B.League: Kiefer Ravena cherishing leader role in second year with Shiga
FILE – Shiga Lakerstars’ Kiefer Ravena. Photo from B.League
MANILA, Philippines—Much will be expected from Kiefer Ravena in his second season with Shiga Lakes in the Japan B.League.
More than Ravena’s production, the Lakes will also lean on his leadership as the team’s designated captain—a role that the Filipino star has learned to quickly embrace.
“I’m very grateful that i was able to get that leadership role here in Shiga. But for me I think, I still have 11 other guys who are capable leaders on and off the court and I just have to make sure that everybody is on the same page,” said Ravena during the B.League 2022-23 press conference on Tuesday.
“As the team captain, that’s the most important part of this situation. You to be on the same page, playing with the right mindset and playing with the same philosophy.”
The 28-year-old guard said Shiga’s goal in the upcoming season is to win as many games possible to make the playoffs—something they failed miserably at after finishing with the third-worst record in the league at 14-43.
On a personal level, Ravena had a rocky yet decent first year in Japan, averaging 13.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and a team-high 5.8 assists in 56 games for Shiga.
With much needed experience under his belt, Ravena is eager to lead the Lakes to a playoff run where they hope to pull off surprises.
“There’s added pressure to it, but as I said, I have other teammates who are capable leaders as well. They might see things that I can’t on the court. We want to improve our finish from last year. And now that I feel like we have a more experienced team than last year, we can achieve the goals that we set for this coming B.League season.”
