STRONG REBOUND: SGA moving on from botched Dubai quest

Strong Group Athletics (SGA) is plotting a strong rebound from its forgettable campaign in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship last week.

Strong Group team manager Jacob Lao told DAILY TRIBUNE that they are still far from done as they prepare for yet another strong performance in the William Jones Cup in Taiwan, where they will march as the defending champion.

The Dubai of the powerhouse club owned by businessman Frank Lao didn’t go as planned.

With four-time National Basketball All-Star DeMarcus Cousins as reinforcement, Strong Group coasted to four straight wins in the elimination before creaming Al-Sharjah, 100-63, in the quarterfinals.

In the semifinals, they were heavily favored against the older Tunisian national team but found themselves behind for most part of the game.

The Filipino club waged a sizzling rally down the stretch and had a golden chance to tie the match when Rhenz Abando launched a three-pointer from the top of the key. He, however, got bodied by Tunisian big man Mokhtar Ghyaza from behind but game officials refused to blow their whistle, paving the way for a heartbreaking 63-68 setback.

The SGA management didn’t like the crucial turn of events and ripped the referees and organizers for not respecting the game and its governing principles. With that, the club decided not to play in the bronze medal match, which was supposed to be against the home team — the United Arab Emirates national team.

Still, everything is now water under the bridge and SGA is preparing for its programs for the year, including its title defense in the prestigious Jones Cup in July.

“We have lots of projects lined up for us. We wanna do camps for kids not just basketball but volleyball also and to defend the Jones Cup crown,” the younger Lao said.

“I mean nothing has changed. We don’t get the prep time unlike other teams because we would build our squad a month before the competition because all these guys have their mother teams to play for.”

In the Jones Cup, the title defense will not be easy.

Crack teams from Taiwan, United States, Australia and Japan are expected to see action in a bid to knock the crown off Strong Group’s head.

Last year, Strong Group, powered by imports Chris McCullough and Ange Kouame, went undefeated in eight games but had to eke out a heart-stopping 83-79 win over Republic of China Blue in overtime before lifting the trophy.

Lao said he can’t be complacent heading to the Jones Cup because the level of competition between it and the Dubai tourney is different.

“Experience-wise not sure. I can’t say because the competition in the Jones Cup and in Dubai are different,” Lao said.

“We already won the Jones Cup. We just want to defend it and we know what it’s gonna take to win it already so maybe we just prepare and stay in touch with everybody.”