Tigers beef up side for Flames clash

Sports

By HENRY MORABANG
2K TIGERS have beefed up their side for Sunday’s one-off fixture against Papua New Guinea Men’s Basketball League champions Southern Flames.
Tigers coach Bing Barredo said Ralph Lising and Marlon Gomez, pictured, had been flown in from the Philippines as cover for the injured Ed Rivera and Jeric Nacpil.
Barredo said Gomez would add a lot to his side’s offence with the guard having won a basketball championship with UIG Abu Dhabi earlier in the year in the Inter-Emirates Filipino Basketball Championship.
He also earned the competition’s MVP award.
Gomez plays with the Wangs club in the Philipinnes Basketball Association D-League.
Coach Barredo said they were looking forward to taking on the PMBL champions.
“We’re aiming to give the Southern Flames a great match,” Barredo said.
“It’s an exhibition match against the PMBL champions and we will put up a strong side,” he said.
The Tigers playing roster includes Eldon Agapito, Raymond Binuya, Marlon Gomez, Ralph Lising, Karlo Pangilinan, Krence Lising , Jimmy Brown, Dominic Mendoza, Mark Rosita, Robin Melepia, Ed Rivera, Don Bacani and Rein Asuncion
Flames coach Moi Muri said his side were excited about taking on the Tigers and they would be taking the match seriously.
“They beat us 44-40 during the pre-season but we bounced back to beat them in the regular season and then they withdrew from the PMBL saying the refereeing was poor,” Muri said.
“We’re confident we can rise to the challenge,” said Muri, whose side claimed their fourth straight championship with a 2-0 series win over the Tamaraws earlier this month.
PMBL director Lawrence Lahari said the Flames-Tigers fixture would close out the year for basketball in the national capital.
A guest referee from FIBA Australia will control the fixture and will be assisted by local referees.
There are crowd lucky door prizes to be won with K300 and K500 vouchers to be given away.
The draws will be done prior to the game and post-match.
The 2017 PMBL presentation will also be done straight after the game.