The Strong Group Athletics Philippines successfully defended their title as they still went unbeaten in the 44th William Jones Cup Tournament last night, July 19.
“Championship Match” Against Undefeated Bahrain
It was a battle of 6-0 teams as the Philippines played Bahrain in a match that was labelled as the “Finals Game” of the tournament, despite one game remaining.
Bahrain, despite missing key players Wayne Chism and JaKarr Sampson, proved to be a tough challenge. After trimming SGA’s lead to just five, 68–63, midway through the third quarter, the Gulf nation seemed poised for a late rally. However, Strong Group responded swiftly. Kiefer Ravena ignited a 7–1 counterattack with a strong drive, followed by five quick points from Javi Gomez de Liaño to push the lead back to double digits at 75–64 heading into the final quarter.
SGA then opened the fourth with a crushing 14–0 run, with Andre Roberson pouring in six points and Gomez de Liaño draining a dagger three-pointer. That burst stretched the lead to 89–64, effectively putting the game out of reach.
Roberson starred in the win as he led a Strong Group team that shot 5-of-7 from the field in the final quarter while holding Bahrain to a mere four points on 2-of-10 shooting. The Filipinos also dominated the rebounding battle, 45–24.
FINAL SCORE: 92-68
With the win, Strong Group improved to a perfect 7–0 record, securing the 2025 crown with one game left to play against the United Arab Emirates. Thanks to their earlier win over Chinese Taipei A and a superior win-loss card, SGA clinched the championship outright, eliminating the need to rely on the outcome of any other matches.
A “Strong Legacy” in Jones Cup History
This back-to-back title elevates Strong Group into a unique place in Philippine basketball history. While previous champions include Northern Cement (1982), San Miguel (1985), the Centennial Team (1998), Gilas Pilipinas (2012), and Mighty Sports (2016 and 2019), it is SGA’s unprecedented repeat that sets them apart.
Last year, SGA finished the Jones Cup tournament with a record of 8-0.
2-Straight Titles for Head Coach Charles Tiu
With this victory, long-time SGA Head Coach Charles Tiu goes for 2-straight titles for the first time in his coaching career.
“Feels great to win again. We prepared hard for this tournament. Our players played hard all throughout—from the locals to the imports. I tip my hat off to them. Great group of guys,” said Coach Tiu.
Coach Tiu has been tasked to do the Head Coaching duties for the SGA team and even once upon a time, a Mighty Sports ball club, to represent the Philippines in international short-pocket tournaments going all the way back to the late 2010s.
“I really want to give credit to our bosses—Boss Frank and Jacob Lao—for allowing us to run it back again and for the trust they gave us to form and build this team,” said Tiu.
“It’s rare to get to work for bosses like them.”
And now with a winless United Arab Emirates remaining in their schedule, Coach Tiu is still aiming for an 8-0 record.
“Hoping we can finish it off with a sweep, even with the championship in tow.”
An All-Around “Strong” Performance
Former NBA star, Andre Roberson, led the entire PH squad to the victory as he tallied 25 points (12-of-16 FG Shooting), 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a block.
Javi Gómez de Liaño once again showcases that despite his late addition to the group, he is their best local player as he finishes the game with 12 points, shooting 4-of-7 from the field and going 3-of-5 from the 3-point area, as he leads all local scorers to go along with 7 rebounds and 2 steals.
Here are the other players who contributed to capturing the trophy:
- Tajuan Agee – 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and a block
- Rhenz Abando – 11 points (3-of-5 from 3-point area), a rebound, and an assist
- Ian Miller – 9 points, 4 rebounds, 8 assists
- Dave Ildefonso – 8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals
- Kiefer Ravena – 6 points, a rebound, an assist, 2 steals
- Allen Liwag – 2 points and a rebound
- Derrick Fenner – 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal
- Jason Brickman – a rebound and 6 assists
Prior to this game, SGA also won against Chinese Taipei A in their game opener, 67-56. They then defeated Japan 79-67, followed by Qatar 81-54, Australia 91-75, Chinese Taipei B 107-75, and then Malaysia 106-98.
SGA against a UAE with a record of 0-7 will happen today, July 20 (Sunday) at 3:00 PM.
