Mighty Sports


Mighty Sports is a basketball team based in the Philippines playing in various domestic leagues and tournaments in the country such as the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League and the Republica Cup. The team won four championships in the Republica Cup in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2018.
They also have a partnership with the Bulacan Kuyas of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League in the 2018 MPBL Datu Cup as the team's corporate sponsor.
The team represented the Philippines when they participated in the 2016 William Jones Cup in Taiwan, their first international tournament which they won with a sweep bearing a record of 8–0.
They have competed in the Dubai International Basketball Championship participating in the 2017, 2019, 2020 editions. They became the first team based outside the Middle East to win the Dubai tournament in the 2020 edition. The squad was also the Philippine representative in the 2019 William Jones Cup.
Mighty Sports is the athletic arm of sportswear manufacturing company Mighty Sports Apparel and Accessories, Inc.
The company introduced in July 2019 a newly redesigned logo for both the sports teams and sportswear manufacturing company.

Competitive record

Republica Cup

Mighty Sports became first known to basketball fans in minor basketball leagues such as the Republica Cup. It also sponsored the Adamson Falcons men's basketball team and the Bulacan State University Golden Gears men's basketball team in the Filsports Basketball Association, and the Philippine Dragon Boat Team.
In 2014, the team, led by former PBA player Kenneth Duremdes and Kris Rosales, bagged the second Republica Cup title, after winning the finals game against Malolos Republica, 86–84. One year later, the team did not make it to the finals after losing the semifinals match against AMA University.
On February 4, 2016, Mighty Sports, now-led by former UAAP MVP Kiefer Ravena, successfully reclaimed the Republica Cup championship, beating Hobe Mackway Travel in the finals game, 85–82. In addition, Bright Akhuetie was named as the Tournament MVP.

Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League

In March 2016, the team joined the Pilipinas Commercial Basketball League. Historically, this is the first entry into a major basketball league. Ravena, a 2016 PBA draft prospect, together with Ty Tang, who came out of retirement in the Philippine Basketball Association, and import Bright Akhuetie are some of the players who retained in the team's line-up for the Champion's Cup.
Mighty Sports also appointed Bo Perasol as team consultant, Mike Fermin as head coach and Charles Tiu as assistant coach of the team, which is one of the two new teams that competed in the 2016 PCBL Chairman's Cup, alongside SCTEX Road Warriors.
On its first game, Mighty Sports completes an upset victory against Founder's Cup champion Jumbo Plastic Linoleum Giants, 79–70 in the opening day of Champion's Cup on March 6, 2016. Ravena led the team's campaign with 16 points.

William Jones Cup

2016

The team represented the Philippines in the 2016 William Jones Cup, with 7 foreign reinforcements leading the team, in lieu of the Gilas Cadets who were not available for playing. They beat team A of host nation Taiwan, who were fielding a second team, on their opening match. They then beat the South Korea national team on their second match. They won their third match against the US team Sacramento State Hornets. They beat Japan on their fourth by a blowout of 21 points. They faced the Indian national team on their fifth match and won by a 20 points margin to remain the only unbeaten team as of the 6th day of the tournament. They cemented the tournament's title by beating Iran on their 6th match. Mighty Sports continued their winning streak by beating Egypt in their seventh match and swept the entire competition beating Taiwanese Team B.

2019

Mighty Sports will once again represent the Philippines in the 2019 William Jones Cup from July 12 to 21 in Chinese-Taipei. Charles Tiu returns to lead the coaching staff and his mentor, former Gilas Pilipinas head coach, Rajko Toroman will be the lead assistant. It was also announced that Jeremiah Gray, Roosevelt Adams, Aaron Black, 2019 MPBL Datu Cup MVP Gab Banal, Jason Brickman and Joseph Yeo will suit up for the team.
Mighty Sports captured their second Jones Cup title after defeating Taiwan-A, 83-76 for a 7–0 record. They then swept the competition after with an 8–0 record.

Merlion Cup

Singapore's Merlion Cup Tournament was revived in 2016 and the Mighty Sports were invited as the Philippines' representative. They beat the Seoul Samsung Thunders on their opening match. They advanced into the semifinals round after beating Westports Malaysia Dragons, and eventually won against Singapore Slingers. They advanced in the finals and faced Shanghai Sharks in which they suffered a defeat, placing them in second after Jimmer Fredette scored three freethrows with no time left on the clock.

