13-07-2025
Strong Group bucks slow start to beat Chinese Taipei Blue in Jones Cup opener
Strong Group-Philippines overcame a sluggish start to pull off a 67-56 stunner against home team Chinese Taipei Blue and kick off its title defense in the William Jones Cup on the right note on Sunday in Taiwan.
The Philippine representative leaned on a third quarter eruption where they dropped 26 points while limiting the opposing foes to just two, opening its campaign with a 1-0 start while the host fell to a 0-1 card.
Andre Roberson led the charge with a double-double outing of 17 points, including an eight-point explosion in the third period, and 19 rebounds while also listing five steals to lead the comeback win.
Ian Miller made his presence felt with 16 points, three assists, and two rebounds while Rhenz Abando led the local support with 11 markers, three dimes, two boards, two steals, and two blocks.
'This is what veterans are supposed to do,' said Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu.
'We had a rough start, yes, but the guys didn't panic. They responded like professionals. Still, we can't afford to relax moving forward.'
Tiu and Strong Group will look to build on this momentum when they take on Japan Developmental Team on Monday at 5:00 p.m., still at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
'We'll enjoy this win for a few hours but then it's back to business. There's still a long way to go in this tournament," Tiu added.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
