AS condemnation from Filipino fans intensified, the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) finally broke its silence on the 2026 William Jones Cup's controversial format that has Strong Group Athletics (SGA), currently the second-ranked team in its group, on the brink of elimination.
In an official statement released on Thursday, the organizers publicly apologized for the massive backlash caused by a rule that automatically guaranteed host team Chinese Taipei Blue a spot in the semifinals.
The CTBA explicitly acknowledged the Philippine representative took the heaviest blow from this pre-agreed condition.
“SGA, the two-time champion from the Philippines that was placed in the same group as Chinese Taipei Blue, may have been the biggest victim of this year’s new format,” the association acknowledged.
“Despite having a better record, SGA could not advance because of the tournament format,” added the statement sent to Philippine media.
The controversial ruling essentially handed the host nation, with a record of 1-4, a Final Four ticket on a silver platter, while also virtually shutting the door on SGA, standing at 4-1.
Supposedly, the first and second-ranked squads from each of the two groups advance, with 4-1 Korea having the inside track for the top seed from Group A.
READ: SGA treble bid in peril despite Jones Cup romp over Korean side
Organizers explained the double round-robin format change was initially designed to reduce consecutive playing days and give teams more time to recover from injuries.
However, a special provision was added to guarantee Chinese Taipei Blue's automatic advance, simply to ensure that local fans could watch their national team compete in the latter stages.
The CTBA noted that their roster, composed of the Asian Games training pool, was completely exhausted from the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers in July.
A severe wave of injuries before and during the Jones Cup severely hampered the hosts' performance, further fueling outrage over their semifinal berth.
“The association humbly accepts the feedback and criticism from all parties and we will review and improve the tournament format and scheduling for next year,” the CTBA stated.
Props to SGA
At the same time, organizers gave their highest recognition to coach Charles Tiu's wards for the outstanding and professional basketball they displayed throughout the regional meet.
To make amends for the debacle, the CTBA vowed to prioritize inviting the Philippine club in future editions.
Despite the apology, SGA is expected to play with a massive chip on its shoulder when it faces the home team on Thursday nighy at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
The disgruntled Philippine contingent has vowed to vent its ire - reportedly by at least 50 points - on Chinese Taipei Blue before the Final Four and classification stages begin on Friday.
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