Mighty Sports starts Dubai campaign

MANILA, Philippines — Mighty Sports-Philippines vs UAEMighty Sports-Philippines faces a baptism of fire right on opening day of the 31st Dubai International Basketball Tournament as it tangles with the UAE national team today at the Al Shabab Al Ahli Sports Club. 

Tip-off is at 7 p.m. (11 p.m. Manila time) with the Philippine bet eyeing a strong start to its mission to become the first non-Middle Eastern team to win the annual invitational tilt among the best Asian ball clubs. 

With ex-Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Andray Blatche and veteran import Renaldo Balkman leading the roster at his disposal, coach Charles Tiu is hopeful they can improve on their bronze-medal finish the last time.

“I think it’s gonna be fun. I think I’m gonna enjoy this team,” he said on his rejigged team that also includes rising stars Thirdy Ravena, Isaac Go and Dave Ildefonso. “Hopefully, we learned our lessons from our mistakes last year.” 

Angola national mentor Will Voigt backstops Tiu in a bid to follow up Mighty Sports’ title conquest in the last Williams Jones Cup in Taipei.

Also in Tiu’s squad are young guns Jaime Malonzo, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, Jarrell Lim, Joaqui Manuel and Mikey Williams, seasoned cagers Gab Babal, Joseph Yeo and Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga, and two other imports in Jelan Kendrick and McKenzie Moore.

After the UAE Nationals, Mighty Sports will test the mettle of Syria’s Al Itihad tomorrow and Tunisia’s Rades on Jan. 26 before wrapping its Group B assignments against Lebanon’s Beirut Sports Club on Jan. 27. 

The top two from Group B advance to the semis against the top two from Group A which has Lebanon’s Al Riyadi and Hoops Club, Syria’s Al Wathba, Egypt’s Alexandria and American University School of Dubai.