THIRDY Ravena will play professional basketball in Japan with the San-en Neophoenix.
The B.League team made an announcement on Wednesday, and has scheduled a news conference on Friday.
Ravena signed with the San-en Neophoenix as part of the Japanese Professional Basketball League’s “Asian player quotas,” which allow the league’s teams to sign Asian imports.
“B.League has engaged communication with foreign countries to promote internationalization since the first season in 2016. We are very pleased to welcome Ravena to B.League for the first year of Asian player quotas. We will continue to collaborate and cooperate with Asian partners to develop basketball in Asia,” San-en Neophoenix said in a statement.
Ravena will become the first Filipino to play in Japan’s B.League when it holds its 2020-2021 season.
The former Ateneo Blue Eagle has been getting offers to play overseas including in Australia, a reason why also decided to skip last year’s PBA draft.
Ravena is coming off an impressive collegiate career that saw him win three straight UAAP finals MVP awards with the Blue Eagles.
San-en Neophoenix is looking to beef up its lineup after a 5-36 win-loss record in the 2019-20 season.
Ravena remains part of the Gilas Pilipinas pool under program director Tab Baldwin.
He was the only amateur player to make it to the final Gilas roster for the Fiba Basketball World Cup 2019 qualifiers.
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