Kelvin dela Peña
Quick Facts
Biography
Kelvin Charles Chicote dela Peña (born January 19, 1984 Makati, Philippines) is a Filipino-Canadian professional basketball athlete who played shooting guard for the Alaska Aces of the PBA, the San Miguel Beermen of the ASEAN Basketball League and Calgary Crush of the ABA.
Early life
Dela Peña is the youngest son of Susan Chicote-dela Peña and of former Mapuan / San Miguel PBA athlete Ricardo dela Peña, and brother to Richard dela Peña, who also has an accomplished background in basketball.
Dela Peña was raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where he began his basketball career and suited up for Mount Royal University Cougars. He was named in the All-Canadian team at age of 17 and decided to pursue a career as a professional basketball athlete in the Philippines at age of 20.
National Collegiate Athletic Association
As a college athlete in the Philippines, dela Peña played four seasons with the NCAA's Mapúa Institute of Technology team, and Philippine Basketball League as well as was a member of the RP team. In his four seasons as a Mapua Cardinal, he was awarded NCAA Season 81 Rookie of the Year, NCAA Season 83 Most Valuable Player, NCAA Season 83 Mythical Five and took the Cardinals to their final four stints all four of his college years earning him the titles of "King Cardinal" and "The Comeback Kid". Towards the final weeks before finishing his senior season of NCAA 84, dela Peña began to suffer from back spasms and played through the pain to assure that the Cardinals qualified in the final four.
Professional career
Kelvin dela Peña was drafted 15th overall in the second round in the PBA draft and suited up for the Alaska Aces of the Philippine Basketball Association from 2008-2010. Shortly after being drafted, he suffered from three herniated discs in his lower back and a pinched sciatic nerve and was given limited time on the court. After his two years with the Aces, he took a year off to recover. In September 2011, dela Peña became a member of the San Miguel Beermen of the ASEAN Basketball League. He is currently playing basketball in his home town of Calgary Canada for the Calgary Crush; the only Western Canadian team in the American Basketball Association .