Thirdy Ravena chosen to play in B.League All-Star Game

Thirdy Ravena will be in the B.League All-Star Game next month. Nikki Collantes (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--In only his first year as a full-fledged pro, Thirdy Ravena is an all-star.

The San-En winger has been chosen to be part of the 2021 B.League All-Star Game on Jan. 16 in Mito, Japan.

Ravena made the cut due to the "B.League Recommendation", in which the league will choose seven reserves who will backstop the starters for both B.League Black and B.League White.

The NeoPhoenix are placed under the White Group, which means Ravena will play for the White Team alongside former PBA import Nick Fazekas.

Fazekas, who played for the San Miguel Beer franchise then bearing the name Petron in the 2012 PBA Commissioner's Cup, will start for B.League White after getting enough votes from the fans.

Fazekas, who is now Japan's naturalized player, will be joined in the opening tip by Kawasaki teammate Ryusei Shinoyama, Chiba's Yuki Togashi and Sebas Saiz, and Mikawa's Kosuke Kanamaru, who was chosen as the team captain for garnering the most fan votes among those eligible for B.League White.

Ravena finished ninth in fan voting among guards.

Completing the White Team are Chiba's Gavin Edwards, Hokkaido's Jordan Taylor, Mikawa's Avi Schafer,  Kawasaki's Keisuke Masuda and Naoto Tsuji, and Ryukyu's Narito Namizato.

Kenji Sato will coach B.League White, and having four Brave Thunders in his lineup led by Fazekas and Shinoyama could prove advantageous for his All-Star debut.

Meanwhile, former NBA player Yuta Tabuse will headline the B.League Black Team.

Tabuse, who played for Phoenix in 2004, is one of four Utsonomiya players chosen to start for the Black Team.

However, only Ryan Rossiter, the designated skipper, and Jeff Gibbs will get to play in the All-Star Game barring injuries as national team player Makoto Hiejima was ruled out of the event due to his injury.

A replacement player for Hiejima will be announced at a later date.

Toyoma Grouse Julian Mavunga is the only non-Brex player chosen by the fans to start for the Black Team, while teammate Richard Solomon will join as a reserve.

Completing the squad are Tokyo's Yutaro Suda and Daiki Tanaka, Shibuya's Leo Vendrame, Nagoya's Takumi Saito, Hiroshima's Isaiah Murphy, and Ibaraki's Atsunobu Hirao.

A 13th player for each team will be chosen through social media, and the results will be announced on Wednesday.

Tokyo coach Luka Pavicevic will mentor the Black Team.

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