By Adrian Stewart Co

Brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena assure that they will still play in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in the future whether as teammates or against each other.

The Iloilo City-native Ravenas said in a

virtual interview that they were just fulfilling their dream of playing overseas in Japan but will soon return in the country’s first-ever professional basketball league.

Thirdy is currently in his second year as Asian Quota Player for the San-En NeoPhoenix while elder Kiefer is on his first year as Shiga Lakestars’ reinforcement.

“I see myself playing in the [PBA], but we don’t know when,” Thirdy said. “We’re fulfilling our careers as basketball players and I feel like I have to play in the Philippines as well.”

“For us right now, it’s just really taking care of ourselves and staying healthy so we can make sure that (returning in the PBA) happens in the future,” added Kiefer.

Thirdy was already eligible for the PBA Rookie Draft in 2020 but he opted to play in Japan instead. Kiefer, on the other hand, already had a taste of PBA action with NLEX Road Warriors.

“I also feel like coming from the Philippine. When I was a kid, I always dreamed about playing in the PBA as well as part of my career. I want to see the amazing crowd in the pros,” Thirdy said.

Kiefer also said that “it is a good story to tell in the future” that they were able to play in the same league where their father Ferdinand “Bong” Ravena used to play.

“For us brothers, to be able to play in the league where our dad also played, it’s also part of our dreams as well, whether on the same team or playing against each other like what we’re doing now here in Japan,” Kiefer said.

“It’s nice to tell that story in the future to our kids and to our families, that we all played together in one league with our dad [Bong] and that’s gonna be an awesome sight to see and an awesome story to be told,” he concluded./ASC, WDJ