Strong Group completes Jones Cup title sweep with blowout win vs. UAE

Strong Group Athletics (SGA)-Philippines didn't just win back-to-back titles as it also completed a tournament sweep, thrashing UAE with an 87-62 victory to conclude its 2025 Jones Cup run on Sunday in Taiwan. 

SGA, which had already clinched the championship on Saturday after dominating Bahrain with a 92-68 romp, capped off its stint unscathed with an 8-0 win-loss card. UAE, on the other hand, closed out its campaign winless at 0-8. 

Tajuan Agee gave the Philippine representative a huge lift after erupting for 20 points laced with five rebounds, four assists, and one steal while Kiefer Ravena took over in the fourth and finished with a near double-double of 13 markers and nine dimes. 

Other reinforcements in Ian Miller and DJ Fenner each chipped in 12 points as Dave Ildefonso chimed in with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. 

Up by just a solitary point at the break, Strong Group shifted into high gear in the second half as Fenner and Jason Brickman led their third quarter surge with the former knocking down a triple for a 62-48 lead. 

UAE tried to make some runs before heading to the fourth after Khalifa Khalil Ibrahim Salem completed a four-point play with two seconds left in the third as they cut the deficit to 10, 62-52. 

But Ravena seized control in the payoff period, sinking a three-pointer before issuing back-to-back dimes that led to a pair of baskets for Ildefonso as they raced to a 76-56 cushion. 

Ravena, who missed the first three games due to previous commitment, buried a mid-range jumper and layup that sent Strong Group to a comfortable 80-57 advantage with still 4:09 to play. 

SGA never took its foot off the pedal as they became the first Philippine team to ever win two titles in a row. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News