Strong Group Athletics Philippines will open its ambitious bid for a three-peat in the William Jones Cup later today against South Korean squad Wongju DP Promy. This bid, in the eyes of Charles Tiu, could be Strong Group’s toughest yet.
“I think this year, the tournament is much tougher. There’s a Korean team also. You’ve got the Jordan national team, UC Irvine, the college team with the 7’9 dude. So, interesting pool of teams now,” Tiu said ahead of the tournament. “The format, it’s a different format. We’re in groups of four. And our group is a bit of a tougher group. Tougher but still exciting. We should be up for the task and hopefully we can compete and represent the country.”
While this bid will likely be tougher than the previous two Strong Group won, Tiu will nonetheless have a high-powered lineup led by NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic, returning import Tajuan Agee, and Puerto Rican forward Isaiah Piñeiro. This Strong Group roster will also be bannered by a crack crew of locals led by Dave Ildefonso, Matthew Wright, Titing Manalili, and DJ Fenner. It will be further reinforced by Will Navarro, Shaun Ildefonso, and Malick Diouf.
Strong Group’s Schedule and How to Watch
Tiu’s team will open its bid today, August 14, against Wongju DP Promy. Game time is set at 1:00 p.m. Manila time. The rest of the schedule is as follows:
- August 16, Sunday (7:00 p.m.): vs. Chinese Taipei Blue
- August 18, Tuesday (3:00 p.m.): vs. Japan
- August 19, Wednesday (3:00 p.m.): vs. South Korea
- August 20, Thursday (7:00 p.m.): vs. Chinese Taipei Blue
Fans can watch Strong Group’s games on the Strong Group Athletics Facebook page, according to Tiu. The games will also be streamed live on PusoP.com andover at the Team Pilipinas website.
