It appears that more Fil-Ams will be part of the PBA’s 50th season as players from Strong Group Athletics, Jason Brickman and DJ Fenner voiced their interest to play come October 2025.
“Age Is Just A Number” for both Brickman and Fenner
It may sound odd, but Brickman at 33 years old and Fenner at 31 years old would enter the league as rookies.
Brickman, born in San Antonio, is eyeing a return to his long-time PBA aspirations. After a failed bid in 2021 due to incomplete Fil-foreign documentation, he opted to take his talents to Taiwan where he enjoyed success with the Kaohsiung Aquas in the T1 League—claiming a title, earning Best Import honors, and notching two First Team selections. More recently, he’s stayed active with the Abra Weavers in the MPBL as he gears up for another shot at playing professionally in the Philippines.
“I’ve been playing with Abra in the MPBL and I was planning to enter this year’s PBA Draft, so we’ll see how everything happens, but I hope to enter this year’s PBA Draft,” said Brickman from a story in Tiebreaker Times made by Ernest Tuazon, who is also one of only four players in NCAA Division I history to record 1,000 assists.
“I’m gonna see what happens after this tournament. But obviously I wanna play here in the Philippines. I’m open to any opportunity after this.”
On the other hand, Fenner, a 6-foot-6 wingman who previously suited up for Alba Fehérvár in Hungary, is also seriously considering making the Philippines his basketball home. Born and raised in Seattle, he shares deep ties to the country through his grandparents as his grandfather from Malabon and his grandmother from Rizal, this prompted him to have increasingly drawn to embracing his Filipino roots.
“I’m really hoping that the Philippines holds the future for me and my family where it’s not just 10 days in the summer. I’m really grateful to be here and being half-Filipino, being able to see family out here, and being able to reunite with my teammates here is an amazing feeling,” Fenner shared.
“It’s still something we’re pondering. I’m really just going by where God takes me and my family. I pray that He guides me and my family and leads us to the right place. I really do see a future here.”
“Right now, I’m just taking it day-by-day. Making sure that I take care of my body and make sure that I think about my family,” he added from a story in Spin.ph.
“I have three kids and a wife. Everything that I’m doing is based on what’s best for them and not just my basketball career.”
Priority: Defending the 44th William Jones Cup Title
Before they make any definitive moves toward the PBA, both players are focused on helping Strong Group achieve a historic milestone which is becoming the first Philippine squad to win back-to-back Jones Cup titles.
Despite the country’s rich basketball tradition, no team from the Philippines has successfully defended a Jones Cup crown in the tournament’s 44-year history.
For Brickman, the chance to help longtime mentor Charles Tiu break that barrier is especially meaningful, particularly as they open the tournament without veteran guard Kiefer Ravena.
“I think we look really good, we have a lot of talented players on our team. We’re excited for this tournament, we just have to get our chemistry together, work on our defense, and we’re looking forward to defending our title,” said Brickman. “I think the other guys have to step up and make plays. Kiefer’s obviously a great player, but the other guys just have to step up and run the point. Everyone else just has to chip in.”
Fenner, meanwhile, expects a spirited rematch with Chinese Taipei, last year’s runner-up and a team that pushed SGA to the brink during their 2023 title run.
“We’re really looking forward to playing them again. We think they’re definitely gonna come at us right at tipoff. I think we need to be prepared to go back at them. I know they’re still thinking the loss last year when they almost had it, but we kind of stole it from them at their place,” said Fenner.
“I definitely think it’s important for us to be together through the whole game, through the ups and downs, so we can conquer that first game.”
Two of Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas’ core players would be vital in their campaign for the 44th William Jones Cup, scheduled from July 12 to 20 in Taiwan.
