Zamboanga Valientes gear up for Dubai stint

Another team will represent the Philippines in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship as Zamboanga Valientes is ready to take its talent once more overseas. After a successful stint in The Asian Tournament, Zamboanga Valientes joins another international competition and has the possibility to face another Filipino club Strong Group Athletics (SGA). Team manager Junnie Navarro showed confidence with the new roster of Valientes, and shared his excitement. "We're so excited to display how talented the Zamboangueños are. Despite the short notice, since we only had the invite last December we were able to form a strong competitive team," he said during the media day of Valientes on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at the Activate Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City. Valientes imports are Italy's tallest man Samuel Deguara (230-C-1991) who is 7-foot-5 tall, and former NBA player Adonis Thomas (197-F-1993, college: Memphis, agency: Slash Sports). The Filipino club also had new recruits as UAAP stars Nic Cabañero, and Forthsky Padrigao, and PBA veteran Kyt Jimenez (180-G) joins the team. Valientes clinched the championship in The Asian Tournament last year, where four-time NBA All-Star player DeMarcus Cousins (211-C/F-1990, college: Kentucky) led the squad. Now with the probability of facing Cousins as the 6-foot-10 player joined SGA, Navarro also shared that team braces for a good challenge. "This is for the Filipinos too, and I am very excited about the competition. Whatever happens, the team is ready, and I believe with our set of players," he said. The Dubai Basketball Championship is slated on Jan. 24-Feb. 2.
Courtesy of: manilatimes.net