MANILA — Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas turned its controversial semifinal elimination into a 43-point statement, demolishing Chinese Taipei Blue, 117-74, on Thursday to cap its Group A campaign in the 2026 William Jones Cup at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Already knocked out of semifinal contention despite carrying an impressive 5-1 record, Strong Group showed no letup against a Chinese Taipei Blue squad that was guaranteed a semifinal berth regardless of its record.
The Philippine side dictated the game from the opening tip, taking a 25-17 first-quarter advantage before widening the gap to 54-35 at halftime.
Strong Group then delivered the knockout blow in the third quarter, torching Chinese Taipei Blue, 38-14, to build an insurmountable 92-49 advantage entering the final period.
The lopsided victory provided an emphatic ending to Strong Group’s group-stage campaign but also underscored the unusual tournament format that left the Philippine squad outside the semifinals despite its 5-1 record.
Wonju DB Promy secured Group A’s lone qualifying berth through the tournament’s tiebreaker system, while Chinese Taipei Blue was assured of a semifinal spot as the host representative despite entering the final day with a losing record.
Strong Group nevertheless refused to coast in its final group assignment, unleashing one of its most explosive offensive performances of the tournament.
Isaiah Piñeiro spearheaded the assault with 22 points, while Remy Martin fired 19 and Matthew Wright contributed 18.
Jonathan Manalili added 13 points, Boban Marjanovic chipped in 12 and Derrick Steven Fenner Jr. finished with 10. Tajuan Agee contributed nine points.
Strong Group’s offensive efficiency reflected its dominance, as the Philippine squad shot 57.4 percent on two-point attempts and a sizzling 52.6 percent from beyond the arc. It also converted 33 of its 38 free-throw attempts.
Xie Ming-Jun paced Chinese Taipei Blue with 18 points, while Chen Chiang-Shuang added 14 and Jonah Morrison finished with 12./PN
