CHICAGO - Melancholy.
Nostalgia.
Bitterness.
And an overwhelming sense of pride.
Those were just a few of the myriad of emotions engulfing Kiefer Ravena as he helplessly watched from a distance the up and very down campaign of Gilas Pilipinas during the recent 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.
"I wasn't able to come because I contracted the (Covid) virus when I was preparing to leave. It was really unfortunate. I wanted to have a chance to play with my brother again. I am thankful they invited me and sad that I wasn't able to fulfill my (national team) duty." Kiefer told me in a telephone call from Japan last Tuesday.
Although he couldn't make the trip, Kiefer was encouraged by the belief that "other players could easily replace me."
It didn't turn out that way.
Unfortunately, some of the guys coach Chot Reyes handpicked for the tournament lacked experience and looked as uncomfortable as a guy who has trouble urinating.

KIEF'S PRESENCE WOULD HAVE BEEN A CALMING FORCE AGAINST THE NEW ZEALAND STORM THAT BLEW GILAS AWAY, 88-63.
Through the lens of his spotless, optimistic eyes, Ravena somehow found redemption amid the rubble.
"They played their hearts out and that's what matters. Everyone inside that locker room knows that. It was just hard with the lack of time and opportunity to prepare and the injuries that hit the team.
But it's a learning experience for us and we can always pick it up from here and keep moving forward."
The brilliant effort of little bro Thirdy (23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals) caught his attention.
"I'm very proud of Thirdy. Him, Dwight Ramos and the rest of the group are the Now Generation of Gilas players."

IS KIEFER COMING BACK TO THE PBA?
His contract expires this May and the hope is to get a contract offer sometime in April. It's something he can't control and doesn't fret over.
But, in all likelihood, Kiefer is not going anywhere.
And it doesn't hurt that since Kiefer joined the Shiga Lakestars, subscriptions in the league's streaming platform increased by over 250,000, most of which emerged from the Philippines.
It is an undeniable testament to the marketing powers of the Ravena brothers.
In the event that Kiefer doesn't return to the PBA, a league source told me that a buyout of P3.5 million is already in place.
You gotta love those old dudes in the PBA board who are so crazy territorial over their control of the players.
But isn't it hypocritical of them to wail about stars leaving and yet they're quick to take a player's hard-earned money just to placate their insecurities?
Kiefer, I've been told, will also have to make separate amends with his mother team, the NLEX Road Warriors.
AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME.
Nearly six months into his Asian import stint in the Land of the Rising Sun, Kief has immersed himself in the culture while also adapting to his routine as a professional athlete in a foreign country.
Asked how proficient he is now in speaking Japanese, he blurts back to me that he is a good basketball player.
Watashi wa yoi basketball senshu des.
Mighty impressive, huh?
Not quite, by Kief's lofty standards.
He confessed his Japanese is still "below average" but he is determined to learn more than just the basic words and phrases that he has already memorized.
There's a golf course he found that, time-permitting, he would love to venture out to and play some holes.
Me time is scarce but when a window opens up he relishes it. In one of his domestic adventures, Ravena went out for Starbucks coffee, a drab errand that he somehow turned super cool because of the outfit.
Donning a jet-black zip-up sweater, he shielded his head with a gray skull cap. And he covered his happy feet with a pair of $900 Louis Vuitton designer sneakers.
This boy is Livin' The Life.
If you were him, ballin' la vida loca and making a ton of dollars, why the hell would you leave that basketball paradise in Japan and return to the PBA?
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