FIBA World Cup 2019: 5 Team Pilipinas players to look out for

#3 Kiefer Ravena

Kiefer Ravena (1) in one of his stints with the team

The 6'0 guard will have some big shoes to fill as Asia's two-time top point guard, Jason Castro William, opted out of the team to focus on his family.

Ravena is coming from an 18-month suspension after failing drug tests conducted by WADA. He was tested positive for methylhexanamine, 1,3-Dimethylbutylamine and higenamine –substances that he claimed he wasn't aware were in a workout aid that he consumed.

However, Coach Yeng Guiao's selection of Kiefer in the final 12-man pool despite his long-term absence is pretty telling. The coach and the team fully trust the young guard, even having gained the respect of the team's veterans who already see him as a leader.

In Gilas Pilipinas' second tuneup game against the Adelaide 39ers, the young stud entered the game with the team trailing the 39ers 13-29. The young guard didn't seem to miss a beat as he immediately scored 7 straight points to cut the deficit to a single digit. Ravena eventually finished the game with 11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 steal in just 17 minutes of action.

This shouldn't come as a surprise, as the 25-year-old has been thriving in national and international competitions since he was a kid. From 2011 to 2015, Ravena and his fellow Gilas Cadets won three straight gold medals in the SEA games.

He has only improved ever since as he led his college team to four Final Four appearances, two of which ended in a championship. He was a top rookie in his class in 2017, even scoring 20 points, 5 assists, and 4 steals in one of his first few games as a professional basketball player.

Sure, he isn't The Blur, but his basketball IQ and leadership is something to look out for this FIBA World Cup. He is an unselfish player who is a good shooter and an even a better finisher around the rim. These, together with that extra fire he has from being away from the game for so long, will surely be monumental to the team's performance in this World Cup.