STRONG Group Athletics fueled the fire of its title hopes on Friday.
That is after SGA stormed into the semifinals of the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championships with another dominant performance, dispatching Al Sharjah Club in a lopsided 100-63 victory early Friday morning at the Al Nasr Club in the UAE.
The Filipino squad found itself trailing 5-11 early in the contest but quickly flipped the script behind the efforts of DeMarcus Cousins and Malachi Richardson.
The American reinforcements combined for 16 points, sparking a blistering 23-1 run that saw SGA race out to a commanding 28-12 lead. From there, the game was never in doubt.
The Filipinos maintained their stranglehold on the game, with Chris McCullough, Dave Ildefonso, and Mikey Williams contributing to the growing lead in the second half, sealing the blowout as the final buzzer sounded.
Cousins was a force throughout, finishing with 21 points and 10 rebounds in just 20 minutes of play, while McCullough came off the bench to chip in 20 points, six boards, and two blocks.
Williams, ever the reliable contributor, posted 11 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while Ildefonso also tallied 11 points in a key role off the bench.