Strong Group spoils Chinese Taipei A in OT to win Jones Cup crown

They won't be denied this time around. 

Strong Group Athletics spoiled what could have been a home victory for Chinese Taipei A and eked out an 83-79 overtime victory in their virtual championship game to rule the 2024 William Jones Cup on Sunday. 

The Philippine representatives completed a title sweep after going undefeated in eight games and achieved what they fell short of last January, when they absorbed a narrow loss to Al Riyadi in the finals of the 33rd Dubai International Basketball Championship via a game-winner. 

SGA held the lead for most of the game, but Chinese Taipei slowly got its act together and even established a much-needed 71-64 lead in the final 1:08 of the fourth quarter.

That did not let SGA wave the white flag just yet with Tajuan Agee instigating an 8-0 run capped by a massive corner three-pointer from Kiefer Ravena over the 7-foot Brandon Gilbeck to give the Philippine side a 73-71 cushion. 

Gilbeck, though, completed a putback play to force a 73-all deadlock and drag SGA to an overtime. 

RJ Abarrientos, whose triples early in the fourth kept them afloat, buried another one in the extra period before Agee's two freebies sent them to a 78-74 advantage. Chinese Taipei, however, quickly countered and knotted the game again at 78-all. 

Chris McCullough then brought them to an 80-78 cushion before getting fouled out in the final 2:05 while two charities from Jordan Heading made it an 82-79 affair with 12.2 seconds left. 

Agee top-scored SGA with 21 points along with nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block while DJ Fenner and Abarrientos chipped in 15 and 14 markers apiece to help the cause. Ravena finished with nine important points together with four boards, four dimes, and two swats. 

SGA became the seventh Philippine team to win the annual tournament and the second in five years after Mighty Sports reigned supreme in 2019. SGA head coach Charles Tiu was also at the helm of that team.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News