SGA adds Wright, Navarro, Ildefonso bros for Jones Cup title defense
Dave Ildefonso
By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas is going all in on its William Jones Cup title defense after tapping the services of Matthew Wright, William Navarro, and brothers Dave Ildefonso and Shaun Ildefonso.
Following the signing of former NBA player Boban Marjanović as its reinforcement, Strong Group immediately fortified its local roster by adding a mix of international veterans and young talent.
After stepping away from playing in Japan to attend to family matters, Wright is finally back on the hardwood and will fill Strong Group’s need for a knockdown shooter.
Wright last played for the Kawasaki Brave Thunders, averaging 10.4 points and 2.6 assists before going inactive for 10 months.
Fresh off signing a one-year contract with the Saitama Broncos to continue his Japan B. League campaign, Wright will face his first test in Taiwan and aims to lead Strong Group to another William Jones Cup title.
Meanwhile, Navarro is coming off a championship campaign with the Busan KCC Egis in the Korean Basketball League but was released in May and became a free agent.
With no team having signed him, Navarro agreed to join Strong Group and is expected to make an immediate impact at the wing position.
Lastly, the Ildefonso brothers will miss some Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) games while Strong Group begins its title defense, as they are currently leading the Abra Weavers in the 2026 season.
After a brief Philippine Basketball Association career, Shaun joined his brother, Dave, in Abra, which is seeking back-to-back MPBL titles.
Aside from the quartet, the Strong Group organization also confirmed the return of holdovers from last year’s championship run, including naturalized center Ange Kouame.
Strong Group is also bringing back NCAA standouts Jonathan Manalili and Allen Liwag, who still have remaining playing eligibility with Letran and Benilde, respectively.
Can Strong Group defend its crown and become the first team in 15 years to win three consecutive William Jones Cup titles?
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