LOCAL HEROES DELIVER AS STRONG GROUP CRUISES PAST AL NASR
Strong Group-Philippines found its rhythm in its second game at the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship, defeating host team Al Nasr, 99-87, in front of a sold-out crowd at Al Nasr Club on Sunday morning (Manila time).
After struggling in their opening match against the UAE national team, Strong Group's local players rose to the occasion. Mikey Williams, a two-time PBA Finals MVP who was held scoreless in the first game, bounced back in spectacular fashion, scoring 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including an impressive 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
“It was great to see Mikey and Dave step up and show what they bring to our team,” said head coach Charles Tiu. “This is definitely a good sign for things to come for us.”
Dave Ildefonso, a former Asian import for Suwon KT, added 13 points and four rebounds. Jason Brickman contributed nine points and six assists, while Rhenz Abando chipped in seven points, three rebounds, and two blocks to round out the locals' contributions. Strong Group led from start to finish, building an advantage as large as 27 points and maintaining control throughout the contest. The Athletics shot an efficient 57% from the field, draining 14 three-pointers in a dominant performance.
Reigning William Jones Cup MVP Chris McCullough spearheaded the charge, delivering 31 points on an efficient 12-of-16 shooting and grabbing nine rebounds. With contributions coming from all directions, marquee players Demarcus Cousins and Malachi Richardson enjoyed some well-deserved rest. Cousins logged just 13 minutes of play, contributing eight points, while Richardson added another eight points.
“I’m happy we managed to keep the players’ minutes down,” Tiu noted as they will next face Amman on Tuesday, 1 a.m. (Manila time). “This tournament is a long one, and we’ll need everyone fresh for the games ahead.”
Harat Mohammed and Marvelle Harris led the charge for Al Nasr, scoring 34 and 30 points, respectively, but their efforts were not enough to overcome Strong Group's firepower.
The Scores:
Strong Group 99 - McCullough 31, Williams 16, Ildefonso 13, Brickman 9, Richardson 8, Cousins 8, Abando 7, Liwag 4, Kouame 2, Koon 1, Blatche 0, Ynot 0.
Al Nasr 87 - Mohammed 34, Harris 30, Ahmed 13, Khalfa 4, Ba 4, Albooshi 2, Petty 0.
Quarterscores: 21-17, 50-38, 73-61, 99-87.
