New taipei city: Malick Diouf has replaced Angelo Kouame in the Philippine team for the 45th William Jones Cup scheduled on Aug. 14-23 at the Xinzhuang Gymnasium in New Taipei City, Taiwan. The 6-foot-11 Diouf, a former UAAP regular season and Finals MVP, recently became a Filipino citizen, paving the way for him to represent the country in international competition.
According to Philippines News Agency, Strong Group president Jacob Lao expressed gratitude to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas for facilitating Diouf's inclusion in the team. "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 stated in a news release. He emphasized the team's commitment to representing the Philippines with pride and striving to make the country proud.
Diouf's addition bolsters an already strong frontline for the team, which includes Serbian giant Boban Marjanovic, Puerto Rican forward Isaiah Pi±eiro, American big man Tajuan Agee, William Navarro, and two-time NCAA Most Valuable Player Allen Liwag. Long-time Strong Group coach Charles Tiu highlighted the impact of Diouf's presence, noting that his size, versatility, and athleticism provide a significant boost to the squad. "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 commented.
The roster for Strong Group also sees the return of Dave Ildefonso, DJ Fenner, and Titing Manalili, while Remy Martin and Matthew Wright are set to make their debuts for the club. The team will be aiming to become the first to win three consecutive William Jones Cup championships since Iran achieved the feat from 2009 to 2011. The Philippine representatives have been drawn into a preliminary-round group with Chinese Taipei Blue, Korea, and Japan.
