Ravena, Et. Al, Fight to a Draw in Fastbreak Sequel

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Kiefer Ravena's Blue Team and Matt Ganuelas' Red Team battled to a 71-71 stalemate in the second Fastbreak Charity Game at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.

The charity game, which also featured Gilas Cadet players and celebrities, aimed to collect a huge amount of money to be given to the victims of the super typhoon Yolanda earlier in the month.

Among those also present in the game were Kiefer's younger brother Thirdy, cousin Byron Villarias of JRU, Ateneo teammates Chris Newsome, Von Pessumal, and Nico Elorde, and Gilas comrades Garvo Lanete, Jake Pascual, Ray-Ray Parks, and Kevin Alas.

Some of the celebrities present were GMA's Jose Manalo, Chris Tiu, Rocco Nacino, Ervic Vijandre, and Cesar Montano, TV 5's hunk Derek Ramsay, and ABSCBN's Gerald Anderson, Billy Crawford, Young JV Kapunan, Xian Lim, and Vhong Navarro. Tiu opted to sit out the game.

The event started with a mass then followed by a dance number from the The Company of Ateneo Dancers. The Ashley Gosengfiao-led Midnight Meetings and Handsome also performed.

The game came to a halt early on as Ganuelas threw down an alley-oop slam off an Elorde feed that literally destroyed the rim.

The match continued after the rim was replaced. Eat Bulaga's Manalo continued to provide the laughs just like the very first staging of the game, while rival show Showtime's Crawford and Navarro mixed some dance moves to their ball handling chores.

Also providing laughs was Barako Bull Energy Cola star Willie Miller, who served as the courtside announcer.

The second half became more of a slam dunk exhibition as Thirdy, Parks, Newsome, and Ganuelas showed their hops, but not without some late comedy as Manalo flopped to appear like he got hurt badly and was stretchered to the bench only to return to the court as if nothing happened, which was actually the case.

The game did not go into overtime as Kiefer, Matt, Ray-Ray, Gabo, Jake, and Kevin had to rush to the Gilas practice later in the night.

The younger Ravena led the blue team with 18 points and six rebounds. Aside from the comedic acts, Manalo showed he can also play good basketball as he added nine, six, five assists, and two steals.

For the red team, Pessumal led the scorers with 11 points, all but two, on a layup, via three-pointers. Ganuelas and Nacino each added nine.

Also, a halftime free throw shootout with volleyball stars Gretchen Ho, Alyssa Valdez, Rachel Anne Daquis, Jen Reyes, Ella De Jesus, Melissa Gohing, and Michele Gumabao being partnered with the basketball game players took place, and the pair of Ho and Navarro and the pair of Daquis and Ramsay won the contest.

Kiefer, who was the lead organizer of the event, said that as of Wednesday, he and his organizing team were able to collect PHP800 thousand, and they are hopeful that they reached a million by gameday. The proceeds will go directly to the Yolanda victims in Visayas.

Fastbreak 2 was the sequel to the charity game Ateneo's "King Eagle" also organized last year. It was also for typhoon victims as the people affected by typhoon Sendong in Mindanao were the beneficiaries of the proceeds.

Boxscores:

Blue 71-T. Ravena 18, Manalo 9, Navarro 7, Newsome 6, Lim 6, Pelayo 6, Crawford 4, Pascual 4, Montano 3, K. Ravena 3, Salas 3, Alandy 2, Ramsay 0, De Jesus 0, Lanete 0, Amer 0

Red 71-Pessumal 11, Ganuelas 9, Nacino 9, Gonzalez 7, Anderson 6, Salas 5, Alcaraz 4, Parks 4, Alas 4, Lunas 4, Vijandre 4, Elorde 2, Villarias 2, Hall 0, Kapunan 0, Vargas 0

Quarterscores: 11-17, 32-30, 48-50, 71-71


Contributed by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno