Chris McCullough and DeMarcus Cousins propelled Strong Group Athletics to a 99-91 victory over the United Arab Emirates national team, kickstarting their Dubai International Basketball Championship 2025 campaign on a strong note at Al Nasr Club.
McCullough, a late addition to the Philippine squad, delivered a standout performance with 28 points and six rebounds, spearheading a crucial 14-0 fourth-quarter run that gave Strong Group an 85-73 lead with five minutes left. Despite a late UAE rally cutting the margin to 95-89, Rhenz Abando’s floater and McCullough’s slam sealed the game for the visitors.
Cousins, a four-time NBA All-Star, impressed in his debut with 24 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while fellow ex-NBA player Malachi Richardson added 21 points and five rebounds. Abando led the local players with 13 points, and Jason Brickman contributed across the board with five points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
For UAE, DeMarco Dickerson tallied 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Qais Alshabebi had 23 points and seven rebounds in the close loss.
Strong Group will face Al Nasr on Sunday, while another Philippine team, Zamboanga Valientes, begins its campaign against Al Sharjah.
