Mighty Sports faces uphill battle in national team-heavy Jones Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Mighty Sports will have their work cut out for them in their return to the William Jones Cup starting July in Taiwan.

That’s because the Charles Tiu-coached team is set to face the full strength of powerhouse national teams such as South Korea, Japan, Iran, and Tunisia in the annual tournament.

But team manager Jessie Angchonghoo is confident that the Philippine delegation can hold their own against some of the world’s best ballers.

“The participating teams right now are all strong, they’re all national teams,” he said in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at the Amelie Hotel Manila on Tuesday, May 28.

“It’s much more competitive and stronger, but we’re ready. We have all the tools to compete with them.”

Indeed, Mighty Sports can very well live up to their moniker after signing former PBA imports Renaldo Balkman and Eugene Phelps along with 6-foot-5 swingman Zachary Graham.

The local lineup is nothing to scoff at either, with Jason Brickman, Roosevelt Adams, Gab Banal, Jeremiah Gray, Mikey Williams, Joseph Yeo, and Aaron Black rounding out the squad.

While their wealth of talent may still not be enough to outlast the years-long chemistry of some national squads, Mighty is putting their trust in the youthful Tiu and the veteran mentorship of Rajko Toroman, who was once tasked to lead the original Gilas Pilipinas team exactly a decade ago.

With Mighty Sports already establishing a fearsome reputation due to their Jones Cup championship sweep in 2016, their foes surely aren’t leaving anything to chance come July. – Rappler.com