CTBA issues public apology for controversial Jones Cup format

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Following a wave of backlash and public scrutiny from Filipino basketball fans, the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) finally broke its silence and issued a public apology over the controversial format of the ongoing William Jones Cup.

Philippine representative Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas emerged as the biggest victim of the format, with the CTBA guaranteeing Chinese Taipei-Blue a direct spot in the semifinals regardless of its win-loss record.

This year’s Jones Cup was split into two groups featuring eight competing teams in a double-round-robin format.

Strong Group was drawn with Korea, Japan and Chinese Taipei-Blue in Group B, with Korea taking the top spot after upsetting the Philippine-based squad in the first game of the tournament.

According to tournament rules, the top two teams from each group would automatically advance to the semifinals, so Korea secured a slot as the No. 1 team in Group B.

Strong Group posted an impressive 5-1 record, while Chinese Taipei-Blue finished the first phase of the eliminations at 1-5.

The plot twist: Strong Group bade goodbye to its Jones Cup three-peat bid as Chinese Taipei-Blue took its spot because of the pre-agreed rule that the host team would earn a direct ticket to the playoffs.

“Despite having a better record, SGA could not advance because of the tournament format,” the CTBA said.

“SGA, the two-time champion from the Philippines that was placed in the same group as Chinese Taipei Blue, may have been the biggest victim of this year’s new format.”

Following the blunder, the Filipino basketball community cried foul over the outcome, with several analysts, current stars and retired PBA players calling the Jones Cup format a “big joke.”

In a report published by an online Taiwanese news outlet, Charles Tiu, Strong Group’s longtime head coach, revealed that the team learned about the rule only after arriving at the venue.

To respond and send a bold statement, Strong Group manhandled Chinese Taipei-Blue by 43 points, 117-74, in a game with no bearing on the standings in the final round of the eliminations on Aug. 20, 2026.

“The association humbly accepts the feedback and criticism from all parties and we will review and improve the tournament format and scheduling for next year,” the CTBA added.