Bong Ravena

Ferdinand Ravena (born May 22, 1970), also known as Bong Ravena, is a Filipino retired professional basketball player and current assistant coach of the PBA team TNT Katropa. He is nicknamed The Raven during his playing days.

Career Highlights

Early Life and College Career

Ravena did not start playing basketball in his younger days. He was more often seen in the open fields playing football, and when he was indoors, he played volleyball. Once he picked basketball as his primary sport, it came to him quickly.

He played college ball at University of the East^[1] under then coach Roel Nadurata and led the Red Warriors to a finals appearance in 1990 but fell to De La Salle Green Archers that were powered by Noli Locsin, Jun Limpot and Johnedel Cardel.

Professional career

He was drafted 5th overall by San Miguel Beer in the 1992 PBA draft and earned a serious reputation as a deadeye gunner, while playing backup for Allan Caidic and Samboy Lim. Lim. His ability to work well off the ball was supposed to make him the quintessential decoy for the Beermen, who had a surplus of wing men on board.^[2]

By the end of his rookie season, he was awarded the PBA Rookie of the Year, but not without controversy. He controversially won the award despite posting meager numbers of 5.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 13.6 minutes.

In his sophomore season in 1993, he was relegated as a benchwarmer. By the end of the year, he found himself dealt to the Coney Island Ice Cream Stars in exchange for Kevin Ramas.

Coney Island renamed themselves as Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs when he arrived in 1994. Upon his arrival, the team was loaded with young guns and veterans, yet he managed to earn more minutes than rookie Vince Hizon and defensive wiz Glenn Capacio. However, in 1995, when Purefoods sent Hizon to Ginebra San Miguel, sent the draft rights to second pick Rodney Santos to Alaska in 1996, and traded away Capacio to Mobiline in 1997, he found himself as the team’s starting shooting guard.

It was then that he rose to prominence with the newly christened Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys under the keen watch of newly appointed head coach Eric Altamirano. On a lineup that boasted Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera, Dindo Pumaren, and Rey Evangelista, he became a vital piece of the puzzle in the team's campaign in the 1997 season. During the 1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup Finals, he helped the Cowboys outlast the Ginebra Gin Kings in six games, to earn their first conference title in nearly three seasons.

His numbers rose the rest of the 1997 season, reaching career-high averages of 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.2 steals. He won two awards: The PBA Most Improved Player and a Mythical Second Team selection.

When a new professional league, Metropolitan Basketball Association, was formed in 1998, he bolted, along with other ex-PBA players, to be part of the Pasig Blue Pirates, where he played for two seasons.^[3]

When the team disbanded, he would return to the PBA in 2000 season, where he played several seasons with Mobiline/Talk 'N Text until 2005 and finish with a total of five PBA championships to his name before eventually retiring.

Coaching career

Ravena currently serves as one of assistant coaches for Talk N' Text Tropang Texters.^[4]

Personal life

He is the father of three children: Kiefer^[5] and Thirdy, both playing for the Ateneo Blue Eagles, and Dani, a volleyball star currently playing for the Miriam College Knollers. His wife is the former UST Golden Tigress volleyball star and current volleyball analyst Mozzy Crisologo-Ravena.

References