Defending their title in the 44th William Jones Cup, the Strong Group Athletics Philippines won their 1st game last July 14 against Chinese Taipei A.
Recovered After A Shaky Start
Starting your title defense playing against the home team with their fans cheering is something that can be a factor for a slow start.
Playing at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium, SGA, was held to just one field goal in the opening quarter as the Philippine team struggled mightily out of the gates and found themselves in an early 12-1 hole, finally scoring their first basket, a layup by Ian Miller, with only 1:21 left in the first period. The hosts seized a 19-7 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Despite the rocky start, Strong Group clawed its way back in the second quarter with improved ball movement and defense. Miller led the push with seven second-quarter points, helping trim the gap to 35-28 by halftime.
The tide turned dramatically in the third quarter. Behind a suffocating defensive stand, Strong Group erupted for a massive 21-0 run to open the period, flipping a seven-point deficit into a commanding lead. Chinese Taipei went scoreless from the field in the entire third quarter, missing all 16 of their shot attempts.
Yes, no field goals made in the entire 3rd quarter.
FINAL SCORE: 67-56
Jason Brickman provided steady leadership, DJ Fenner and Dave Ildefonso added defensive toughness and timely plays, and the collective intensity from the entire squad proved too much for the home side to handle.
Here are some notable stats from the players of SGA who contributed to the win:
- Andre Roberson – 17 points, 19 rebounds, 5 steals
- Ian Miller – 16 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists
- Rhenz Abando – 11 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks
- Dave Ildefonso – 6 points, 2 rebounds, and an assist
- Tajuan Agee – 6 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and a block
- DJ Fenner – 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
- Jason Brickman – 4 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and a steal
- Javi Gomez de Liaño – 3 points
“We knew they’d come out aggressive. It’s their home floor and they’re the national team,” said head coach Charles Tiu. “This is why we built a team like this.”
“A team that is defensive-oriented—with Dre Rob and Agee leading the way. But also give credit to our locals: Dave, DJ, Rhenz, and Jason. They locked in defensively after we made some key adjustments,” he said after acknowledging a horrible 1st quarter.
“With all the veterans on this team, I’m glad the guys didn’t panic,” said Tiu. “We started slow, sure, but they weathered the storm and got the job done. That’s what veterans do. But there’s absolutely no room for complacency.”
Despite the emotional victory, Tiu emphasized the need for continued growth.
“Our offense is a work in progress,” he admitted. “We’ll figure it out as we play more together. But defense is what we’ve been focusing on—and we’ve scouted them for a while now.”
Strong Group will aim to carry the momentum when they face Japan next, as they continue their title defense and bid for back-to-back championships in the tournament.
