THIRDY Ravena faces his first big test in the B.League as San-En NeoPhoenix takes on Osaka Evessa on Wednesday.
The Filipino high-flyer, who impressed in his first two games in the B.League, is hard-pressed to prove that his performance against Shimane Susanoo Magic over the weekend was no fluke.
Ravena, the three-time UAAP Finals MVP, averaged 12.5 points on 43-percent shooting clip, to go with 5.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists through his first two games in the Land of the Rising Sun.
And what better foe for Ravena, who is making his home debut at Toyohashi City Gymnasium, to show that he is for real than Osaka.
After all, the Evessa are led by former San Miguel import Ira Brown and former NBA player Josh Harrellson.
Brown, who is a naturalized player for the Akatsuki Five, has been a fixture in the Japanese professional league since 2011, playing for the Toyama Grouses, Sunrockers Shibuya, and Ryukyu Golden Kings, before heading to Osaka.
At 38, he still packs a punch, averaging 13.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.1 steals this season.
Brown played two games for the Beermen in the 2011 Commissioner's Cup before David Young came in as his replacement.
Harrellson, on the other hand, is a three-year NBA veteran who played for New York, Miami, and Detroit.
The 6-foot-10 center from Kentucky is currently averaging 11.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists this year.
Also part of the Evessa (4-8) are reinforcements DJ Newbill and Garrett Stutz, as well as local Ito Tatsuya.
It will be another uphill climb for San-En (2-10), which will lean on Ravena and fellow imports Kyle Hunt and Stevan Jelovac.
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