STRONG Group Athletics (SGA) found its championship groove and silenced the home crowd, blasting tournament hosts Chinese Taipei Blue, 97-78, in the 2026 William Jones Cup on Sunday night at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City.
The Philippine representatives leaned on a balanced, high-octane offensive assault and an explosive second-quarter turnaround to win its second straight game after opening its bid for a hat-trick of titles on a losing note.
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Isaiah Pineiro and Tajuan Agee led the charge with 19 points apiece. Agee added three rebounds, two steals, and a block, while Pineiro pulled down five boards in an another efficient outing.
After back-to-back quiet outings, SGA’s marquee reinforcements finally broke out.
Seven-foot-four NBA veteran Boban Marjanovic imposed his will in the paint, tallying a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double alongside three assists and a rejection.
Fil-Am guard Remy Martin also delivered a massive bounce-back performance after being held to just three points against South Korea and going scoreless against Japan.
Martin dished out a game-high seven assists to go with 13 points, three rebounds, and a steal to orchestrate SGA’s fluid offense.
PBA draft prospect DJ Fenner continued his steady two-way play, chiming in with 15 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.
SGA raced to a quick 20-10 lead in the opening period before Chinese Taipei Blue waxed hot from beyond the arc. The Taiwanese hosts sank five three-pointers to briefly snatch a 30-29 edge in the second frame.
Refusing to let the game slip away, head coach Charles Tiu had SGA pushing the tempo and overwhelming the hosts in transition, closing the first half on a blistering run to take a 52-40 advantage at the break.
The Philippine side never eased off the gas pedal in the second half, increasing the lead to 77-60 by the end of the third period before cruising to the 19-point blowout.
Kuo Chun-yen paced Chinese Taipei Blue with 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, while Chou Kuei-Yu and Jonah Morrison chipped in 12 points each in the loss.
SGA looks to sustain its winning momentum when it clashes with Japan on Tuesday, August 18, at 3:00 p.m.
The scores:
STRONG GROUP ATHLETICS 97 – Pineiro 19, Agee 19, Fenner Jr. 15, Marjanovic 14, Martin 13, Navarro 7, Dave Ildefonso 4, Wright 4, Diouf 2, Manalili 0, Miller 0, Shaun Ildefonso 0.
CHINESE TAIPEI BLUE 78 – Kuo 14, Chou 12, Morrison 12, Sung 10, Manu 8, Lan 6, Wu 6, Chen 5, Xie 3, Gilbeck 2, Li 0.
Quarters: 20-15, 52-40, 77-60, 97-78.
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