Strong Group beats Chinese Taipei Blue for second win in a row in 2026 Jones Cup

Heroes were plenty for the Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas as it crushed hometown team Chinese Taipei Blue, 97-78, in the 2026 William Jones Cup on Sunday at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.

Isaiah Piñeiro and Tajuan Agee both dropped 19 points while former NBA big man Boban Marjanovic posted a double-double effort of 14 points and 10 rebounds laced with three assists and one block as Strong Group captured its second straight win for a 2-1 card in Group A.

DJ Fenner was also huge with 15 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks, helping Strong Group sink Chinese Taipei Blue to a 1-2 record in the same group.

Piñeiro and Fenner waxed hot in the first half to help the Philippine representatives claim a sizable 52-40 halftime lead as Chinese Taipei Blue managed to score just 17 in the second quarter.

The 7-foot-4 slotman Marjanovic then knocked down an and-one floater then cleaned up his own free throw with a layup to send Strong Group to a 58-45 lead in the third period before Remy Martin buried a triple that stretched the lead to 65-48.

Another Marjanovic floater and a Piñeiro three-pointer allowed SGA to take a comfortable 77-60 lead ahead of the fourth.

Agee shot a triple of his own before Piñeiro scored on a putback, 90-72, but the host team replied with six straight points to cut the deficit to 12.

Strong Group, though, swung for a 7-0 closing run led by Will Navarro, who sealed the 19-point win with a one-handed slam off a Titing Manalili dish in the final 35 seconds.

The Strong Group will take a one-day break before taking on Japan on Tuesday.

—JKC, GMA News