Thirdy Ravena faces ex-NBA players in year's first game with NeoPhoenix

MANILA, Philippines — San-En NeoPhoenix's Thirdy Ravena will go head-to-head with former NBA players in their first game of the year against the Sun Rockers Shibuya Saturday.

Ravena and the rest of NeoPhoenix, who hope to bounce back after ending 2020 with two straight losses, will need to overcome Shibuya reinforcements and former NBA players Ryan Kelly and James Michael McAdoo.

Kelly played three years for the Los Angeles Lakers after being drafted 48th overall in the 2013 NBA draft. He then moved to the Atlanta Hawks in the 2016-17 season.

He has since been playing for teams overseas and has been with the Sun Rockers since 2018.

Meanwhile, McAdoo is a two-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors in 2015 and 2017.

McAdoo last played in the NBA in the 2017-18 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He joined the Shibuya squad just last year.

NeoPhoenix is currently 18th in the Japan B. League standings with a 5-20 slate, while Shibuya is fifth with 17 wins and only eight losses.

Ravena and San-En hope to come out with twin wins against Shibuya this weekend. Their first game tips off today at 4:05 p.m. Philippine time.

The second game of their back-to-back is set at 1:05 p.m. Philippine time tomorrow, January 3.