BY REY C. LACHICA
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Charismatic import Justin Brownlee is hurting and this may hurt Mighty Sports’ title bid in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship, too.
Though x-ray result showed no ligament tear on his left knee after falling badly twice in the team’s scary 85-81 win over a rugged Syrian club Al Wahda club on Tuesday night, coach Charles Tiu said Brownlee’s condition is day-to-day due to slight swelling.
Good thing for Brownlee, the team takes another break on Wednesday with Tiu and the rest of Mighty Sports, including owners Alex and Caesar Wingchuking praying the resident Ginebra import can recover fast in time for Thursday’s quarterfinal match with either against Morocco’s Sale or Iraq’s Oil Sports Club.
“Halftime pa lang he was already feeling a lot of pain. In the second half, at one point, he was already feeling dizzy,” said Tiu of his prized import who finished with 27 points and 9 boards.
“It’s going to be a game day decision,” said Tiu when asked if he will let Brownlee play in the quarters as the team vowed to make it to the semis after a forgettable one-win showing two years ago.
Mighty Sports team coordinator and Dubai’s Philippine Expats Basketball Club chairman Edwin Daeng said Mighty’s gutsy showing spread like wildfire that he received so many invitations from various groups ready to treat the team to either a lunch or dinner.
And prayers, too.
“The expats here in Dubai are also praying that Brownlee could play in the playoff stages and the team will win the championship this time,” said Daeng, who is being helped out by Jeremy Paul de Jesus of PEP Express Cargo and Ryan Palad of Majaz Basketball League in taking care of the needs of the team.
“Daming invitations sa kanila but I have to ask the Mighty Sports management first,” said Deang.
