blue Mamba” and “Must-See Blue Eagle” are just some of the monikers given to the 17-year-old rookie who, according to Eagles Norman Black, already plays like a pro. He can average between 20 and 25 points per game. And with his 62.00 score in statistical points, he is also in the running for the Most Valuable Player award. But does Ravena feel the pressure of living up to all the people’s expectations?
“[Well] I just play. I don’t look at the score or anything. I just play with my capabilities. Apart from the ‘technical stuff’ that our coaches always remind us, you must learn how to strategize things—what place do you run, what kind of defense do we play against the opponent. [When I am] on court, I just feel myself, I let the game come to me. But I really have to perform. It is [actually] more of preparing yourself mentally and blocking all those pressures.
“When it comes to crunch time, I like the situation of being there. Not a lot of people are getting the opportunity to stay [there], when there’s an adrenaline rush. Potentially, I want to be that kind of player, someone who can close out games—who can win games! If we can defeat them, we might as well defeat them straight away.”
Ravena also revealed the Blue Eagles’ “classic recipe” for success this season: team chemistry. “We’re okay now, we have the time to really blend with each other—to really go out and play as a team. What you can see now, everything is going well. As one player goes down, everyone takes a step back. It’s a team game, everyone has to know the rules, play their rules and find their spots on the court. It’s pretty much a big deal with everyone.”
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Information Courtesy of Manila Standard Today / Giovanni Paolo J. Yazon
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