Mighty Sports

Mighty Sports
Leagues	PCBL (2016)
Team colors
Team manager	Jean Alabanza
Head coach	Charles Tiu
Ownership	Mighty Sports Apparel and Accessories
Championships	Republica Cup: 3 (2013, 2014, 2016) William Jones Cup: 1 (2016)
Website	www.mightysports.ph

Mighty Sports is a basketball team based in the Philippines and currently playing in the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League (PCBL). The team won three championships in the Republica Cup in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

The team represented the Philippines when they participated in the 2016 William Jones Cup in Taiwan, their first international tournament which they won with a sweep of tournament.^[1]

Profile

Republica Cup

Mighty Sports became first known to basketball fans in minor basketball leagues such as the Republica Cup (an invitational basketball tournament held in Malolos, Bulacan as part of the commemoration of the First Philippine Republic, known as the Malolos Convention). It also sponsored the Adamson Falcons men's basketball team and the Bulacan State University Golden Gears men's basketball team in the Filsports Basketball Association, and the Philippine Dragon Boat Team.

In 2014, the team, led by former PBA player Kenneth Duremdes and Kris Rosales, bagged the second Republica Cup title, after winning the finals game against Malolos Republica, 86–84.^[2] One year later, the team did not make it to the finals after losing the semifinals match against AMA University.

On February 4, 2016, Mighty Sports, now-led by former UAAP MVP Kiefer Ravena, successfully reclaimed the Republica Cup championship, beating Hobe Mackway Travel in the finals game, 85–82. In addition, Bright Akhuetie was named as the Tournament MVP.^[3]

Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League

On March 2016, the team joined the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League. Historically, this is the first entry into a major basketball league. Ravena, a 2016 PBA draft prospect, together with Ty Tang, who came out of retirement in the Philippine Basketball Association, and import Bright Akhuetie are some of the players who retained in the team's line-up for the Champion's Cup.^[4][5]

Mighty Sports also appointed Bo Perasol as team consultant, Mike Fermin as head coach and Charles Tiu as assistant coach of the team, which is one of the two new teams that competed in the 2016 PCBL Chairman's Cup, alongside SCTEX Road Warriors.^[6][7]

On its first game, Mighty Sports completes an upset victory against Founder's Cup champion Jumbo Plastic Linoleum Giants, 79–70 in the opening day of Champion's Cup on March 6, 2016. Ravena led the team's campaign with 16 points.^[8]

William Jones Cup

The team represented the Philippines in the 2016 William Jones Cup, with 7 foreign reinforcements leading the team, in lieu of the Gilas Cadets who were not available for playing.^[9][10] They beat team A of host nation Taiwan, who were fielding a second team, on their opening match.^[11] They then beat the South Korea national team on their second match.^[12] They won their third match against the US team Sacramento State Hornets.^[13] They beat Japan on their fourth by a blowout of 21 points.^[14] They faced the Indian national team on their fifth match and won by a 20 points margin to remain the only unbeaten team as of the 6th day of the tournament.^[15] They cemented the tournament's title by beating Iran on their 6th match.^[16] Mighty Sports continued their winning streak by beating Egypt in their seventh match and swept the entire competition beating Taiwanese Team B.^[17]

Merlion Cup

Singapore's Merlion Cup Tournament was revived in 2016 and the Mighty Sports were invited as the Philippines' representative. They beat the Seoul Samsung Thunders on their opening match.^[18] They advanced into the semifinals round after beating Westports Malaysia Dragons, and eventually won against Singapore Slingers to advance in the finals against Shanghai Sharks in which they suffer a heartbreaking loss to a buzzer beater three free throws by Jimmer Fredette with no time left on the clock placing them in second place.^[19][20]

Future participations

After winning the 2016 William Jones Cup, the team is also planning to join the PBA-D League, ASEAN Basketball League or the Global ABA Tournament. Mighty Sports is representing the Philippines in the ongoing 2016 Merlion Cup in Singapore.^[21]

Roster

Current roster

The following was the 14-man roster of the PH-Mighty Sports for the 2016 Merlion Cup.^[22][23]

