Blatche boosts Mighty Sports 5

MANILA, Philippines — Andray Blatche will again don a Phl jersey, reinforcing Mighty Sports-Philippines in the coming 31st Dubai International Basketball Tournament.

In a serious bid to do good in the Dubai meet, Mighty Sports has also tapped rising star Dave Ildefonso to bolster the team under coach Charles Tiu.

Blatche and Ildefonso will be joining Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano and Filipino teen sensation Kai Sotto in the initial Mighty Sports cast.

This will mark the return of Blatche after bannering the Gilas Pilipinas squad that finished at the bottom of the 32-nation FIBA World Cup last September in China. 

Blatche, who had served as Gilas’ naturalized player since 2014, is expected to provide experience and middle presence for the young Mighty Sports squad backed by eMedsure and Go For Gold. 

Ildefonso, on the other hand, could well provide the energy both on the defensive and the offensive sides.

Aside from the experience, Blatche is also out to prove that he still packs a punch after a so-so showing in the last world meet where he logged in mere averages of 15.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.4 steals.

In the 2014 FIBA World Cup  in Spain, Blatche served as the catalyst in Team Phl’s tough stands against Greece, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Croatia and Senegal.