Jones Cup: Strong Group completes sweep, wins back-to-back titles

Strong Group Athletics-Philippines completed an undefeated run (8-0) to win the 2025 William Jones Cup, securing their second consecutive championship and the Philippines' eighth overall title in the tournament. They capped off their dominant performance with an 87-62 victory over the United Arab Emirates in their final game at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.

Although the championship was already secured before the final day, the Filipinos finished strong. After leading UAE by only one point at halftime (37-36), Strong Group pulled away decisively in the second half. A third-quarter surge led by Tajuan Agee and Allen Liwag, followed by key buckets from Kiefer Ravena and Dave Ildefonso in the fourth, fueled the win. The Filipinos outscored UAE 50-26 after halftime.

Tajuan Agee led the scoring with 20 points, adding five rebounds and four assists. Kiefer Ravena contributed 13 points and nine assists, while DJ Fenner and Ian Miller each scored 12 points. Dave Ildefonso added 10 points. Key player Andre Roberson sat out the final game.

The victory extended Strong Group's unbeaten streak in the Jones Cup to 16 games across the 2024 and 2025 editions. Their perfect 8-0 run this year included wins over Chinese-Taipei Blue, Japan Developmental, Qatar, Australia’s NBL1 Rising Stars, Chinese-Taipei White, Malaysia, Bahrain, and finally the UAE.

Coach Charles Tiu, who guided the team to both titles, expressed happiness about winning again, emphasizing they never take victories for granted. He credited the team's bosses for their full support and praised the team's chemistry, hinting at potential future plans.