With Justin Brownlee still hurting, Mighty Sports needs to bring its game to another level when it battles Oil Sports Club of Iraq in the quarterfinal round of the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship Friday morning (Manila time) at the Shabab Al Ahli Club in Dubai.
Coach Charles Tiu and co-team owner Caesar Wongchuking will decide an hour before their 1:00am showdown with the Iraqis if they will let the charismatic import play.
“He said he can play but we won’t force him,” said Wongchuking.
Though Brownlee has taken the relievers needed to ease the pain there’s still a slight swelling on his left knee – a result of a bad fall following a hard collision with a rugged Al Wahda defender in the team’s 85-81 win last Tuesday.
Tiu hopes to use Brownlee’s condition as the team’s extra motivation to go deep this time after a forgettable showing two years ago.
Mighty Sports won only once in seven games in its maiden campaign in the annual tournament two years ago. That is why the marching orders from co-team owner Alex Wongchuking is to reach the Final Four this time.
For the team to advance to the next round American Randolph Morris, who is averaging close to 23 points, and the troika of Fil-Ams Jason Brickman, Roosevelt Adams, and Jeremiah Gray should deliver the numbers expected from them.
