Palestine’s Qahwash to boost Elite
Photo from Fiba.com
Imad Qahwash, a shifty guard who terribly outplayed his Gilas Pilipinas counterparts in Palestine’s shocking upset of Team Phl in the 2015 FIBA Asian Championship, is suiting up as Blackwater’s Asian import in the coming PBA Governors Cup.
Qahwash is teaming up with regular import Eric Dawson as they try to help the Blackwater Elite to finally make a major breakthrough in the local pro league.
The Palestinian and American players arrive in the country on July 1 or two weeks before the start of the season-ending tourney on July 15.
“He keeps on saying he beat Gilas Pilipinas in the Changsha FIBA Asia tourney last year. He takes pride in the kind of performance he put in that tourney, especially his game in their win over the Philippines,” said Blackwater official Johnson Martinez.
Qahwash logged 17 points spiked by 7-of-8 free throws as Palestine pulled the rug from under Gilas Pilipinas, 75-73, during the elims.
The Filipinos, however, recovered from that shocker and went on to finish second behind host China.
Qahwash, meanwhile, emerged the tourney’s best in playmaking with six assists per game.
The reputations of Qahwash and Dawson as tested performers and competitors give the Elite much hope in the coming tourney. Also a source of inspiration for the team was a recent title run in a Malaysian international invitational event.
“We now have a solid core group. We do believe we can compete,” said Martinez.
“Ayaw na namin ng bata at yung di namin kilala kaya kinuha namin si Eric Dawson. He’s our first option. And since we’ve get a deal with him, hindi na kami nagkaroon pa ng ibang option,” Martinez also said.
Dawson has had a good stint in the local pro league with the Meralco Bolts.
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