When the Japan B. League introduced the Asian Player Quota in 2020, it would change not only Japanese basketball but also the landscape of Philippine basketball as well.

Thirdy Ravena, who was then coming off a historic three-peat with Ateneo de Manila University in Season 82 of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), made history when he signed with San-En NeoPhoenix and became the first Asian Player import in what was then a five-year-old league.

While most Pinoy fans did not expect the move, Marvin Espiritu, Ravena’s agent, said it was already set in motion months before everybody felt the pinch of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic 

“They were asking me who they should get. In my opinion, the best player available at that time was Thirdy. We have to remember that he is coming off his final year at Ateneo with a championship,” Espiritu told DAILY TRIBUNE in an interview.

“The deal happened late in 2019. It was during the time when the SEA (Southeast Asian) Games were happening in the country.”

“To cut the long story short, San-En signed him and the rest is history.”

After Ravena’s big move, collegiate stars such as Carl Tamayo, Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño, Francis Lopez and Justine Baltazar followed instead of the usual route of signing up for the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Annual Rookie Draft.

Even PBA stars Ray Parks, Kiefer Ravena, Robert Bolick and Matthew Wright couldn’t resist the allure of the B.League and made the move as well.

Kai Sotto, the 7-foot-3 sensation, even tested his mettle in the Land of the Rising Sun despite playing in Australia with the Adelaide 36ers.

Espiritu recalled how Kiefer’s move with the Shiga Lakes went down as he was still under contract with NLEX at the time.

“An offer came to Kiefer,” Espiritu said. “We met somewhere in White Plains and saw the deal. It was an offer he couldn’t turn down due to how big it was.”

“We’re still in a pandemic back then and I think criticizing the PBA at that time was unfair because the league was just protecting the welfare of its players.”

The Filipinos went on to slowly become regular fixtures in the B.League with Tamayo leading the Ryukyu Golden Kings to a title in 2023.

Even with the prospect of competing in Japan, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive director Erika Dy said having players leave overseas won’t affect the PBA. After all, Baltazar and the Gomez de Liaño brothers are now in the PBA after their respective B.League stints.

“The PBA won’t die. Believe me, the heart of Filipinos is still there for the PBA. I believe in that,” Dy said.

“The PBA has been there for 50 years. They’re celebrating their 50th anniversary now. I don’t think it will hurt them that the players are leaving.”

Ravena’s bold move to San-En only showed that while the PBA is an ultimate option, there are still places where Filipinos can shine in basketball.

And sometimes, it is where the sun rises.