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| JD Cagulangan is back with Strong Group. Dennis Acosta (file photo) |
PASIG--Strong Group Athletics confirmed on Tuesday that Jordan Heading will join the team for the Dubai International Basketball Championship.
Heading, who is known as a three-point specialist for Gilas Pilipinas in national team play and the Nagasaki Velca in the Japan B.League, will shore Strong Group's guard rotation.
Strong Group head coach Charles Tiu said that Heading quickly jumped in after they offered him to join the club.
"Jordan, we really needed another guard and shooter. I think Jordan fits the bill. It will be my first time working with him, but we gave him a call, and he was interested to come. Very easy to talk to, and we look forward to having him on our team," Tiu said.
Tiu hopes that Heading can put up an impressive showing in the DIBC that could attract some B.League teams to take him to their fold after Nagasaki surprisingly let him go despite leading them to promotion to the first division.
"He played great in Japan last season, and I'm sure he will end up there again after this short stint," Tiu further said.
Strong Group also confirmed that JD Cagulangan is joining the team.
Cagulangan, the hero in the University of the Philippines' UAAP Season 84 title conquest, is the third holdover from last year's Strong Group roster who was called up anew for this year, joining Justine Baltazar and Kevin Quiambao.
On the other hand, Tiu expects Baltazar to provide a huge help for foreign big men Dwight Howard and Andray Blatche for Strong Group.
"Balti is great. He runs the floor well, has a really good attitude, [and] can rebound, defend, and score. He will be a big help to our team as a local big man," Tiu said of the reigning MPBL MVP.
Meanwhile, Strong Group also said that TY Tang has been tapped to join Tiu's coaching staff.
Tang and Tiu have been working together in recent years, especially when Tang was still the College of St. Benilde's head coach.
Tiu would take over Tang's role as the Blazers' head coach, and Tiu eventually led them back to the NCAA Finals in 2022.
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