Howard relishes Dubai stint

MANILA, Philippines — Grizzled NBA veteran Dwight Howard paid gratitude to the Philippines for giving him a golden opportunity to strut his stuff anew on the international stage with Strong Group Athletics.

While Strong Group fell short of achieving its championship goal, Howard cherished the experience with the squad in a commendable runner-up finish behind Al Riyadi in the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship.

“We came together for two weeks, only had a few practices together, and fought all the way to the championship,” said the former NBA three-time Defensive of the Player awardee.

“Charles Tiu is a great coach and the Philippines is a great country. Thank you all for having me and allowing me to represent your country.”

The 38-year-old Howard, who had previous visits to the country, played for a Philippine team for the first time with hopes of helping it bring home the Dubai crown.

Proving that he still has a lot left in the tank, the seasoned anchor normed 17.4 points and 10.3 rebounds through eight games that ended in a 77-74 finale heartbreaker against the Lebanese bets.

Howard teamed up with UAAP MVP and now Gilas Pilipinas returnee Kevin Quiambao of La Salle, who was named to the All-Tournament Team.