Ravena admits feeling pressure as team captain

Ilonggo guard Kiefer Ravena admitted to feeling pressure after he was named captain of the Philippine men’s national basketball team, Gilas Pilipinas, set to participate in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.
“May pressure, of course, but hindi ko inaako lahat (Of course, I feel pressure but I will not take everything for granted),” the NLEX Road Warriors player said. “Magtutulungan lang kami para mapagana lahat and mabigyan ng panibagong identity ‘yung pool ng Gilas (We will help boost the entire team and bring a new identity to this Gilas Pilipinas pool).”
“Humingi lang din ako ng tulong of course with the PBA guys, especially kay kuya Marc Pingris (I will, of course, ask for help from the PBA guys, especially Marc Pingris),” he added.
Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas interim coach Mark Dickel expressed his support for Ravena’s appointment.
“It suits him,” the coach said. “He’s talkative, communicative; it’s his turn.”
“I think he’s more than capable of taking that role and doing a great job with it,” he added. “We want everyone to be like that but it’s got to start with one guy first.”
Dickel went on to call the Ilonggo player a “world class point guard.”
“My job this window is to start to get that out of him,” he explained. “I’ve seen him do it numerous times for NLEX, where I thought he was excellent last conference.”
The first qualifying round, where they face Thailand, begins on February 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City./ASC, WDJ