Strong Group Athletics secured a spot in the semifinals of the Dubai International Basketball Championship after dominating Sharjah, 100-63, on Thursday (UAE time) at the Al Nasr Club.
The Philippine squad took control early, holding Sharjah to just 16 points in the first quarter while putting up 31 of their own. Although Sharjah managed to close the gap before halftime, trailing 49-37, Strong Group’s defense clamped down in the second half, allowing only 26 points to seal the commanding victory.
DeMarcus Cousins powered Strong Group with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Chris McCullough added 20 points. Dave Ildefonso and Mikey Williams each contributed 11 points.
Sharjah’s Nicholas West and Dequan Jones tried to keep their team in the game, scoring 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Joining Strong Group in the semifinals is the Tunisia National Team. The schedule for the next round is yet to be announced, as four more teams compete in the quarterfinals on Friday.
