By el Amigo
MANILA, Philippines — Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas ended its 2026 William Jones Cup campaign with a resounding victory, but the 117-74 demolition of host Chinese Taipei Blue on Thursday came after the Philippine side had already been eliminated from the championship race despite carrying an impressive 4-1 record.
The defending champions finished the elimination round with five victories in six games, including five straight wins after losing their opening assignment to South Korea’s Wonju DB Promy. Yet that record was not enough to earn SGA-Pilipinas a place in the semifinals under the tournament’s revamped format.
The knockout blow came Thursday afternoon when Wonju DB Promy defeated Japan, 75-64. The result secured the Korean side’s semifinal berth while also guaranteeing host Chinese Taipei Blue a place in the next round despite its 1-5 record.
That left SGA-Pilipinas, which was sitting at 4-1 at the time, with no path to the semifinals even before its final game against Chinese Taipei Blue.
Instead of folding, the Filipinos responded with one of their most dominant performances of the tournament.
SGA-Pilipinas overwhelmed Chinese Taipei Blue from the opening tip, building a huge advantage before cruising to a 43-point victory at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium. The win pushed the Philippine squad’s final Group A record to 5-1 and capped a five-game winning streak.
The victory, however, was purely academic as far as the championship was concerned.
Chinese Taipei Blue advanced to the semifinals despite finishing with just one victory, while SGA-Pilipinas was relegated to the classification round. Wonju DB Promy advanced as the top team from Group A.
The unusual outcome sparked criticism from Philippine basketball followers, particularly because SGA-Pilipinas had clearly established itself as one of the strongest teams in the group.
The controversy centered on the Jones Cup’s new format, which automatically granted the host Chinese Taipei Blue a semifinal berth. Tournament organizers later apologized for the backlash, acknowledging that SGA-Pilipinas had become the biggest casualty of the new system.
For coach Charles Tiu and his players, the circumstances made Thursday’s 117-74 victory even more significant. With their title defense already over, they used the game to make a statement on the court.
The result also ended SGA-Pilipinas’ bid for a third consecutive Jones Cup championship, despite the team finishing the group stage with a record that would normally put it firmly in the championship conversation.
SGA-Pilipinas will now shift its attention to the classification round, where it is scheduled to face Jordan in the battle for fifth place.
While the team will not be playing for the Jones Cup title, its 5-1 record ensures that its campaign will be remembered for more than its controversial exit.
It was a tournament in which SGA-Pilipinas repeatedly answered on the court—and ultimately won five of its six games—but still found itself watching the championship race from the sidelines.
elamigo/xf
