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Former NBA defensive ace Andre Roberson, veteran guard Kiefer Ravena, and high-flyer Rhenz Abando banner a Strong Group Athletics roster made up mostly of returnees for its William Jones Cup title defense in Taiwan
MANILA, Philippines – Strong Group Athletics returns to the international basketball scene all rejigged as it revealed its stacked roster for its William Jones Cup title defense from July 12 to 20 in New Taipei City, Taiwan.
Leading the 10-man roster are former NBA player and lockdown defender Andre Roberson, veteran playmakers Kiefer Ravena and Jason Brickman, Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando, crafty guard Dave Ildefonso, and naturalized Filipino center, UAAP champion Ange Kouame.
Rounding out the squad for the 44th Jones Cup edition are Fil-Am guard DJ Fenner, 6-foot-9 import Tajuan Agee, Japan B. League prospect big man Geo Chiu, and reigning NCAA MVP Allen Liwag.
“We’re going all out in defending the country’s William Jones Cup title. We’re glad to bring back the core of the team, and with their chemistry and experience, we’re confident in our chances. More than anything, we want to make the country proud again,” said Strong Group president Jacob Lao.
“I’m excited to bring back some guys from our championship squad. This might be the first time we’re able to run it back with this many returning players,” added head coach Charles Tiu.
Strong Group last made headlines after another disappointing finish in the Dubai International Basketball Championship, where it bowed out to Tunisia in a highly controversial 68-63 semifinals loss.
The Lao family-backed squad hopes for a positive turnaround in Taiwan, despite Ravena missing the first two games due to prior commitments.
“The big challenge is that we’ll be facing Taipei A in our very first game, and we haven’t played any tune-up games yet. We’ll have to see how quickly the team can gel. Kiefer will also miss a couple of games, but we’re definitely looking to defend our crown,” said Tiu. – Rappler.com
