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Strong Group-Pilipinas after a game in the 2026 Williams Jones Cup in Taiwan. –SGA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Strong Group-Pilipinas may have missed out on the 2026 William Jones Cup title, but the overwhelming support from Filipino and Taiwanese fans made the team feel like champions anyway.
The Philippine side finished with a 5-1 record in the group stage but was unable to advance to the semifinals because of the tournament’s new format.
After all the backlash and an apology from the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA), Strong Group-Pilipinas ended up fifth after escaping Jordan, 96-91, on Friday.
Despite the circumstances, SGA chairman Frank Lao said he was more than proud of the squad for representing the country in the annual tournament.
“We may not have won the three-peat due to ‘circumstances’ we did not foresee, but the outpouring of support we received from both the Filipino and Taiwanese fans was more than enough for us. In the eyes of many, this team are the real champions, and that means a lot to us,” Lao said.
“Maraming salamat to everyone who stood by Strong Group throughout the past three years. Now, it’s time for us to reassess our program, learn from this experience, and make it stronger moving forward.”
Strong Group-Pilipinas campaign marked the end of its Jones Cup three-peat bid after winning the tournament in the past two years.
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