DUBAI – Mighty Sports-Philippines played minus Kiefer Ravena but the absence of the country’s amateur standout turned out to be a motivations of sorts as it gave Lebanon’s Al Riyadi a huge scare before losing its fifth straight game in the 28th Dubai International Basketball Championship late Wednesday at the Al Ahli Indoor Stadium here.
With Chris Tiu finally getting his offensive rhythm and Justine Brownlee doing almost everything on the floor for Mighty Sports, Al Riyadi needed the heroics of Serbian import Branco Cvetkovic in the extra five minutes before eking out a 100-95 win.
The 6-foot-6 Cvetkovic put on a virtual one-man show for one of Lebanon’s premier clubs as he scored 13 of his team-high 23 points in overtime, including his 6th triple of the game that gave them a safe 97-93 lead with 30 ticks left.
Mighty Sports had chances to trim Al Riyadi’s lead but it turned the ball over twice and the pre-dominantly Filipino crowd – tormented by the pain of another lost opportunity – almost cried in anguish.
The win enabled Al Riyadi to complete a six-game sweep of the elims with Mighty Sports hoping – and praying also – that it will hurdle its last game against local side Ball Above All.
Backed by Rain or Shine and Scratch it, Mighty Sports and Ball Above All were playing at presstime with Tiu and company vowing to give their all for the Filipino community here.
“We know it’s hard for them to see us losing games so we will do everything we can to make them happy tomorrow,” said Tiu, who finished with 11 points, including three pressure-packed charities with no time left after to force the overtime.
From being the center of attraction, the US-trained Ravena became the team’s cheerleader after he fractured his hand in the team’s 100-93 defeat to Homenetmen of Lebanon last Tuesday.
Scores:
AL RIYADI 100 – Cvetkovic 23, Aminu 22, Haidar 16, Ismail 14, Saoud 10, Zaloum 4, Arakji 4, samaha 4, Abd 3.
MIGHTY SPORTS 95 – Brownlee 27, Thabeet 16, McGuire 14, Tiu 11, Miller 8, David 7, Arana 5, Teng 4, Belga 3, Douthit 0, Manuel 0, Intal 0.
Quarters: 23-22; 36-45; 62-60; 80-80 (reg.); 100-95. (REY LACHICA)