Zamboanga Valientes concluded their campaign in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship without a single victory, suffering a heavy 95-59 defeat to the Tunisia National Team at Al Nasr Club.
Coming off a lopsided loss to Sagesse Sports Club less than a day earlier, the Valientes had another rough outing. Despite an early 7-4 lead, Tunisia quickly took control and never looked back, building a 15-point halftime advantage and extending it to as much as 42 points in the final minutes.
Wassef Methani and Omar Abada proved too much for Zamboanga, with Methani scoring 17 points and Abada adding 15 points and five assists. The win secured Tunisia a 3-1 record in the eliminations.
For the Valientes, Sam Deguara posted a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Prince Caperal contributed 13 points, including three triples. However, the team’s backcourt struggled, with lead guard Forthsky Padrigao managing only seven points and two assists while committing three turnovers. Veteran guards Mike Tolomia and Kyt Jimenez failed to score, going a combined 0-for-7 from the field.
The loss dropped Zamboanga to a 0-4 record, sending them home winless. Meanwhile, another Filipino squad, Strong Group Athletics, remains in strong contention in the tournament and is eyeing a sweep of the eliminations as it faces Amman United.
