IT seems Shiga Lakestars is bent on having PBA star Kiefer Ravena of NLEX suiting up for the squad in the Japan B. League.
Last Tuesday, the team included the Road Warriors guard in its line-up for the coming season, which is still three months away, despite the fact that Ravena has a live contract with NLEX.
The other reinforcements for Shiga include British forward Ovie Soko, Argentinian banger Novar Gadson, and former Xavier big man Sean O’Mara. Gone are imports Jonathan Octeus, Jordan Hamilton, Will Creekmore, and Australian center Angus Brandt.
Making up the locals are Daichi Nomoto, Tomonori Imagawa, and new additions Reon Shibuta, Tomomasa Ozawa, Teppei Kashiwagura, Shotaro Hayashi, Naoto Moriyama, and Koya Kamawata.
The 6-foot Ravena was signed by Shiga Lakestars last June 2 to play under the Asian Player Quotas but the PBA thumbed down Ravena’s plan to follow the path taken by younger brother Thirdy.
The league said Kiefer, 27, cannot play in Japan and must honor the three-year pact he inked with the Manny V. Pangilinan-owned ball club last year.
A former two-time UAAP MVP and ‘King Eagle,’ Ravena showed the way for NLEX with 19.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in last year’s PBA Philippine Cup bubble in Clark.
The Road Warriors wound up with a 5-6 record for ninth.
