STRONG GROUPS STAYS UNBEATEN IN JONES CUP DESPITE MOUNTING INJURIES
NEW TAIPEI CITY — DJ Fenner and Javi Gomez de Liano combined for 36 points as Strong Group Athletics continued its dominant run in the 44th William Jones Cup, dispatching Qatar, 81-54, Tuesday night at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium.
With the wire-to-wire victory, the Charles Tiu-mentored squad, also backed by Bet88 and UAAGI, improved to 3-0, keeping pace with fellow undefeated team Bahrain (4-0) in the nine-nation field.
The win also marked Strong Group’s 11th straight victory in Jones Cup play, stretching back to its unbeaten title run last year.
“Defense has been great for us. That’s what we’ve been preaching from day one. Defense wins championships,” said Tiu postgame. “We held another team to below 60.”
Strong Group showed no signs of slowing down early, racing to a double-digit lead behind Fenner’s 16-point first-half outburst.
Qatar managed to close the gap briefly late in the third behind Abdulla Mousa’s hot shooting, trimming a 19-point lead to 13 entering the fourth.
But Gomez de Liano responded with a flurry of baskets in the final frame, sparking a 6-0 run alongside Andre Roberson and Fenner that put the game out of reach.
Gomez de Liano buried two long triples, and Dave Ildefonso chipped in with a late four-point burst to push the lead to 23, 73-50, with just over two minutes remaining.
Fenner finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, and one assist, while Gomez de Liano tallied 18 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting clip, including 13 in the second half.
Ian Miller added 10 points and nine boards. Ildefonso also delivered across the board with eight points, five assists, and three rebounds.
Despite a modest scoring night, Roberson remained a force inside, pulling down 10 rebounds while registering three assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Strong Group thoroughly outplayed Qatar on both ends, winning the battle of the boards (59-47), distributing the ball better (19 assists to 11), and tallying more steals (10-4).
Strong Group's depth and discipline once again overwhelmed a youthful Qatari side, which dropped to 1-3.
“We're banged up right now,” admitted Tiu. “Tajuan [Agee] is hurting, Roberson’s knee is swollen, Ian [Miller]'s plantar is bothering him, and Rhenz [Abando]'s hamstring might keep him out for the Australia game. Even Dave [Ildefonso] and Geo [Chiu] are fighting off illness. Jason [Brickman] is very fatigued as well.”
Kiefer Ravena, who has yet to suit up in the tournament, is set to arrive in Taiwan by Wednesday morning and could provide a much-needed lift as Strong Group prepares to face Australia at 5:00 p.m.
“Only issue right now is our health,” Tiu added. “But we will keep fighting ‘til the end.”
