THE Zamboanga Valientes braces for two international tournaments this year after winning the championship in The Asian Tournament 2024.The Valientes clinched the Asian title after taking down the Macao Black Bears last August at their home turf.Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins served as the anchor for the Valientes, who scored a 5-0 sweep in the final leg, including wins against formidable teams Naic Aces and Vanta Black Dragons.Former UAAP champion and University of the Philippines stalwart Malick Diouf also contributed to the successful run of Zamboanga in The Asian Tournament.The Valientes also topped the Hong Kong Sketch World Cup in 2024.'Zamboanga City is truly the home of champions. From Hidilyn Diaz in weightlifting, Chezka Centeno in billiards, Eumir Marcial in boxing and Mark Barroca in basketball, to the rising stars of the Zamboanga Valientes, our city continues to produce world-class athletes who inspire greatness across all sports,' Zamboanga Valientes owner Junnie Navarro said.Zamboanga City has shown support to its homegrown athletes with a solid platform and unwavering support to help local talents excel both locally and internationally.Diaz is the country's first and only Olympic gold medalist.Centeno topped the World Ten-Ball Women's Championship in 2023 and reached the semifinals in the same event in 2024.Marcial is an Olympic bronze medalist and currently has an immaculate 5-0 record in professional boxing.Barroca is a six-time champion, two-time Finals Most Valuable Player and nine-time All-Star in the Philippine Basketball Association.
