Don’t count us out — Ravena

The Ateneo Blue Eagles may be in a rut right now, falling into a 0-3 hole. But their injured star, Kiefer Ravena warned: “Don’t count us out.”

“A lot of people are counting us out at this early in the season and di na namin sila pinapakinggan.” Ravena said.

He called Ateneo’s prophets of doom as “our biggest fans,” but he said the more they hear about their impending demise, the more they are motivated.

“We are using (the criticism) as motivation so hopefully itworks for us.”

There are reports Ravena may play as early as next week, but some sources said he may be available in the second round.

Ateneo has not disclosed the extent of the Ravena’s injury but he will not be around when the Eagles play the Adamson Falcons on Sunday.

The Blue Eagles are on a downward spiral, losing three straight games, the last one coming against arch nemesis La Salle, the same team that lost six straight games to Ateneo before ending the streak last Sunday.

Ravena was again at the bench for the second straight game, wearing a protective boot on his injured right ankle, egging and cajoling his teammates, but the Eagles simply had no firepower left to sustain an early charge and fell, 82-73.

It appeared for a while that the defending five-time champions were poised to finally barge into the winning column after two defeats to start the season.
They led by 12 at halftime and 14 early in the third. But there was no finishing kick.

La Salle center Arnold Van Opstal immediately proclaimed that this season could be their time.
The 6-foot7 Opstal, a Filipino with mixed Ducth-German blood, outplayed Ateneo’s Fil-American Chris Newsome reducing to naught his 27 points. A full-court press apparently did the trick as Ateneo failed to make the adjustment when La Salle adjusted.

But there was no adjustment coming for Ateneo.

“I’m not a believer of adjustments but I always look at the energy level of the players,” said Ateneo coach Bo Perasol. “We led because of our energy but when we lost it was because of energy and that’s what happened.”

Ironically, Ateneo’s third straight defeat was also inflicted by La Salle on July 26, 1997.
“I’m happy that I was able to have a career-high versus La Salle but of course if you look at the bigger picture, a loss is a loss,” said Newsome. “We’re trying to figure little things out before it’s too late.”