THIRDY Ravena showed he belonged in the B.League with his impressive play through his first two games with San-En NeoPhoenix over the weekend.
Posting averages of 12.5 points on 43-percent shooting clip, to go with 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists, the 23-year-old lived up to the hype as he immediately proved his worth to his new team.
But surprising as it was to some, Ravena's performance in Japan hardly shocked his high school coach.
"I'm the least surprised about the level of his play at the moment. We always knew he had it in him ever since. He just had to figure everything out for himself," said former Ateneo Blue Eaglets coach Joe Silva.

Silva had the luxury of handling Ravena from his second through fourth year in high school as the Blue Eaglets routinely contended in the UAAP juniors division.
Although they never won a championship together, Ravena gave everyone glimpses of his potential, one he would eventually realize when he ascended to the seniors division with the Blue Eagles.
"Ever since he played for the Blue Eaglets, we always saw his potential to become a great basketball player. He has grown leaps and bounds and his maturity and character on and off the court is a testament to himself, his family, his teammates, and his coaches," said Silva, a former University of the East mentor.
And he's happy that Ravena's growth never stopped even as the 23-year-old embarks on this new chapter of his career in Japan.
"Thirdy had very solid outings in his first two games with the NeoPhoenix," noted Silva. "He showed that he could contribute in every aspect. Whether it's his ability to generate offense, his passing, rebounding, and even his defense, Thirdy showed that he was able to do what his team needed him to do."
Silva also lauded Ravena's composure after he was instantly placed in the starting lineup, averaging 23 minutes in his first two games.
"He also showed how he was able to easily adapt to the system of his new team and was able to jell with his new teammates," he said.
Still, Silva said this is just the tip of the iceberg for Ravena, pointing out that when the 6-foot-3 high-flyer gets in better condition and becomes more confident with his environment, everyone will see how big an impact he can do for the NeoPhoenix.
"He just has to continue to be ready always and enjoy the moment," he said. "I will agree with what Thirdy said about improving his conditioning since he hasn't played in over seven months, but I'm sure that he will only get better once he gets in shape.
"Knowing Thirdy, he knows what to improve on and I know that he will work on those things to become the best version of himself."
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