COMING from a family of basketball players, it wasn't surprising Kiefer Ravena and Kevin Alas ended up trekking a PBA career path.
Coaches Bong Ravena and Louie Alas are one in saying they couldn't recall anything in the past about their respective children having any dream job growing up.
They knew right from the start, basketball will be a way of life for both Kiefer and Kevin, who are currently teammates at NLEX.
"Wala na akong maisip na gusto nitong si Kiefer mula nung bata siya kung hindi mag-basketball lang. Yun lang ang alam niyan, wala na siyang ibang ginawa," said the elder Ravena, coach of TnT Katropa.
Alas, head coach of Phoenix, said for his part, "Wala rin akong matandaan na sinasabi niya (Kevin). Eversince kasi kasama ko na yang mga bata (Alas children) sa lahat ng mga activities ng teams na pinupuntahan ko. So ang inclination talaga nila puro basketball."
Sponsored content:
The Ravenas are a well-known family of athletes. Aside from Bong and Kiefer, there is also Thirdy, the three-time UAAP Finals MVP from Ateneo who is bound to play in the Japan B-League, sister Dani, a member of the Ateneo women's volleyball champion team, and mom Mozzy, a former volleyball player and national team member out of University of Santo Tomas.
The Alas is another big family of athletes. Outside of Louie and Kevin, brothers JunJun, Kenneth, and Kiefer are also into basketball either as coach or player.
It's no wonder, both Kiefer and Kevin ended up having sports for a living.
"Ni play station or whatever, hindi siya lumaki sa ganun," said Ravena, a former PBA player and 1992 Rookie of the Year, of his son. "Talagang bola lang yung hawak. Yun lang ang nagustuhan niya. The rest, hindi ko na ma-imagine kung ano pa ang gusto nito."
The younger Ravena, who's other fond while growing up is watching Barney TV show, corroborated everything his father said during the special Father's Day episode of PBA Kamustahan.
Sponsored content:
"Totoo yun, kaya nga sabi ko kapag hindi tayo naging basketball player, bum ang tapos nito," said the NLEX guard with a laugh. "Tambay ang tapos nito."
Alas said he's not against Kevin - and the rest of his children - pursuing a basketball career, but on one condition.
"Basta ang alam ko dapat, magtatapos sila ng pag-aaral," said the elder Alas, also a former player, who unfortunately, failed to suit up in the PBA due to an ACL injury after being drafted by Purefoods in 1990.
"Mag-aral kayo, but at the same time, naglalaro sila. Kaya ayun student-athletes sila."
Another father-and-son basketball tandem in coach Boycie Zamar and son Paul Zamar, both of San Miguel Beer, also appeared in the 30-minute weekly podcast.(RG)
