Mighty sports winalis ang torneo para angkinin ang Dubai crown
MANILA, Philippines — Gumawa ng kasaysayan ang Mighty Sports Philippines matapos tanggalan ng korona ang Al Riyadi, 92-81, para angkinin ang titulo ng 2020 Dubai International Basketball Championship kahapon (Manila time) sa Shabab Al Ahli Club.
Winalis ng tropa ni head coach Charles Tiu ang kompetisyon sa 6-0 record.
Ang Mighty Sports ang naging kauna-unahang non-Middle Eastern team na naghari sa nasabing Dubai meet.
Sinabi nina Bong Cuevas ng Creative Pacific Group na siyang major sponsor at Mighty Sports owner Alex at Ceasar Wongchungking na ang panalo ng tropa ay kanilang inihahandog sa mga Pinoy lalung-lalo na sa mga OFW sa Dubai.
“We made history and became the first non-Middle Eastern team to win the Dubai tilt. Mighty Sports team is very happy to be performing well and all these games, we dedicated it to our hardworking kababayan in the UAE,” sabi ni Cuevas kasama si Wongchungking.
Pinamunuan nina naturalized player Andray Blatche at ex-PBA import Renaldo Balkman ang nasabing dominasyon ng Mighty Sports sa torneo.
Nakahugot din ng kontribusyon ang Mighty Sports mula kina Thirdy Ravena at Isaac Go ng Ateneo de Manila University, Dave Ildefonso ng National University, ang magkapatid na Juan at Javi Gomez de Liaño ng University of the Philippines, MPBL standout Gab Banal, Mikey Reyes at Julian Malonso ng De La Salle University.
“Magandang experience ito sa mga bata nating manlalaro lalo na at napaka-physical ng naging torneo,” sabi ni Cuevas.
“Naging maganda rin itong panoorin ng ating mga Pinoy fans sa Dubai. We also have the most able and one of the youngest coaches in the Philippines, Charles Tiu,” dagdag pa nito.
Ang Pilipinas lamang, ayon pa kay Cuevas, ang tanging koponan sa Asya, na naimbitahan sa nasabing 31st Dubai Basketball championship 2020.
Sumabak sa torneo ang mga bigating Middle East teams na Lebanon, ang naghari noong 2019, at ang UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco at Syria.
“Every night many Filipinos are watching the games. Nakarating tayo sa finals against the strongest team in Lebanon, sila ang champion last year and champion of the Lebanese professional league and supported by three American imports, underdog tayo because they are much bigger and stronger and most teams are composed of their national squads,” pagtatapos ni Cuevas.
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