Bong & Kiefer Ravena on their shared passion for basketball and ... 80's music?

On September 19, the GMA News TV talk show “Tonight with Arnold Clavio” guested basketball players Bong and Kiefer Ravena, a father and son duo with a shared love for the game. Bong, the father, played football and volleyball before taking to the hardcourt in college. He suited up for the University of the East Red Warriors and was a former National Team member. In his professional career, he won Philippine Basketball Association championships with the Purefoods and Talk N’ Text franchises. His son Kiefer was also part of the RP Under-18 Youth Team and is a member of four-time defending UAAP champions, the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles. In addition to having a basketball shoot-out on the set, the pair talked with host Arnold Clavio about a number of professional and personal topics, including Kiefer’s childhood, their favorite career moments, and their passion for the sport. On growing up Bong: “Siyempre as a father, gusto kong magmana sakin, na basketball player rin [siya]. Sana lang, pero buti naman nahiligan rin. Four years old palang humawak na siya ng basketball. Habang lumalaki siya sinasama ko siya sa games kaya inabot niya akong maglaro. Maliban sa training sa school at sa coaches na iba, meron siyang ‘on the side’ training sa akin. Tuwang tuwa akong makakalaro siya sa varsity at 13 years old, pero at the same time natatakot ako na ang bata-bata pa niya para isabak doon. Natatakot ako kasi ang lalaki ng mga kalaban niya, mga third at fourth year high school na malalaki. Sabi sakin ni Coach Jamike [Jarin], ‘Pwede na ‘yan.’ ‘Sige coach,’ sabi ko, ‘ikaw ang bahala diyan!’” Kief: "Hindi nila ako finorce maglaro, kinahiligan ko rin. Siya pa ang nagsabi sakin na 'wag ma-pressure. Gamitin mo na lang 'yung pressure para pagalingin ka." Who’s the better player? Bong: “Siya na, magaling siya. Nag-evolve na 'yung laro. Siya, marami nang nadadagdag.” Kief: "'Yung mga moves dati halos nakalimutan na ngayon, kaya 'yun ang ginagamit ko. Ngayon, lahat nakatutok sa NBA at 'yun 'yung mga nababantayan nilang moves. So kung ginagawa ko yung moves ngayon, medyo kontra-tiempo sa panahon ngayon. Doon ako nakakalamang kasi halos nakalimutan na." Career milestones Bong: “My rookie year, when I won Rookie of the Year. Noong nag-champion sa Purefoods. Then of course, TNT, where I still work up to now.” Kief: “Masaya kasi 'yung batch ko na umakyat sa UAAP, isa 'yun sa mga pinakamalalakas na batch. Nag-RP Under-18 Team kami at halos nag-UAAP kaming lahat. So nagkita-kita kami ulit after naming maghiwalay sa RP. At least napansin nila ako, ako 'yung isa sa pinakamagaling sa rookie class na ‘yun.” On Kiefer’s famous dunk over UST’s Karim Abdul Kief: “Naagaw ko kung bola at gusto ko na talagang i-dunk tapos nakita ko sa peripheral vision ko na sasabay siya. So tinalon ko nalang 'yung pinakamataas kong talon, siyempre go hard parin. Nagulat lang ako nangyari noon. Sa video ko nalang nakita lahat 'yun.” Bong: “Nagulat ako eh. Naka-steal, tapos akala kong ile-lay up lang na hard; 'di ko inakalang magiging slam. 'Yun kasi medyo delikado [kasi] may contact sa taas. 'Yun 'yung mga iniiwasan kong mangyari. Sadya man o hindi, kasama sa laro eh.” Kiefer’s favorite moment of his father’s career Kief: “Yung 2003 championship niya sa TNT. 'Yun 'yung last playing year niya, sa Cuneta Astrodome siya nilaro. Naka-17 points siya, at kasama pa niya 'yung mga rookies na sina Jimmy Alapag. Papalitan na siya noon eh, pero maganda pa rin 'yung nilaro niya.” What do they enjoy together besides basketball? Kief: “Pareho po kaming flavor ng music, mga old-school 80s.” Bong: “Ako ang nag-introduce sa kanila 'yan.” —Job de Leon/PF, GMA News