ZAMBOANGA VALIENTES folded to Lebanon’s Sagesse, 90-65, and bowed out of contention from the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship at the Al Nasr Club.
The Valientes were left in the dust by the hot-shooting Lebanese in the first quarter, 8-26, and never recovered from there on en route to a 25-point loss.
Zamboanga fell to 0-3 in Group B to hit the showers early regardless of the outcome of its final match against the Tunisia national team (2-1).
Adonis Thomas and former PBA player Prince Caperal were the only bright spots for Zamboanga with 18 points each.
Former PBA import Shabazz Muhammad fired 32 points with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals to lead the way for Sagesse (2-1).
Zamboanga is the other Philippine club vying in Dubai aside from Strong Group Athletics, which for its part, is unbeaten in three games in Group A.
SGA, out to sweep the group stage against Amman United of Jordan at press time, drubbed the United Arab Emirates national team, 99-91, host Al Nasr, 99-87 and Lebanon’s Beirut First, 95-88. — John Bryan Ulanday