Unbeaten Mighty-PH gains QF

DUBAI—Former Los Angeles Lakers star Lamar Odom struggled for the second straight game but Mighty Sports-Philippines had enough firepower to overcome the United Arab Emirates national team, 86-78, on Saturday night and secure a  quarterfinal seat in the 30th Dubai International Basketball Championship.

Reinforcements Justin Brownlee and Randolph Morris delivered solid numbers as Mighty-PH earned a fitting follow up to its 87-58 win over American University in Dubai during Thursday’s opener.

The accessories and apparel team backed by SMDC, HealthCube Medical Clinics, Go for Gold and Oriental Game also surpassed its one-win showing in 2017.

The 6-foot-10 Morris led the attack with 20 points, including two triples, even as Brownlee tallied a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds that more than made up for Odom’s scoring dud in 13 minutes of action at Shabab Al Ahli gymnasium here.

“I expected us to win this game,” coach Charles Tiu said. “But this is not yet the level of the tournament, although the national team gave us a tough test.”