MANILA, Philippines — The Strong Group Athletics (SGA) kicked off their campaign in the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship with a hard-fought 99-91 victory over the United Arab Emirates’ national team early Saturday morning (Manila time).
SGA surged ahead in the final quarter with a blistering 14-0 run, breaking open what had been a tight contest and fending off a late rally from the UAE.
Chris McCullough led the charge for the Philippine-based squad, finishing with 28 points and six rebounds, while DeMarcus Cousins contributed 24 points, four assists, and four boards.
The game was a back-and-forth affair for most of the first three quarters, with both teams exchanging leads but never pulling away. The UAE had moments of brilliance, especially from Hamid Abdullateef, who put his team ahead with a crucial three-pointer in the third.
However, SGA was quick to respond. After Rhenz Abando’s putback and a clutch jumper from McCullough gave SGA a 69-67 advantage, Abdullateef’s triple briefly restored the lead to the UAE.
Yet, McCullough’s steady presence helped put SGA back in control, briefly interrupted by another three-pointer from Omar Alameeri, which gave the home team a narrow 73-71 lead.
That would be the last of the UAE’s scoring for nearly two minutes as SGA unleashed a devastating 14-0 run. McCullough, Malachi Richardson, and Allen Liwag were key contributors, pushing the lead to 85-75.
Despite a brief and-one play by Qais Omar Alshabebi, SGA continued to dominate, with Abando, McCullough, and Cousins combining for another 8-3 run, extending the lead to 93-78 with 3:53 remaining.
The UAE refused to go quietly, cutting the deficit to just seven points with eight straight points capped off by an Abdullateef layup, 93-86.
But Cousins responded with a crucial field goal, and Abdullateef’s late three-pointer made it a two-possession game at 95-89. However, strong finishing plays by Abando and McCullough sealed the victory for SGA.
In addition to McCullough and Cousins, Richardson added 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists, while Abando finished with 13. Demarco Dickerson led the UAE with 25 points, six rebounds, and four assists in 30 minutes of play, while Alshabebi chipped in 23 points.
SGA, which finished as runners-up last year, will look to carry its momentum into the next game against Al Nasr.
