RENALDO Balkman vowed a championship for Mighty Sports Philippines and delivered.
And as confetti rained from the rafters of Shabab Al Ahli Club, the Puerto Rican dynamo got his rightful honor, being named as the MVP of the 2020 Dubai International Basketball Tournament.
Balkman, 35, was the rock for the Philippine club as he averaged 19.3 points and 7.3 rebounds through the team's seven-game sweep of the invitational tournament.
He provided stability on offense for the Charles Tiu-mentored team, while also drawing the defensive coverage against the opposition's best scorers.
Balkman capped it off with a dominant 25-point and 9-rebound outing as Mighty dethroned defending champion Al Riyadi, 92-81, in the Finals on Sunday (Manila time), the first time a non-Middle Eastern country has ruled the Dubai tilt in 31 editions.
The MVP plum is the newest addition to Balkman's trophy case, with him also being hailed as the MVP of the 2019 Jones Cup with Mighty, as well as a Defensive Player of the Year citation in the Asean Basketball League in his time with San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in 2018.
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