Mighty Sports PH - 2016 Merlion Cup roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age 1.5 !G 8 PHI ! Yeo, Joseph 7000185000000000000♠1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 7001330000000000000♠33 – (1983-09-07)7 September 1983 1.0 !PG 30 PHI ! Ravena, Kiefer 7000183000000000000♠1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001230000000000000♠23 – (1993-10-27)27 October 1993 1.5 !G 4 PHI ! Alolino, Gelo 7000183000000000000♠1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001220000000000000♠22 – (1994-01-04)4 January 1994 1.5 !G 1 PHI ! Banal, Raphael 7000188000000000000♠1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 7001240000000000000♠24 – (1992-01-28)28 January 1992 3.5 !F 77 PHI ! Banal, Gabriel 7000191000000000000♠1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 7001260000000000000♠26 – (1990-09-01)1 September 1990 1.0 !PG 11 PHI ! Tang, Tyrone 7000170000000000000♠1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) 7001320000000000000♠32 – (1984-09-25)25 September 1984 1.5 !G 8 PHI ! Ferrer, Edrick (C) 7000178000000000000♠1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 7001400000000000000♠40 – (1976-11-05)5 November 1976 1.0 !PG 5 USA ! PHI ! Brickman, Jason 7000183000000000000♠1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001250000000000000♠25 – (1991-11-19)19 November 1991 5.0 !C 15 USA ! PHI ! Douthit, Marcus 7000211000000000000♠2.11 m (6 ft 11 in) 7001360000000000000♠36 – (1980-04-15)15 April 1980 3.5 !F 10 USA ! PHI ! Deutchman, Jason 7000198000000000000♠1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) 7001300000000000000♠30 – (1986-09-27)27 September 1986 1.5 !G 7 CAN ! PHI ! Wright, Matthew 7000193000000000000♠1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 7001250000000000000♠25 – (1991-02-07)7 February 1991 3.5 !F 14 USA ! Thornton, Al (I) 7000202999999999999♠2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 7001330000000000000♠33 – (1983-12-07)7 December 1983 1.5 !G 3 USA ! Spencer, Dewarick (I) 7000193000000000000♠1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 7001340000000000000♠34 – (1982-05-04)4 May 1982 5.0 !C 55 SEN ! N'diaye, Hamady (I) 7000213000000000000♠2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 7001290000000000000♠29 – (1987-01-12)12 January 1987	Head coach Charles Tiu Assistant coach Dominic Uy Moriah Gingerich Team manager Jean Michael Alabanza Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Nat. – Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events Age – describes age on September 21, 2016

Depth chart

Past

2016 William Jones Cup

The following was the 14-man roster of the Philippine Mighty Sports for the 2016 William Jones Cup.^[24]

Mighty Sports PH - 2016 William Jones Cup roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Nat. Name Ht. Wt. Age 3.5 !F 17 PHI ! Rodriguez, Larry 7000193000000000000♠1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 7001330000000000000♠33 – (1983-05-05)5 May 1983 1.5 !G 16 PHI ! Teng, Jeric 7000188000000000000♠1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 7001250000000000000♠25 – (1991-03-18)18 March 1991 2.5 !G/F 80 PHI ! Salvacion, Sunday 7000191000000000000♠1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) 7001370000000000000♠37 – (1978-12-17)17 December 1978 3.5 !F 18 PHI ! Avenido, Leo 7000189000000000000♠1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 7001380000000000000♠38 – (1978-09-25)25 September 1978 1.0 !PG 11 PHI ! Tang, Tyrone 7000170000000000000♠1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) 7001320000000000000♠32 – (1984-09-25)25 September 1984 1.5 !G 8 PHI ! Ferrer, Edrick (C) 7000178000000000000♠1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 7001400000000000000♠40 – (1976-11-05)5 November 1976 1.0 !PG 5 PHI ! USA ! Brickman, Jason 7000183000000000000♠1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) 7001250000000000000♠25 – (1991-11-19)19 November 1991 3.5 !F 14 USA ! Thornton, Al (I) 7000202999999999999♠2.03 m (6 ft 8 in) 7001330000000000000♠33 – (1983-12-07)7 December 1983 1.5 !G 3 USA ! Spencer, Dewarick (I) 7000193000000000000♠1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 7001340000000000000♠34 – (1982-05-04)4 May 1982 2.5 !G/F 32 USA ! Graham, Zach (I) 7000196000000000000♠1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 7001270000000000000♠27 – (1989-03-28)28 March 1989 3.5 !F 7 USA ! Singletary, Mike (I) 7000196000000000000♠1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) 7001280000000000000♠28 – (1988-09-19)19 September 1988 5.0 !C 33 USA ! Gillenwater, Troy (I) 7000204999999999999♠2.05 m (6 ft 9 in) 7001270000000000000♠27 – (1988-12-19)19 December 1988 4.5 !F/C 22 USA ! Macklin, Vernon (I) 7000208000000000000♠2.08 m (6 ft 10 in) 7001300000000000000♠30 – (1986-09-25)25 September 1986 5.0 !C 55 SEN ! N'diaye, Hamady (I) 7000213000000000000♠2.13 m (7 ft 0 in) 7001290000000000000♠29 – (1987-01-12)12 January 1987	Head coach Bo Perasol Assistant coaches Charles Tiu Mike Fermin Team manager Jean Michael Alabanza Legend (C) Team captain (I) Import Nat. – Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA sanctioned events Age – describes age on July 24, 2016

Honours

Domestic

• Republica Cup

Winners (3): 2013, 2014, 2016

• Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League

Runner-up (1): 2016 Chairman's Cup

Intenational

• William Jones Cup

Winners (1): 2016

• Merlion Cup

Runners-up (1): 2016

References