STRONG Group Athletics (SGA) exits the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship after a heartbreaking 68-63 semifinal defeat against Tunisia. Despite a valiant comeback effort, SGA's championship aspirations were dashed by a controversial non-foul call in the final minutes and a subsequent strong statement from the team regarding officiating standards.
STRONG Group Athletics (SGA) saw its championship aspirations dashed after falling to a determined Tunisia squad, 68-63, in the semifinals of the 34th Dubai International Basketball Championship. The game, played early Sunday morning (Philippine time) at Al-Nasr Club, marked the end of SGA's journey in the tournament. Led by DeMarcus Cousins, SGA struggled offensively throughout the contest, managing to shoot just 36 percent from the field.
Tunisia's dominance was evident from the start, as they built a lead of up to 16 points. SGA trailed by nine points at halftime, 41-32.Despite the challenging circumstances, SGA mounted a spirited comeback in the final quarter. Trailing by 11 points with under five minutes remaining, they unleashed a 9-0 offensive surge, capped by a crucial three-pointer from Mikey Williams. This narrowed the gap to just two points, 63-65, with 1:02 left on the clock. However, Tunisia's Omar Abada responded by splitting his free throws after being fouled by Williams, prompting SGA coach Charles Tiu to call a timeout.In the final moments, Rhenz Abando attempted a three-pointer from the top of the key but collided with Tunisian player Mokhtar Ghyaza. Despite the contact, no foul was called, and Tunisia's Radhouane Slimane secured the defensive rebound. Cousins strongly protested the lack of a foul call on Abando. With 3.1 seconds remaining, SGA's Chris McCullough was forced to foul Slimane, who calmly sank both free throws to seal the victory for Tunisia. This propelled them into the championship round against Beirut First Club. Meanwhile, SGA faced a third-place playoff against the United Arab Emirates, who had lost to Beirut First earlier in the day. However, SGA chose not to participate in the bronze medal game, issuing a statement that demanded 'equality and fairness in officiating and for the game to be treated with the proper respect.
Basketball Dubai International Basketball Championship Strong Group Athletics Tunisia Controversy Officiating
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