Basketball

New Taipei, July 21 (CNA) – The visiting Team Philippines clinched its seventh overall title in the William Jones Cup international basketball tournament after an intense and thrilling 83-79 overtime victory against Team Taiwan at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei on Sunday.

This win is the first one for a Filipino squad in the Cup since 2019. With seven William Jones Cup trophies under their belt, the Philippines now has the second-most titles among all the countries, behind only the United States, with sixteen victories.

Both Chinese Taipei Blue, Taiwan's men's national A team, and Team Philippines, composed mainly of players from Strong Group Athletics, were undefeated with 7-0 records before Sunday night's championship showdown.

In other games on Sunday, Chinese Taipei White, composed of second-string national team players, narrowly edged out Team Japan with a score of 80-75 in a closely contested match. Ukraine, making its first William Jones Cup appearance in 31 years, finished in third place with a 6-2 record, followed by Malaysia in fourth place with a 5-3 record. Chinese Taipei White (4-4) and Japan (3-5) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, while the United States, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates all shared seventh place with identical 1-7 records.

The 2024 tournament marked the 43rd staging of the William Jones Cup. Established in Taiwan in 1977, the tournament is named after British basketball promoter Renato William Jones, who served as the first secretary-general of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) for 44 years from 1932. The women's tournament, held from July 6 to 10, was won by Team Japan, which finished with a perfect 5-0 record.

Strong Group Athletics-Philippines spoiled the 43rd William Jones Cup campaign of hometown favorites Chinese Taipei to clinch the tournament's championship. The Charles Tiu-mentored squad reclaimed Jones Cup glory after stunning Chinese Taipei-A in overtime, 83-79, during their Sunday evening clash in New Taipei City.

Tajuan Agee led SGA with an impressive 21 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a perfect nine-for-nine from the free-throw line. Following him was DJ Fenner, who contributed 15 points, nine rebounds, and four steals. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel-bound RJ Abarrientos hit clutch shots, finishing with 14 points on four-of-eight shooting from beyond the arc, while Chris McCullough added 12 points. Veteran guard Kiefer Ravena also stood out, contributing nine points, all from three-point range, along with four rebounds, four assists, and two steals. One of his three-pointers was crucial in the fourth-quarter fightback for Strong Group.

As SGA led by two points, 80-78, with under 20 seconds left in overtime and both McCullough and Agee having fouled out, Cien Hao Ma split his free throws to bring Taipei within one point. Jordan Heading then converted his pair of free throws on the next play, creating a three-point cushion with only 12.2 seconds remaining. Taiwan failed to get another attempt as Fenner stole the ball, ultimately ending the game by going one-for-two from the free-throw line.

In regulation play, the Philippines found themselves ahead by five points early in the final quarter but suddenly down by four, 61-57, after an 11-2 run by Taiwan. This run was capped by a triple from Cheng Yin Chun with over six minutes left in the contest. A three-pointer by Hsiang Chun Tseng on Taiwan’s next possession extended their lead to six points. However, Abarrientos kept SGA afloat with his own three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 64-61.

Cheng hit another jumper to hold a 69-64 advantage, and the Philippines struggled, firing blanks on their subsequent attempts as regulation time neared its end. Tseng increased Taiwan's lead to seven, 71-64, but a pair of perfect trips to the free-throw line from Agee and a lay-in by Heading, following a steal by Ravena, gave SGA hope as they closed in, 71-70. Ravena then drained a crucial triple to overtake Taiwan, 73-71, but a putback from Brandon Gilbeck kept the home squad alive, sending the game into overtime.

Robert Tsang Hinton led Taiwan’s efforts with 16 points, followed by Cheng with 13 points. Gilbeck and Tseng contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively.

This victory marks the Philippines' seventh Jones Cup championship, with the last title won by Tiu's 2019 Mighty Sports-Philippines team. SGA ended the nine-club tournament with a perfect record of eight victories. This defeat was the only blemish on Chinese Taipei-A's otherwise perfect record in the 43rd Jones Cup.

The Scores

SGA-Philippines 83 – Agee 21, Fenner 15, Abarrientos 14, McCullough 12, Ravena 9, Abando 6, Heading 4, Kouame 2, Tiongson 0.

Chinese Taipei-A 79 – R. Hinton 16, C.Y. Chun 13, Gilbeck 11, T.H. Chun 10, L. Cheng 8, A. Hinton 8, Hao 6, S.S. Xuan 5, Jinwei 2, Han J.Y. 0.

Quarter Scores: 16-12; 41-34; 55-50; 73-73; 83-79.

The Philippines' remarkable performance in this year's William Jones Cup highlights their prowess and determination in international basketball. The team's ability to come back from behind and secure victory in such a high-stakes game demonstrates their resilience and skill. This victory is not only a testament to the players' hard work but also to the strategic guidance of their coach, Charles Tiu. As the Philippines celebrates this significant achievement, the nation looks forward to more successes in future international tournaments.

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