Quintessential guard Kiefer Ravena won’t be suiting up against the Blackwater Elite at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and it came at a time when the Road Warriors, with just a win to show in five starts, are struggling.
The 24-year-old Ravena was decommissioned after the International Basketball Federation (Fiba) suspended him from international play for 18 months, including seeing action in the pro league.
The winless Elite should exploit the situation when they parade Henry Walker, a crucial piece when Blackwater reached the quarterfinals in last season’s Governors’ Cup.
On his fourth PBA stint after playing for Alaska and NLEX, Walker replaced Jarrid Famous after the Elite lost six games capped by a 120-101 defeat to an all-Filipino TNT KaTropa two weeks ago.
It will also be interesting to see how big man Rabeh Al-Hussaini will fare against his former team after his recent one-on-one swap with power forward Dave Marcelo.
Ravena was tested positive in a random drug test by the Fiba after unintentionally ingesting three banned substances contained in a pre-workout supplement he drank during Gilas Pilipinas’ won game against Japan during the Fiba World Cup 2019 Asian Qualifiers on Feb. 25.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has appealed his case before Fiba as NLEX management prays that Ravena be allowed to play for the Road Warriors while serving his suspension.
“NLEX will restrain him from the game until SBP gets a reply from Fiba,” said SBP president Al Panlilio.
In the 7 p.m. game, San Miguel Beer (0-3) aims to end its slump against Phoenix, which outlasted Barangay Ginebra, 103-98, on May 20 to improve to 3-2.