Kiefer Ravena to join SGA for Jones Cup in Taiwan
Kiefer Ravena is set to reunite with head coach Charles Tiu for SGA when they compete in the 43rd William Jones Cup to from July 13-21 in Taipei, Taiwan.
The news was officially announced by SGA on Friday, May 24. Ravena is scheduled to arrive in the Philippines this weekend, fresh off helping his team Shiga claim the B. League Division 2 championship this month.
“It’s a great opportunity for me to showcase my skills in front of our kababayans again and contribute to the team’s success. Syempre, gusto ko talaga maging part ng team na ‘to at sana makabawi kami from the heartbreak we experienced in Dubai,” Ravena said in the press release.
This will be SGA’s second international competition this year. Their first took place in January when they finished as the silver medalist in the Dubai Invitational tournament following a heartbeaking, buzzer-beater defeat in the finals against Al Riyadi.
Ravena joins a squad that includes Jordan Heading, who was in the team last January, and PBA Draft hopeful Caelan Tiongson.
“This is a chance for redemption, and I’m looking forward to giving my best effort for the fans and for our country,” Ravena stated.
Tiu coached Ravena for Mighty Sports in the 2016 Merlion Cup and 2017 Dubai Invitational and expressed excitement for the chance to mentor him once again.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Kiefer’s game and IQ. He’s one of my favorite players of all time.”
Ravena averaged 10.5 points, 4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds a contest for Shiga in their championship journey. His contract with the team ended after last season and he’s now a free agent.