By MARK REY MONTEJO
The Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA), organizer of the ongoing 2026 Jones Cup, has issued a public apology following the backlash from fans and participating teams brought by this year’s unusual format.
The criticisms came as defending champion Strong Group Athletics is now on verge of missing the semifinals of the tournament despite running second in its group.
According to the format, Chinese Taipei Blue is assured of a Final Four spot regardless of its standing in the group stage, leaving the top team in the group as the only other squad that can qualify in the semis.
In a statement, the organizers explained that the body ratified the format to give way to Chinese Taipei Blue which played depleted due to injuries with most of its members still part of the youth team.
“The 45th William Jones Cup Basketball Invitation Tournament Group Stage is nearing its end. Due to the impact of player injuries on the Chinese Blue team, their performance has not been as expected, sparking discussions among fans and the public about the tournament format,” CTBA wrote.
“The association has apologized to all parties for the changes in the tournament schedule and will continue to improve the Jones Cup tournament schedule to meet the fans’ expectations and allow visiting foreign teams to enjoy the matches,” it added.
Despite carrying a 4-1 record, SGA might not have the chance to go for a three-peat in the tournament as Korean team Wonju DB Promy looked primed to take the top spot. Also in the four-team group is Japan.
The Korean Ball Club defeated SGA 110-79 in the opener. SGA, needing to win by 32 points in their second meeting to get the favorable quotient, only won by 26 points, 113-87.
“The two-time champion Philippine SGA team from the same group as the Chinese Blue team may be the biggest victim of the new competition format this year. Although they had a better record, they were unable to advance due to the competition format,” it continued.
“The association greatly appreciates the excellent skills demonstrated by SGA in this year’s matches and is grateful. In the future, the association will continue to prioritize inviting the participating teams to help extend the long history of the Jones Cup basketball tournament,” it added.
All is not lost, however, for SGA as a Japan upset win over Wonju would allow them to qualify in the final four.
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