Strong Group Retains Championship Core for William Jones Cup
Strong Group-Pilipinas is set to defend its title in the 44th William Jones Cup with a familiar cast leading the charge. The tournament runs from July 12 to 20 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Backed by Bet88, the Philippine squad is bringing back the core of the team that won last year’s crown. Among the returnees are Kiefer Ravena, Jason Brickman, Dave Ildefonso, Rhenz Abando, Angelo Kouame, Geo Chiu, and NCAA MVP Allen Liwag.
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“We’re going all out in defending the country’s William Jones Cup title,” said Strong Group president Jacob Lao. “With their chemistry and experience, we’re confident in our chances. More than anything, we want to make the country proud again.”
Head coach Charles Tiu echoed Lao’s sentiments, highlighting the rare opportunity to reunite most of the championship roster.
“This might be the first time we’re able to run it back with this many returning players,” Tiu said. “I’m excited to bring back some guys from our championship squad.”
Also returning are DJ Fenner, a 6-foot-6 guard with roots in Malabon City, and 6-foot-9 big man Tajuan Agee. Both played crucial roles in last year’s campaign.
Former NBA player Andre Roberson, who last suited up for the team during the 2024 Dubai International Basketball Championship, will also rejoin the squad.
Strong Group enters the tournament with support from partners Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things, Farm Fresh, and ZUS Coffee, with LGR Sportswear as the official jersey provider.
However, the team will face an early challenge as veteran guard Kiefer Ravena is expected to miss the first two games—against Chinese-Taipei Blue on July 13 and Japan’s Under-25 Akatsuki Five on July 14—due to prior commitments.
“The big challenge is that we’ll be facing Taipei A in our very first game, and we haven’t played any tune-up games yet,” Tiu admitted. “We’ll have to see how quickly the team can gel.”
Despite the early hurdles, Strong Group is determined to retain its spot atop the Jones Cup podium and once again bring pride to the Philippines.
