Dubai Basketball’s Thirdy Ravena cannot wait to play in front of his Filipino fans when the club opens their inaugural ABA League season at Coca-Cola Arena this Sunday.
The 27-year-old is part of a strong 13-man roster, led by former NBA star, Davis Bertans, who are set to play their season-opener against reigning champions Red Star on Sunday 22nd September at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai. Single game tickets and season tickets are now available to watch Dubai Basketball, live in action.
With the UAE home to a large Filipino community, the Shooting Guard says the opportunity of representing his country is one that he’s looking forward to.
He said: “When I first played in Dubai a few years ago, I was surprised to see how many Filipinos were living here. With so many Filipinos in the UAE, it will motivate me more and hopefully they will come to our games. Their presence will really make it feel like our home games.
“Just to be able to call Dubai my home for the next year is a really big thing. It means a lot to me and I always like a challenge. It’s nice to be part of a team that has very accomplished players and some of whom have been my idols growing up. Being able to represent not only myself but the Philippines and Asian region, and of course Dubai means a lot.”
While he has set his sights on helping the team achieve success in their debut season, Ravena is determined to inspire the next generation every time he takes to the court.
He added: “Of course, we want to win as many games as possible and win for Dubai and the UAE. One of the big goals is to leave a legacy. If I’m able to inspire one player to try and be the best version of themselves, I guess that is the biggest accomplishment that I could ever have.”
Tickets are now available to experience Dubai Basketball in action. Game tickets start from AED 75 while season tickets begin from AED 1,750 which includes reserved seating for all 15 regular season home games. Season tickets also include meet and greet opportunities with players, priority and venue fast track entry and exclusive pre-sale opportunities for live concerts at Coca-Cola Arena.