By Rey C. Lachica
Game Friday
(Shabab Al Ahli Club, Dubai)
11 p.m. – America Univ. vs Mighty Sports
DUBAI – After eight days of frenetic preparation, Philippine-Mighty Sports hopes to launch its title campaign in grand fashion when it tangles with American University Friday night in the opening of the 30thDubai International Basketball Championship at the Shabab Al Ahli Club here.
Nobody knows about the kind of players American University has but some Filipino migrants in this charming capital city of oil-rich nation are convinced Mighty Sports is going to win by a mile.
But whether they are strong or lemons, Mighty Sports coach Charles Tiu declared a no-holds-barred attack in their 11 p,m, (Manila time) encounter to achieve his initial goal – put the team in an offensive rhythm.
“Whoever they are, we will still play as hard as we can. We don’t have an idea about their strengths and weaknesses so they are still a puzzle to us,” said the younger brother of retired Rain or Shine star Chris Tiu.
“Still they are Americans, we know their culture when it comes to basketball,” said co-team owner Alex Wongchuking. “We have to take them in business-like manner so we can start our campaign on a winning note.”
Good thing for Mighty Sports which is backed by SMDC, Go For Gold, Oriental Group and Healthcube it landed in a “lighter” Group B along with Lebanon’s Homenetmen, Syria’s Al Wahda and the national team of the host country
Wongchuking believed that being bracketed in lighter group means a step in the right direction as they bid to put the ugly memory of 2017 behind.
In the team’s maiden foray in the annual tournament, it could only produce one win in seven matches.
Making up Group A are Lebanon’s Al Riyadi and Sports Club of Beirut, Sala of Morroco, Jordan national team and Iraq’s Al Nift.
Led by former LA Lakers star Lamar Odom, Justin Brownlee, Chinese league veteran Randolp Morris and a pair of exciting combo guards in Jason Brickman and Juan Gomez de Lianno, Mighty Sports faces UAE on Saturday and Homenetmen on Sunday before taking a rest on Monday.
Capping its elimination campaign is a duel with Al Wahda – a team likely to give Tiu and company a big headache.
The top four finishers in each group clash in a crossover quarterfinal round on Thursday with the winners advancing to Friday’s semis round which is a knockout affair.
“It we can top our group elims then we will have a greater chance to play in the semis,” said Tiu.
