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.