BASKETBALL gods are certainly not smiling a lot these days on San-En NeoPhoenix wingman Thirdy Ravena.
Expected to be sidelined for at least six to eight weeks after he suffered a fractured right ring finger injury (right 4th finger metacarpal oblique fracture) last Jan. 2, the athletic former Ateneo standout has been officially ruled out of the Japan B. League All-Star game and Slam dunk contest.
The league announced last Wednesday that Takuya Kawamura of SeaHorses Mikawa will replace the 6-foot-2 Ravena in the B. White team in the Jan. 16 All-Star match at the Adastria Mito Arena in Mito. There will be no replacement for Ravena in the dunk tilt.
Ravena, 24, left the game for good at the 5:30 mark of the third quarter in San-En NeoPhoenix’s numbing 80-81 loss to SunRockers Shibuya at the Aoyama Gakuin Memorial Hall.
San-En NeoPhoenix lost anew to the same foe 64-105, its fifth straight, last Jan. 3 and dropped it to 5-22 in the West District.
Ravena missed four games when he tested positive for COVID-19 last Nov. 27 after he played in a scrimmage against private ballclub Kanazawa Samurai Team last Nov. 24.
The former three-time UAAP finals MVP said he will make good use of his time while recuperating from the injury.
In 11 games, Ravena is averaging 9.1 points, on top of 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 20.6 minutes.