Dubai International Basketball Tournament

2017

Mighty Sports joined the 2017 Dubai International Basketball Championship with only a couple of weeks to prepare. The tournament took place from February 18 to 25, 2017.
Mighty Sports was led by NBA veterans Hasheem Thabeet, Dominic McGuire, Justin Brownlee and naturalized player Marcus Douthit. Chris Tiu and center Beau Belga bannered the local cast along with other PBA veterans JC Intal, Gary David, Ryan Araña and two-time PBA MVP Willie Miller who were added in the team's lineup. Amateur standouts Kiefer Ravena, Jeron Teng and Jett Manuel were also added in the team's roster.
Due to the lack of cohesion and team chemistry, they lost to host team Al Ahli, 83-75 in the opening day. In their second game, they lost to the Egypt national basketball team, 84–82, after Ravena's three point attempt, in the last 6 seconds of the game, failed. The day after, they also lost in a close game to Lebanese powerhouse Sagesse 95–92. The team managed to beat Ball Above All with a score of 94–80 to end their stint in the tournament with a single win.

2019

Mighty Sports participated in the Dubai tournament in February 2019 with SMDC, Oriental Group, Healthcube and Go for Gold as the team's main sponsors.
For their 2019 Dubai stint, the team hired the services of former NBA two-time champion Lamar Odom, Ginebra resident import Justin Brownlee, and Chinese Basketball Association import Randolph Morris. Notable local signings include former Ginebra guard Jett Manuel, University of the Philippines playmaker Juan Gomez de Liano, Gabriel Banal, Joseph Yeo, La Salle forward Santi Santillan, De La Salle-College of St. Benilde high flyer Justin Gutang and Mono Vampire guard Jason Brickman.
The team also signed Fil-Am prospects Jeremiah Gray and Roosevelt Adams followed by National University big man Troy Rike to complete the lineup.
Mighty Sports finished third winning over the Homenetmen Lebanon in the third-place play off. They only lost once, to Lebanese club Al Riyadi in the semifinal.

2020

Mighty Sports made their third appearance at the Dubai International Basketball Championship in 2020. They became the first team based outside the Middle East to win the tournament when they won 92–81 over Al Riyadi Beirut in the final. Mighty Sports player Renaldo Balkman was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Roster

Current

;2019 William Jones Cup
The following is the 12-man roster of the Mighty Sports-Go for Gold for the 2019 William Jones Cup.

Past

;2019 William Jones Cup
The following is the 12-man roster of the Mighty Sports-Go for Gold for the 2019 William Jones Cup.

Depth chart

;2016 William Jones Cup
The following was the 14-man roster of the Philippine Mighty Sports for the 2016 William Jones Cup.

Honors

Domestic

Note: Players mentioned below are NBA Veterans and Naturalized Filipinos ONLY who played and received various awards.
NameNationalityHighlight
Renaldo Balkman2006: NBA draft / Round: 1 / Pick: 20th overall Selected by the New York Knicks
2019: Champion - William Jones Cup
2020: Champion - Dubai International Basketball Tournament
Hamady N'Diaye2010: NBA draft / Round: 2 / Pick: 56th overall Selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves
2016: Champion - William Jones Cup
2016: 2nd place - Merlion Cup
2019: Champion - William Jones Cup
Hasheem Thabeet2009: NBA draft / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies
Al Thornton2007: NBA draft / Round: 1 / Pick: 14th overall Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
2016: Champion - William Jones Cup
2016: 2nd place - Merlion Cup
Vernon Macklin2011: NBA draft / Round: 2 / Pick: 52nd overall Selected by the Detroit Pistons
2016: Champion - William Jones Cup
Dominic McGuire2007: NBA draft / Round: 2 / Pick: 47th overall Selected by the Washington Wizards
Lamar Odom1999: NBA draft / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall Selected by the Los Angeles Clippers
2019: 3rd place - Dubai International Basketball Tournament
Justin Brownlee2019: 3rd place - Dubai International Basketball Tournament
Marcus Douthit2016: 2nd place - Merlion Cup
Andray Blatche2005: NBA draft / Round: 2 / Pick: 49th overall Selected by the Washington Wizards
2020: Champion - Dubai International Basketball Tournament