ANOTHER big name joined the solid lineup of the Strong Group Athletics, as Chris McCullough makes his much-anticipated return to the Philippines for the 43rd William Jones Cup.
After five years of waiting, the former champion import of the San Miguel Beermen will finally don a Philippine jersey with Strong Group. The Jones Cup will be held from July 13 to 21 in Taipei, Taiwan.
“After so many years, it’s truly surreal to be returning to the country. Even though it’s just for a short while, the experience of flying back, training, and being in the Philippines again is going to be amazing,” McCullough said.
This will be his first comeback after his 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup championship in San Miguel. McCullough has since played for other countries in Asia, Europe, and South America.
McCullough plies his trade for the Formosa Dreamers in the P.League+, where he has been instrumental to their success and ongoing semis, averaging 18.88 points and 12.5 rebounds in the regular season.
The 29-year-old had been very vocal about his interest to represent the country on international tournaments, most especially, to don a jersey of the Gilas Pilipinas.
It’s why this opportunity is special for him because this may reignite talks of his naturalization for the national team, if he performs well like he used to with San Miguel, for the Jones Cup.
“Not only is it exciting, but I’m also grateful for the opportunity. I’m representing the Philippines, and this is essentially like a job interview for me, as other teams will see me perform,” said the versatile 6-ft-9 forward.
Photo Courtesy: @briskuno | Instagram
Meanwhile, for SGA team owner Jacob Lao, signing McCullough was partly the organization’s response to clamor from fans to bring back the popular import, as he has proven himself to be a potent scorer.
“Hearing the clamor of fans for Chris McCullough in the Philippines is truly heartening, and it’s something we’ve been keenly aware of for quite some time now,” said Lao.
“It’s the culmination of a journey eagerly anticipated by fans. We couldn’t be more thrilled to witness the impact he’ll undoubtedly make,” the team owner added.
SGA head coach Charles Tiu said that he was excited to have McCullough on board for the team, describing the ever-reliable versatile player as “a winner.”
“Chris McCullough has been on our radar for a while. Boss Jacob has been urging me to recruit him for some time, and I’m thrilled that he’ll finally be playing for us. He’s a winner and a force on offense. It was a no-brainer for us to bring him on board,” said Tiu.
He also thanked Chris Ross, McCollough’s former San Miguel teammate, for helping him and the SGA squad to reach out to McCullough and securing his commitment to the team.
McCullough will be joined by seasoned guards Kiefer Ravena, who announced his commitment just days ago, along with snippet Jordan Heading and Caelen Tiongson. The team will continue to shape their roster and possibly earn their revenge.
