MANILA – Ferdinand “Bong” Ravena will make his coaching debut for the TNT KaTropa when the team takes on Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup out-of-town match tonight in Passi City, Iloilo province.
Ravena, an Ilonggo, has been elevated as KaTropa new head coach following the firing of Raoul Cesar “Nash” Racela earlier this month due to the team’s dismal 2-4 start in the season-ending conference.
Ravena’s appointment was formalized following a meeting by the entire TNT coaching staff with the team’s board member and current PBA chairman Ricardo Vargas on Tuesday.
This will be Ravena’s first stint as basketball head coach after serving as the franchise’s assistant coach since 2008. He has also been an assistant coach for University of the East Red Warriors.
Ravena had played with the TNT for five years until his retirement in 2005. He also suited up for the San Miguel Beermen and Purefoods franchise early in his PBA career.
Aside from the 48-year-old Ravena, KaTropa will also debut New Zealander-Australian Mark Dickel as its consultant for the match on top of the team’s new reinforcement in Marqus Blakely.
KaTropa had a slow start this conference despite having a talent-laden roster that features national team mainstays Jayson Castro, Terrence Romeo, Roger Pogoy, Jeth Troy Rosario, and Ryan Reyes.
It also had misfortunes with its reinforcements. Michael Glover and Stacy Davis failed to deliver the needed numbers that resulted into their defeats to NLEX Road Warriors, Alaska Aces, Blackwater Elite, and Phoenix Fuel Masters./PN
