THE Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) has apologized for the controversy surrounding the 2026 William Jones Cup format and vowed to review and improve the tournament’s format and scheduling for next year.
The statement came after defending two-time champion Strong Group Athletics-Pilipinas are on the verge of elimination from semifinal contention despite having a 4-1 record.
Strong Group matched the record of South Korea’s Wonju DB Promy, but could miss the Final Four after the Korean side secured the tiebreaker advantage through a superior aggregate scoring margin.
The controversy was largely centered on the tournament’s new format, which included a provision guaranteeing Chinese Taipei Blue a semifinal berth regardless of its final standing in Group A.
Chinese Taipei Blue are currently at last place in Group A with 1-4 record, while Strong Group currently has a 4-1 mark.
The CTBA explained that it introduced a double round-robin format this year primarily to reduce the number of consecutive playing days for participating teams.
“This year, the association decided to change the format used in previous editions with the goal of reducing the number of consecutive playing days for teams,” the CTBA said.
The association said additional rest days were intended to give teams more time to recover and make adjustments while reducing the risk of injuries associated with playing on consecutive days.
The CTBA also acknowledged that the decision to guarantee Chinese Taipei Blue a place in the semifinals had drawn criticism, explaining that the provision was made to ensure local fans would have the opportunity to watch the national team compete in the Final Four.
However, the arrangement became particularly contentious with Chinese Taipei Blue having a 1-4 mark while Strong Group, the two-time defending champion, could be out of the semifinals despite its 4-1 record.
The CTBA admitted that the tournament could have been organized better to give all participating teams greater opportunities to compete against one another.
“The association humbly accepts the feedback and criticism from all parties and will review and improve the tournament format and scheduling for next year,” the CTBA said.
The association also extended special recognition to Strong Group for its performance throughout the tournament.
The CTBA added that it would prioritize inviting the participating teams from this year’s tournament to future editions as it seeks to preserve the long-standing tradition of the Jones Cup.
The semifinals and classification matches are scheduled for Friday. (Adrian Co)
