Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Mighty Sports Apparel-Philippines battles perennial rival Iran today with coach Charles Tiu looking to start their title campaign on a high note at the Changhua gym in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
While the roster of the five-time champion Iranians is a mystery for both Tiu and Serbian consultant Rajko Toroman, the Go For Gold-backed Mighty Sports is not taking any chances in its 3 p.m. showdown.
“We still don’t know which team Iran will be fielding, but I’m sure it’s not their elite team,” said Tiu, who also served as one of the deputies of Gilas Pilipinas Youth that competed in the just-concluded Fiba Under-19 World Cup in Greece.
“Still, we have to play to the best that we can since we want to have a winning start,” said Tiu.
Even the godfathers of the team—Alex Wongchuking of Mighty Sports and Willy Ocier of Go For Gold—are both looking for a great start in their bid to regain the title the team won in its initial foray team three years ago.
“We are representing our country so I told our players, to give their best each game. That’s one way of entertaining our kababayans (countrymen) out there,” said Wongchuking. Out to lead Mighty Sports are former San Miguel import Renaldo Balkman, Zach Graham, McKinzie Moore and Eugene Phelps.