Camille Naredo

Dave Ildefonso practices with Strong Group Athletics on July 9, 2025, ahead of their title defense in the 44th William Jones Cup in Taiwan. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File

Strong Group Athletics practice in Manila on July 9, 2025, ahead of their title defense in the 44th William Jones Cup in Taiwan. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

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BASKETBALL- SGA

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178522289799220250709-strong-group-athletics-jones-cup-preps-MD7088.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Dave Ildefonso practices with Strong Group Athletics on July 9, 2025, ahead of their title defense in the 44th William Jones Cup in Taiwan. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Dave Ildefonso practices with Strong Group Athletics on July 9, 2025, ahead of their title defense in the 44th William Jones Cup in Taiwan. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>MANILA -- Strong Group-Pilipinas will bank on six familiar faces as it chases a third straight title in the 45th William Jones Cup, set for August 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium.Returning to the squad are Dave Ildefonso, DJ Fenner, Angelo Kouame, Tajuan Agee, and young standouts Allen Liwag and Titing Manalili, all of whom played key roles in the team&#x27;s back-to-back championships.&quot;Just excited to have some of our core guys still there to help us go for our three-peat,&quot; said longtime Strong Group coach Charles Tiu. &quot;It really helps having that familiarity, especially with a lot of new guys coming in and such a short preparation time. I love coaching this group of guys.&quot;Agee, a 6-foot-9 forward, has been the team&#x27;s cornerstone over the past two Jones Cup campaigns. In last year&#x27;s tournament, he averaged 15.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.2 steals per game.Ildefonso and Fenner have likewise been mainstays of Strong Group&#x27;s championship runs. Ildefonso averaged 8.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in last year&#x27;s edition, while Fenner contributed 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per outing.Kouame, meanwhile, appeared in four games during the 44th William Jones Cup before his campaign was cut short.Liwag of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Manalili of Colegio de San Juan de Letran round out the returning core as the team&#x27;s young prospects.The six holdovers will be joined by Serbian giant Boban Marjanović as Strong Group-Pilipinas looks to extend its dominance in the annual tournament.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/7/24/strong-group-acquires-services-of-ex-nba-center-boban-marjanovi-for-william-jones-cup-1845">READ: Strong Group acquires services of ex-NBA center Boban Marjanović for William Jones Cup</a></div>Strong Group president Jacob Lao also expressed his appreciation to Abra Solid North Weavers owner Rep. JB Bernos for allowing Ildefonso and Fenner to suit up for the national club once again.&quot;We&#x27;re truly grateful to Congressman JB Bernos and the Abra Solid North Weavers organization for their support and generosity in allowing Dave and DJ to represent Strong Group-Pilipinas once again,&quot; said Lao.&quot;Their commitment to Philippine basketball goes beyond their own team, and we&#x27;re thankful to have them as partners in our pursuit of a third straight Jones Cup championship.&quot;Strong Group-Pilipinas has been drawn into a preliminary-round group with Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan.

Strong Group-Pilipinas will bank on six familiar faces as it chases a third straight title in the 45th William Jones Cup, set for August 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium.

Strong Group-Pilipinas will bank on six familiar faces as it chases a third straight title in the 45th William Jones Cup, set for August 8 to 23 at the New Taipei City Xinzhuang Gymnasium.

Ildefonso, Agee, Fenner back in the fold as Strong Group defends Jones Cup crown

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Basketball

Ildefonso, Agee, Fenner back in the fold as Strong Group defends Jones Cup crown

ABS-CBN News

Published July 28, 2026 03:20 PM PHT

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basketball

Strong Group-Pilipinas

William Jones Cup

Dave Ildefonso

DJ Fenner

Angelo Kouame

Tajuan Agee

Allen Liwag

Titing Manalili

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