Strong Group opens checkbook for national cage team
MANILA, Philippines — The Strong Group Athletics (SGA) empire is officially opening its massive war chest to lend a helping hand to the Gilas Pilipinas national team program.
Widely recognized as one of the most aggressive and deep-pocketed sports groups in the country, SGA is known not just for developing grassroots players, but also for pouring limitless funding into the squads they support.
This all-out backing bore fruit when the SGA-Philippines basketball team captured back-to-back William Jones Cup titles and secured a runner-up finish at the Dubai International Championship by deploying heavyweight imports and the nation's top amateurs.
SGA is also the undisputed financial muscle behind the sudden resurgence of the former cellar-dwelling College of St. Benilde Blazers in the NCAA and the University of Santo Tomas Tiger Cubs in the UAAP juniors division.
Their reach extends heavily into the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), where SGA currently bankrolls rising franchises ZUS Coffee and Farm Fresh.
Aside from expanding his sports empire, SGA founder and billionaire businessman Frank Lao also currently serves as the president of the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) while financing a newly formed women's volleyball squad.
With massive funding and a cohesive system standing out as the glaring problems for Gilas Pilipinas over the past few years, we directly asked the SGA patriarch if he is willing to step up to the plate.
His answer was absolute and direct to the point.
"Always naman tayo ready tumulong sa ating bansa, lalo na sa ating mga atleta. Andito lang kami. Pag tinawag kami, with open arms, reresponde kami," Lao declared.
"Magtulungan tayo para sa bayan, para sa bansa," the sports patron added.
According to sources, SGA is more than ready to provide the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) with whatever assistance it might demand — whether it involves funding an expensive naturalization process or aggressively scouting young Filipino-foreign prospects for early passport acquisitions.
"If kailangan nating gamitin ang koneksyon natin abroad, gagawin natin. Para sa Pilipinas 'yan," Lao strongly pointed out.
For the SGA founder, backing the country's undisputed flagship team is an absolute no-brainer.
"Kung kami nga in our small way, nire-represent ang bansa sa mga tournaments like Dubai and Jones Cup, bakit kami magdadalawang isip tumulong sa Gilas? Main basketball team natin 'yan," Lao explained.
"Team mo 'yan, team ko 'yan, team 'yan ng bawat Pilipino," he emphatically added.
Meanwhile, the sports executive also took the time to publicly plead with passionate basketball fans to stop heavily bashing the national players.
According to Lao, the players fought their hardest on the hardwood but were simply overwhelmed by too many brutal hurdles and challenges that ultimately derailed their campaign
“Dapa na yung mga players natin, wag na nating gulpihin pa. Instead tulungan natin silang bumangon at bumalik sa kanilang fighting form,” he said.
“Nakaka-awa ang mga players, hindi biro ang pinagdaanan nila. Let’s spare them. Instead, let’s encourage them to fight back,” Lao stressed. (Contributed story)
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