Blatche gets golden chance

Andray Blatche gets a chance to redeem himself from a dismal performance in the FIBA World Cup when he suits up for Mighty Sports in the 2020 Dubai International Basketball Championship in 23 January.

Blatche, the country’s naturalized player, had already reached an agreement with the squad, joining teen sensation Kai Sotto, Juan and Javi Gomez de Liaño, Michael Williams and Dave Ildefonso in representing the country in the prestigious inter-club league.

Both Blatche and Ildefonso will be bigger threats when the team leaves for Dubai to improve its third place finish during the 2019 edition with former NBA player Lamar Odom and Justin Brownlee as imports.

Blatche has had a lot of stints with Gilas Pilipinas, including the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain and the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

Unfortunately, he failed miserably in the FIBA World Cup, where the Nationals went home without a win to show against powerhouse countries like Italy, Serbia and Angola.

Currently, the former Brooklyn Nets big man plays for the Tianjin Gold Lions in the Chinese Basketball Association.

On the other hand, this trip will be a big leap for Ildefonso’s young career especially since he still has three more years left in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

The second-generation cager, on his sophomore year with the Bulldogs, averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists.