Chris McCullough has rejoined Strong Group Athletics as an import for the upcoming 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship, replacing Terry Larrier. The former San Miguel import will team up with fellow reinforcements DeMarcus Cousins and Malachi Richardson.
SGA head coach Charles Tiu expressed his excitement about McCullough’s return, highlighting the player’s determination to represent the Philippines once more. “He just wanted to hoop. To be honest, he was the one who found ways to get permission to play for us, and it says a lot about him wanting to play for the Philippines,” Tiu said.
McCullough previously played a key role for Strong Group Athletics during the 2024 William Jones Cup, averaging 21.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game to secure the title against Taiwan.
Joining a revamped roster that includes Mikey Williams, Jason Brickman, Rhenz Abando, Dave Ildefonso, Allen Liwag, Tony Ynot, and Justine Sanchez, McCullough is set to help Strong Group Athletics in their campaign. The team begins their tournament run against the Dubai National Team on Friday at 11 p.m. (Manila time), followed by matches against Al Nasr, Amman, and Beirut.
The top four teams from each group will move on to the crossover quarterfinals.
