Mighty Sports still winless in Dubai
PHILIPPINE team Mighty Sports absorbed its second defeat in as many games at the ongoing 28th Dubai International Basketball Championship, losing to the Egyptian national team, 84-82, early yesterday morning.
Saw itself buried in a hole in the third period, Mighty Sports rallied back but narrowly missed salvaging the win that sent it slumping for a second straight time in the competition being held at the United Arab Emirates.
In its first game on Saturday, the Philippine team loss to Sale of Morocco, 83-75.
Mighty Sports fell early in the contest, 8-2, before going on an 11-1 run to overtake the Egyptian team, behind Barangay Ginebra champion import Justin Brownlee, University Athletic Association of the Philippines standout Kiefer Ravena, and former National Basketball Association campaigner Hasheem Thabeet, which it used to take hold of the first quarter, 22-19.
Egypt though would explode in the second quarter behind the threepointer, en route to outscoring Mighty Sport, 26-11, to seize the advantage, 45-33, at halftime.
Mighty Sports came out aggressive in the third period, going on a 7-2 blitz to narrow its deficit, 47-40, in the first four minutes of the canto only for Egypt to counter with an 11-0 blast to extend its lead to its highest of 18 points, 58-40. But the Philippine side got back some ground as the quarter ended to stay close at 60-48.
Charles Tiu- coached Mighty Sports continued to chip away on Egypt’s lead in the fourth period, coming within five points with a little over a minute left.
Mr. Brownlee would hit a triple with 44 seconds to go in the match to further tow his team closer but Mr. Ravena was called for a foul on Youssef Aboushousha with 28 ticks left which the Egyptian converted to two made free throws to give his team more breathing space.
Mr. Ravena got back the two points they surrendered by hitting two free throws of his own after but Amro Abdelhalim made it a four-point lead for Egypt anew, 84-80.
The former Ateneo King Eagle Ravena hit another quick basket with 7.9 seconds left to bring Egypt’s lead down to two, 84-82. The Philippine side fouled immediately with six seconds left, sending Mr. Aboushousha to the line, which he muffed both times.
Mr. Brownlee secured the ensuing rebound then threw a pass to Mr. Ravena for a potential game-winning triple but the latter failed to connect as time expired.
Moatazpellah Okasha top-scored for Egypt with 24 points followed by Mr. Abdelhalim with 20.
Mr. Brownlee was the high point man for Mighty Sports with 27 points while Mr. Ravena had 10 points.
Despite the loss, Mr. Tiu said he is “proud of the team” for the effort it showed despite being down big at one point of the game and that he hopes they get to bounce back in the next game against Sagesse of Lebanon early morning today.
The Dubai International Basketball Championship happens until Feb. 26 (Manila time).
Apart from Messrs. Brownlee, Ravena and Thabeet, also part of the Mighty Sport team are Jeron Teng, Dominic McGuire, Beau Belga, Gary David, JC Intal, Marcus Douthit, Chris Tiu, Willie Miller and Ryan Araña. —