DeMarcus Cousins shows way as Strong Group turns back Beirut First to go 3-0 in Dubai tiff

DeMarcus Cousins flexed his might late to lead Strong Group Athletics as they pulled off an 85-78 win against Beirut First to remain unscathed in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship on early Tuesday.

The former NBA star shone with a team-high 26 points on scorching 4-of-9 shooting from downtown while also grabbing 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block as the Philippine representative went 3-0 in the contest.

Ange Kouame churned out a near double-double outing of 14 markers and eight boards while Dave Ildefonso and Mikey Williams chipped in 12 and eight points apiece.

Strong Group picked up where they left off from their two previous convincing victories over UAE National Team and Al Nasr SC and dominated Beirut First for most of the game, even cruising to a 21-point lead after Williams buried a triple that made it a comfortable 75-54 lead early in the fourth period.

But the Lebanese side refused to wave the white flag just yet with veteran Sergio El Darwich leading the rally.

The 28-year-old guard dropped three straight baskets before he completed a three-point play that capped off a 15-3 run and trimmed their deficit to a single digit, 78-69, with still 4:15 to go in the clock.

A jumper from Mohamad Ali Haidar then further cut the gap to six, 78-72, as Beirut First continued to threaten a comeback against the Philippine team.

But Cousins took up the cudgels in the endgame, sinking a momentum-killer three-pointer before Jason Brickman and Chris McCullough knocked down three straight free throws as Strong Group regained an 84-73 cushion.

El Darwich would complete another pair of freebies as they came within just eight with only 43 ticks left, 84-76. Cousins, however, calmly sank a technical free throw to allow SGA fend off a late rally from the Lebanon pride.

El Darwich exploded with 26 points in the loss while Haidar and Ali Mezher chipped in 18 and 10 markers in the loss.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News