THIRDY Ravena is expected to be back in the Gilas Pilipinas pool once the national team begins its preparations for the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup.
Coach Tab Baldwin said that the San-En NeoPhoenix guard is one of those top of mind invitees for the national pool for the continental showpiece in August in Indonesia.
"I expect to bring all of our players back in," he told a handful of reporters before Gilas flew to Serbia for the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade.
Ravena only played one game with Gilas in the qualifiers, in its 100-70 win over Indonesia in Jakarta back in February 2020 where he posted 23 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Among those expected to rejoin the pool are Rey Suerte (ankle), Matt Nieto (hand), and Dave Ildefonso (bone bruise), who all got injured in the buildup for the third window.

Allyn Bulanadi, who dislocated his shoulder in October for the preparations for the second window in Manama, will also rejoin the pool, as well as Gilas draftee Tzaddy Rangel.
Also among the potential invitees are players who suited up in the past windows of the qualifiers like Juan Gomez de Liano, Kobe Paras, and Kemark Carino.
These players will join the 12 players who were lined up for the Belgrade OQT, bannered by Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, and naturalized center Ange Kouame.
Completing the team are Isaac Go, Mike Nieto, Jordan Heading, William Navarro, Justine Baltazar, SJ Belangel, RJ Abarrientos, Carl Tamayo, and Geo Chiu.
Last cuts Javi Gomez de Liano, Jaydee Tungcab, and Lebron Lopez are also still very much part of the pool.
"I don’t know exactly who’s gonna be available to bring in, but you know, I think it’s time to give everybody the figures in our 2023 plans the chance," said Baldwin.
The American-Kiwi mentor, however, is still very much playing it by the ear as he and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) assess the situation in the country once the team returns from Serbia in the first week of July.
"We have to figure out how the quarantine is gonna be when we return. We don't think what it would be like at that point, and I think [the government] may re-evaluate by June 30th. So we’re hoping for a short quarantine," he said.
If he'll have his way, though, Baldwin wants the Nationals to have at least three weeks of training in its bubble at Inspire Sports Academy in Calamba before going to Jakarta for the August 17 to 29 tilt.
"I would like to get at least three weeks of intensive training. And I’m a little bit worried about how long the break will be for the players in terms of inactivity. So we have to, you know, maybe not have team activity, but we might have some other activities," he said.
"But there's really never enough time, so we have to squeeze every possibility that we can and through the opportunities that we have."
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