By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Superman is back.
After captivating thousands of Filipino hoops fans last January 2024 when he rendered his services to the PHL-based basketball club Strong Group Athletics, Dwight Howard is set for his second tour and announced his return on January 13, 2025.
The former NBA champion confirmed his second stint with Strong Group on his official X account for the upcoming 2025 Dubai International Basketball Championship tournament.
“I got offered to play for a couple teams in the Dubai tournament but I can’t go against my Pinoy fans,” Howard posted.
Howard will have the chance to avenge their loss in the grand finals game last year when they dropped a nail-biting 77-74 defeat at the hands of Lebanon’s Al Riyadi.
It was a heartbreaking moment for the Filipinos after clawing their way back from a 19-point deficit, only to be disrupted by a buzzer-beating three-pointer swished by Al Riyadi’s veteran stretch big man Ismail Abdelmoneim.
Ready and laser-focused, Strong Group will return to Dubai this year with a sense of urgency and will be backstopped by Howard’s presence in the middle, as well as new recruits who are expected to make an immediate impact on Strong Group.
Perhaps the biggest acquisition of the ball club was signing former NBA star Demarcus Cousins to a deal, who will later arrive in the PHL to participate in their upcoming intensive training session.
Aside from Howard and Cousins, Andray Blatche, the legend of the Gilas Pilipinas Men’s National Basketball team, will also join the squad.
Still holding the clipboard and the head honcho of the coaching staff is Charles Tiu, the current mentor of the St. Benilde Blazers.
He will be assisted by current DLSU Green Archers tactician, coach Topex Robinson, who was earlier called up by Strong Group to lend his expertise to Dubai.
Also cracking the Strong Group lineup are Dave Ildefonso, Rhenz Abando, Tony Ynot, Justine Sanchez, Allen Liwag, Ange Kouame, and Jason Brickman.
