Sports PH News | JS DEV Site

Tag: Thirdy Ravena

  • Japan beckons again as Dwight Ramos stays with Levanga, Thirdy Ravena returns to B.League 

    Japan beckons again as Dwight Ramos stays with Levanga, Thirdy Ravena returns to B.League 

    The Philippines’ growing footprint in Japan’s B.League will become even stronger next season, with Dwight Ramos choosing continuity in Hokkaido while Thirdy Ravena secures a return to familiar territory.


    Levanga Hokkaido announced that Ramos has signed a new contract, ensuring the Gilas Pilipinas guard will remain with the club for another campaign after becoming one of its cornerstone players since joining in 2022.

     

    “I want to thank Levanga for bringing me back for another season. I’m very excited to be coming back and continue to grow with the team,” Ramos said in a statement.

     

    “We had a lot of success in our last season and because of that I want to experience more with the team and get a step farther this season in the playoffs and shoot for a championship. Thank you everyone for your support always.”

     

    Ramos first entered the B.League with the Toyama Grouses before moving to Levanga, where he has steadily developed into one of the team’s most reliable contributors.

     

    OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.


    His return comes after Hokkaido posted a 37-23 record last season, narrowly falling short of a playoff berth. Levanga finished four games behind Alvark Tokyo, which claimed the final quarterfinal spot with a 41-19 record.

     

    The organization believes Ramos still has another level to reach.

     

    “Last season, he was one of the key players supporting the team’s success and contributing to our victories, but his potential is far greater than what we’ve seen so far,” said Levanga general manager Ryota Sakurai.

     

    Ramos’ extension also sets the stage for his return to Manila in September, when Levanga Hokkaido takes part in the B.League Manila Games. He is expected to face fellow Gilas standout AJ Edu and the Gunma Crane Thunders in a preseason matchup at the Mall of Asia Arena.

     

    While Ramos opted to continue his journey with the same club, Thirdy Ravena will be writing a new chapter after the Toyama Grouses officially welcomed him back to Japan.

     

    The former Ateneo standout returns to the B.League after spending the 2024-2025 season in the ABA League with Dubai, where he appeared in 18 games and saw limited playing time.

     

    “I’m excited to come back to Japan and play my best for the Grouses this season,” Ravena said in the team’s announcement, while also posting on Instagram. “Back in the Land.”

     

    The move fulfills the goal Ravena openly shared during the recent B.League Final Week in Manila, where he spoke about wanting another opportunity to compete in Japan.

     

    “Japan B.League has been my first professional league and they’ve always welcomed me with open arms, they’ve treated me like family since the first day I got there so I’d love to play in the B.League once again,” he said then.

     

    His signing with Toyama officially makes that return a reality.

     

    The Ravena brothers will also have another representative in the B.League next season, with older brother Kiefer Ravena beginning his stint with the Ryukyu Golden Kings after an impressive campaign with the Yokohama B-Corsairs.

     

    With Ramos remaining in Hokkaido, Thirdy making his comeback, and Kiefer starting fresh in Ryukyu, Filipino talent will once again have a prominent presence across Japan’s top professional basketball league.

     

    👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports PH News today and join the community of passionate sports fans.

  • From Mother to Champion: The Women behind some of PH sports’ biggest stars 

    From Mother to Champion: The Women behind some of PH sports’ biggest stars 

    Before the medals, championships, and international recognition, many of the Philippines’ biggest sports stars first grew up watching greatness at home.

     

    This Mother’s Day, the spotlight shifts to the athlete-mothers whose own journeys in sports helped shape the careers — and mindsets — of the next generation.

     

    For some families, excellence was inherited through discipline. For others, it was built through years of courtside support, shared training sessions, and sacrifices away from the spotlight.

    Long before Stephanie Mercado became one of the country’s top volleyball players, her mother Lydia de Vega had already become one of Philippine sports’ most iconic figures.

     

    Known as Asia’s sprint queen during the 1980s, Lydia dominated regional athletics competitions and represented the Philippines in two Olympic Games before eventually raising a family while continuing her decorated career.

     

    Stephanie later carved out her own legacy in volleyball, helping the De La Salle Lady Spikers win multiple UAAP championships before transitioning into broadcasting.

     

    Despite Lydia’s fierce reputation as a competitor, Stephanie remembered her most as a devoted parent.

     

    “Our mom was a super disciplinarian, but her love for us was incomparable,” Stephanie said in 2022.

     

    In tennis, Alex Eala inherited not only athletic ability but also the experience of having a mother who once represented the country herself.

     

    Before becoming one of the top-ranked Filipina tennis players in the world, Alex grew up under the guidance of former national swimmer Rizza Maniego-Eala, who won a bronze medal in the 1985 Southeast Asian Games.

     

    Today, Rizza and husband Mike are familiar faces at Alex’s tournaments around the world as the young Filipina star continues her rise on the global stage.

     

    “I want to thank her for being the amazing woman that she is and for helping me become the woman that I am,” Alex said in tribute to her mother during International Women’s Day earlier this year.

     

    OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

    For the Ravena family, sports became a way of life.

     

    While much attention has gone to former PBA player Bong Ravena, it was also their mother Mozzy Ravena — a former standout for the UST Golden Tigresses — who helped shape the competitive environment that produced Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, and Dani Ravena.

     

    As all three children pursued high-level sports careers, Mozzy embraced the demanding role of being both parent and constant supporter.

     

    “It’s difficult but enjoyable,” Mozzy shared in a past interview. “It’s physically hard, especially if you have a job, you need to find time to watch their games. But the reward makes up for the exhaustion.”

     

    Meanwhile, triathlon rising star Kira Ellis practically grew up inside the sport.

     

    Her mother Doray Ellis, alongside husband Mark, immersed their daughter in the triathlon lifestyle from an early age — a foundation that eventually helped Kira become one of the country’s brightest young endurance athletes.

     

    “We’re really addicted to the sport,” Doray said in a podcast interview. “Kira was born into triathlon. I was doing triathlon when she was conceived and everything.”

     

    “Growing up she would see us, train, race, go up to the podium,” Doray added. “She really grew up seeing triathlon as part of our day-to-day life.”

     

    For these families, talent may have opened the door, but it was the example set by their mothers that helped sustain the journey.

     

    And long before their children became stars themselves, these women had already shown them what dedication, sacrifice, and love for sport truly looked like.

     

    Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

    📌  Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and be part of a growing community of passionate basketball fans!