Tiu says Strong Group deserved Jones Cup title shot after blowout win vs. Chinese Taipei Blue

Despite already being out of contention for the title after Japan lost to Korea’s DB Promy in the 2026 Jones Cup, Strong Group Pilipinas made a statement with a 117-74 blowout victory over Chinese Taipei Blue in the final game of the group stage on Thursday.

The Philippines finished second in the group behind the Korean team but will not advance to the semifinals, as the other spot had already been allotted to Chinese Taipei Blue.

According to the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association, the format was designed to ensure that fans of the national team can still watch them while also allowing teams to get adequate rest and avoid injury risks.

READ MORE | EXPLAINER: Why Strong Group Pilipinas won't advance to Jones Cup semifinals despite strong record

However, Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu said the team wanted to prove that it also deserved a shot at the title.

“We wanted to really blow out Taipei to show that we were the ones who deserved to be playing for the championship,” Tiu said on Thursday.

“We’ve really hit our stride and are playing at a high level right now. It’s just so, so unfortunate that this is the way things are set up.”

Despite missing out on the title game, Strong Group will still play for fifth place on Friday.

“We want to continue to represent the Philippines and our community here with pride, so we will finish strong,” Tiu said.

—JKC, GMA News