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  • Naturalized Malick Diouf boosts Strong Group’s bid for William Jones Cup title

    Naturalized Malick Diouf boosts Strong Group’s bid for William Jones Cup title

    Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas’ pursuit of a historic third straight William Jones Cup championship has received a timely boost with the addition of newly naturalized Filipino Malick Diouf.

     

    With Angelo Koume unavailable for this year’s campaign, Strong Group turned to Diouf to reinforce its frontline as the team prepares for the 45th William Jones Cup, scheduled from August 14 to 23 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan.

     

    Diouf’s inclusion comes shortly after officially becoming a Filipino citizen, clearing the way for him to represent the Philippines in international competitions. His arrival adds another accomplished frontcourt player to a roster already loaded with veteran experience and international talent.

     

    The former University of the Philippines standout joins a formidable lineup headlined by Serbian center Boban Marjanović, Puerto Rican forward Isaiah Piñeiro, American Tajuan Agee, Will Navarro, and two-time NCAA Most Valuable Player Allen Liwag.


    Strong Group will also field an experienced backcourt featuring Remy Martin and Titing Manalili, while Dave Ildefonso, DJ Fenner, and Matthew Wright round out the squad looking to keep the team’s dominance alive in Taiwan.

     

    Strong Group president Jacob Lao welcomed Diouf’s addition and acknowledged the support that made the move possible.

     

    “We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, especially executive director Erika Dy, for allowing Malick to suit up for Strong Group Athletics in the William Jones Cup,” Lao said.

     

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    For head coach Charles Tiu, Diouf’s value extends well beyond filling an open roster spot.

     

    “Malick gives us even more size, versatility, and athleticism in the frontcourt. He’s a great replacement for Ange, and he raises our ceiling as a team because he can impact the game on both ends of the floor. We’re excited to have him with us,” Tiu said.

     

    Diouf arrives with an impressive résumé from his collegiate career as he played a pivotal role in leading the University of the Philippines to the UAAP Season 84 championship, earning Finals MVP honors as the Fighting Maroons ended a 36-year title drought. 

     

    A season later, he captured the UAAP Season 85 Most Valuable Player award, although UP fell short in its title defense after losing to Ateneo de Manila University in the finals.

     

    Strong Group enters this year’s tournament carrying lofty expectations after winning the last two editions of the William Jones Cup. The team has been drawn into a preliminary-round group with Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan as it begins its quest to become the first squad to capture three consecutive William Jones Cup championships.

     

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  • Strong Group Athletics settles for silver after inspiring run in Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational

    Strong Group Athletics settles for silver after inspiring run in Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational

    Representing the Philippines in the 2026 Formosa Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament, Strong Group capped its campaign with a silver medal after bowing to Japan’s Aleeza Aichi in the championship match on Sunday.


    The Japanese club lived up to its billing as tournament favorite, defeating the Filipinas in straight sets, 25-17, 25-19, 25-15, to secure the championship.

     

    Despite the final scoreline, Strong Group refused to back down early. The Philippine side challenged Aleeza Aichi throughout the opening two sets, staying within striking distance before the Japanese squad gradually imposed its superior rhythm and execution.

     

    The third set ultimately became the turning point of the match.

     

    Sensing the title within reach, Aleeza Aichi tightened its grip and built a commanding 19-12 advantage that left Strong Group scrambling to stay alive.

     

    Ces Molina and Trisha Tubu tried to ignite one final comeback, leading a 4-1 run that briefly breathed life into the Philippine side’s hopes. 

     

    But the Japanese champions responded immediately, closing the match with a dominant 5-0 finishing burst to complete the straight-set sweep and lift the trophy.

     

    Although the championship slipped away, Strong Group’s path to the final highlighted the team’s resilience throughout the tournament.

     

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    The Filipinas opened their campaign with a four-set defeat to Thailand’s Supreme Tip Chonburi-E.Tech, placing their title hopes in jeopardy. 

     

    Instead of folding, they bounced back with a crucial victory over Chinese Taipei’s Earthpower EPV, creating a three-way tie at 1-1 in the standings.

     

    That win proved enough to send Strong Group into the gold medal match after advancing on a superior set ratio, giving the Philippine representatives an opportunity to compete for the championship despite finishing the preliminary round with a 1-1 record.

     

    Riding that momentum, Strong Group entered the final believing another upset was within reach. However, Aleeza Aichi quickly demonstrated why it had been considered the tournament’s team to beat, controlling the match from start to finish.

     

    Still, the silver-medal finish stands as an encouraging result for a squad assembled from two Premier Volleyball League clubs—Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles. 

     

    Despite limited time together, the team quickly developed chemistry and reached an international championship match against established regional competition.

     

    With the overseas campaign ended, the players will turn their attention back to their respective PVL clubs as the PVL On Tour continues in the coming weeks.

     

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  • SGA pledges support as Alas Pilipinas rebuild roster ahead of AVC Women’s Cup

    SGA pledges support as Alas Pilipinas rebuild roster ahead of AVC Women’s Cup

    A major reset is underway for Alas Pilipinas Women as the Philippine National Volleyball Federation begins reshaping its national team program ahead of the AVC Women’s Cup scheduled from June 6 to 14 in Candon City.

     

    PNVF president Tonyboy Liao confirmed that the federation is rebuilding the roster after losing several key players from its previous core, forcing the program to rethink its composition just weeks before the continental tournament.

     

    At the same time, support is coming in from the private sector, with Frank Lao and his Strong Group Athletics pledging a major commitment to the national program. 

     

    This includes players and coaching staff from Farm Fresh Foxies and ZUS Coffee Thunderbelles, as well as collegiate programs in UAAP and NCAA such as University of Santo Tomas, University of the Philippines, College of Saint Benilde, and Letran.

     

    SGA is also set to shoulder the salaries of its players and coaches who will join the national pool, a move Liao sees as crucial in strengthening the long-term pipeline for Philippine volleyball.

     

    “It’s good that he’s willing to help (Philippine) volleyball. We have to start preparing for the 2029 World Championship, especially since his teams have a lot of young players with great potential. They may still be raw right now, but by that time, they’ll already be fully matured,” Liao said.

     

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    As part of the long-term buildup, Farm Fresh and ZUS Coffee have also committed their first two PVL Draft rounds to the Alas program, aligning their development path with the national team’s 2029 FIVB World Championship plans.

     

    However, challenges remain on the immediate horizon. Newly-appointed head coach Tai Bundit is currently sidelined after an accident in Thailand, forcing the federation to tap his coaching staff to temporarily lead the team.

     

    An interim head coach is expected to be chosen from a pool that includes Sherwin Meneses, Shaq Delos Santos, Geuel Asia, Krung Arbasto, JP Yude, and Benson Bocboc, as internal discussions continue.

     

    Liao is also monitoring the availability of key La Salle standouts Angel Canino, Shevana Laput, and Amie Provido, who are fresh off a dominant 16-0 UAAP Season 88 run.

     

    The rebuilding comes after a decorated stretch for the previous Alas core, which delivered back-to-back historic runs in the AVC Women’s Cup—winning bronze in 2024 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum and reaching the finals in 2025 before falling to powerhouse Vietnam.

     

    That same core also collected four consecutive SEA V.League bronze medals, although a podium finish at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand remained elusive.

     

    Now, with a new pool forming and leadership still in transition, the program is entering a crucial rebuilding phase that will define its next competitive cycle.

     

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