Mighty Sports sweeps way to Dubai championship against Al Riyadi

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Mighty Sports Philippines became the first team to conquer the Dubai International Basketball Championships outside the Middle East.

Trouncing the powerhouse Lebanon squad Al Riyadi, 92-81, the PH based squad sported an undefeated record on their way to grabbing the championship trophy.

It was the usual combo of super-duo Renaldo Balkman and Andray Blatche that buoyed the PH squad to the win, combining for a staggering 46-point performance, 25 and 21 respectively.

Mikey Williams also had another strong game contributing 13 points including two three-pointers that effectively shut the door on Riyadi making a run.

The collective effort from the youngsters of the Mighty squad including Thirdy Ravena, Jamie Malonzo, and Isaac Go also provided the much-needed stability off the bench.

With the victory, the men in blue and white will go home as the most dominant team to ever set foot in the Dubai tourney with a 7-0 record.