‘Pressure of winning’ always hovered over Ravena, Pessumal

Graduating Blue Eagles Von Pessumal and Kiefer Ravena. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal was almost inseparable during the five years in the UAAP with Ateneo and along with them came something never managed to shake off.

Even with the Blue Eagles were winning UAAP title back-and-forth, Ravena and Pessumal always had to deal with the “pressure of winning.”

But that didn’t stop them from enjoying their stint with the Blue Eagles, which ended Saturday night after their heart-breaking 74-76 loss to Far Eastern University in the UAAP Final Four.

“The pressure of winning never got away,” Pessumal said. “[What we did] was to enjoy the game.”

Ravena and Pessumal entered the collegiate program of the Blue Eagles in the middle of the five-peat era and it wasn’t a surprise that keeping up with a winning tradition was expected of them as well.

But like this UAAP Season 78 which is also  Ravena and Pessumal’s final year., things don’t always end in Ateneo’s favor.

“It’s basketball, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose,” Ravena said a two-time champion and two-time MVP with the Blue Eagles.