Strong Group protests shock Dubai tourney semis ouster; withdraws from bronze match

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MANILA, Philippines – In a series of shocking events at the 2025 Dubai International Basketball Championship, Strong Group Athletics (SGA) announced its withdrawal from the bronze medal match right after its 68-63 semifinal upset loss to Tunisia on Saturday (Sunday, February 2, Manila time).

In a statement, the rising sports franchise decried what it perceived as imbalanced officiating, especially in the game’s closing moments, in favor of the Tunisian national team, which has since gone on to the knockout final against Beirut First Club of Lebanon.

“We at Strong Group Athletics have officially decided not to participate in the third-place game of the 34th Dubai Basketball International Championship, as we call for equality and fairness in officiating and for the game to be treated with the proper respect,” the statement began.

“Our decision comes after our semifinal matchup against Tunisia on Saturday evening, where we encountered officiating inconsistencies that significantly impacted the outcome of the contest. Throughout the game, multiple non-calls were made against us, with crucial decisions favoring Tunisia.”

SGA pointed to its final play in the last 7 seconds of regulation while trailing, 66-63, as center Mokhtar Ghyaza seemingly bumped into Gilas Pilipinas high-flyer Rhenz Abando from behind on a three-point attempt at the top of the key and was not called for a foul.

Abando and ex-NBA import DeMarcus Cousins flailed their hands in disbelief over the apparent non-call, with Cousins then motioning to the nearest referee the manner in which Ghyaza made contact with Abando.

The officials, however, would not hear of it, and proceeded to facilitate Radhouane Slimane’s game-winning free throws with 3.2 seconds left following a duty foul after the prior missed Abando triple.

“As competitors, we respect the game and its governing principles. However, fairness and accountability are fundamental in maintaining the integrity of international basketball,” SGA’s statement continued.

“Our decision not to play in the third-place match is not just about one game—it is about advocating for officiating that upholds the spirit of sportsmanship and ensures that all teams are given a fair chance to compete.”

Should SGA indeed follow through with its withdrawal, the UAE national team stands to receive the 2025 Dubai tournament bronze medal by default after its own knockout semifinal loss against Beirut, 94-71.

“We extend our gratitude to our supporters and assure our fans that despite this unfortunate outcome, we remain committed to representing the Philippines with pride on the global stage,” the statement concluded.

Dubai gold evades SGA for 3 straight tournaments

Cousins and fellow former NBA player Chris McCullough led the losing cause with 18 points apiece on a combined 13-of-36 clip, with Cousins also supplying 15 rebounds for the double-double finish in 31 minutes.

Strong Group’s other NBA-caliber stars, meanwhile, were complete non-factors in the stunning loss as foul-plagued Malachi Richardson went scoreless on just 4 shots with a horrendous plus-minus of -30, while retiring Andray Blatche — averaging just 9 minutes at age 38 — added 2 points in just 3 minutes.

No locals breached double figures as Jason Brickman chipped in 7 points and 6 assists, while Abando missed all four of his three-ball attempts for just 4 points,

Former PBA Finals MVP Mikey Williams scored just 6, albeit his last 3 coming off a clutch corner trey with 56.8 seconds left that put SGA within two, 65-63, after trailing by as many as 16 in the third quarter, 49-33.

Slimane, who calmly sank his only free throw attempts of the evening to set the final score, led all scorers with 23 points in the controversial win after averaging just 7 up to that point of the tournament.

The knockout semifinal defeat marked Strong Group’s third straight failed gold medal quest in the annual Dubai meet since taking over from Mighty Sports back in 2020.