High-flying forwards Thirdy Ravena and Jamie Malonzo will be back in the Japan B.League for next season after signing separate deals with different teams just days apart.
Thirdy Ravena Returns to Japan
Widely credited with starting the talent exodus overseas, Thirdy Ravena will be returning to where it all began—the Japan B.League. The 6-foot-2 high-flyer launched his pro career in this very league, signing with the San-En NeoPhoenix and playing with the team for four fruitful seasons. He was at his finest during the 2023-24 season, when he averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steal per game.
Ravena then took a somewhat unexpected detour, signing with Dubai BC in the Europe-based ABA League. However, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle couldn’t crack Dubai’s loaded roster and routinely received either limited playing time or outright DNPs in the two years he was with the team.
Now, Ravena gets a do-over with his return to the Japan B.League by way of the Toyama Grouses for the 2026–27 season.
Jamie Malonzo Gets Second Chance in Japan
Jamie Malonzo’s case is a bit different. While he enjoyed an eventful PBA career highlighted by a championship with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the former La Salle Green Archer shocked fans when he left Ginebra and signed with the Kyoto Hannaryz for the 2025–26 season.
Unlike Ravena, however, the 6-foot-7 Fil-Am forward could not gain traction in the B.League, routinely getting limited minutes and failing to showcase his trademark athleticism and explosiveness. Malonzo played a grand total of five games, averaging less than 15 minutes and putting up meager numbers of 1.2 points and 1.0 rebound. He was eventually cut early in the season, putting his career in limbo as he couldn’t return to the PBA due to the league’s three-year ban.
It turns out Jamie Malonzo doesn’t need a road back to the PBA—at least not yet. He agreed to a one-year deal with Earthfriends Tokyo Z for the 2026–7 B.League season. Tokyo Z will be competing in B.League One, the second division under Japan’s newly reorganized professional basketball structure.
Thirdy Ravena in Old Stomping Grounds, Jamie Malonzo in Virtual Make-or-Break
For Thirdy Ravena, this return to his old stomping grounds in Japan should reinvigorate what had been a stalled career slowed down by limited opportunities with Dubai BC. He will likely get enough playing time off his reputation alone—and it’s arguably a good one after a four-year career marked by consistent production and occasional highlights.
For Jamie Malonzo, signing with Tokyo Z, albeit in a second-tier division, is a second chance to prove he can make it overseas. The physical tools are undeniable. He has size at the forward spot, he is incredibly athletic, and he is a decent enough shooter. The only question now is whether he can earn the trust of his new team to actually showcase what he can do.
Whatever the outcome, Ravena and Malonzo signing fresh deals in Japan is further proof that the Philippines’ basketball talent pipeline remains as robust as ever.
