WHEN Thirdy Ravena didn’t make the Gilas Pilipinas cut for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, he took it personally.
The 27-year-old guard admits disappointment. However, he wasted no time picking himself up then responding in the best possible way: by working harder on his game. Harder than he has ever worked in his life.
The results can be seen in the current Japan B.League where Ravena is playing the best basketball of his life while helping steer San-En NeoPhoenix to its most encouraging season yet - a league-best 25-4 (win-loss) record to date.
READ Thirdy falls just short of triple-double as San-En stays hot
Playing for 26 minutes per game, Thirdy has posted averages of 13.1 points, 4.9 boards, and 2.8 dimes. The 6-2 high-flyer is hitting at career-high field goal rate of 51-percent and 75-percent from the free-throw line.
While he credits this improvement to the new dynamics brought in by a new coaching staff led by veteran Atsushi Ono, Thirdy admits this drive is anchored on a deeper purpose – a redemption that he owes himself after being among the final cuts in the World Cup team last August.
“I took that as something personal, and I will make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Ravena told SPIN.ph during a break in the 2024 Okinawa All-Star Weekend. “But at the end of the day, I learned from my mistakes and it inspired me to play better this season.”
Thirdy is only one of the reasons for the NeoPhoenix's resurgence, but there's no doubt his game has made the biggest leap among all the players from last season, setting new career highs of 28 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists during the current campaign.
The new system in place at San-En also brings the best out of him.
“This season has been the best one for me, kasi nga with the system that we’re running, mas nae-extract ‘yung strengths ko. Having five guys out, we’re a bit small but everyone’s playing outside, and it allows me to penetrate as a slasher,” he explains.
His longtime skills trainer coach Jolo Tamayo shares the vastly improved numbers are no accident, standing witness to how hard the younger of two Ravenas in the Japan B.League has worked since the preseason.
The change, Tamayo says, started after the Final 12 for the World Cup was announced.
“Alam kong na-down siya, nalungkot siya nung lumabas ‘yung Final 12, pero alam ko rin na nag-iba ‘yung mentality niya on training. We talked about it and what we’ll do para hindi na ulit mangyari yon,” Tamayo says.
Tamayo, who’s in Japan with Ravena, also shares that they’re taking on the challenge of keeping on reinventing his game.
“Sabi namin sa isa’t isa, every year may something new dapat out of him," Tamayo says. "Kitang-kita ko na iba yung approach niya ngayon mapa-off season or in-season workouts namin."
Two weeks ago, Ravena served up a highlight with a poster dunk in San-En's victory over Nagoya, 92-79.
WATCH:
More than the highlights, Tamayo says people can expect a more all-around approach coming from Thirdy as the season progresses.
Thirdy is all focused on the NeoPhoenix's quest for a B.League championship, but he admits the 2027 Fiba World Cup in Doha is also in his sights, saying he'll do everything to be worthy of a spot in the Gilas team four years down the road.
“Mahirap ‘yung ganong nangyari, it’s a World Cup that happened on my home soil, I cared about it, and I would’ve wanted to be part of it, but decisions have to be made, I have no ill feeling,” Thirdy says.
“If anything, it motivated me to be better, and next time around, I’ll do my best to perform to be worthy of the Final 12.”
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