Furious after its controversial semis loss, Strong Group Athletics (SGA) on Sunday, Feb. 2, said it will no longer play its bronze medal match in the 34th Dubai International Championship.

This came after the team’s 68-63 loss to Tunisia in a game it perceived it got the short end of officiating, especially a no-call at the height of its comeback from a 16-point down.

With SGA’s controversial loss, Mighty Sports remained as the only PH club to have lorded over the biggest basketball event in the Middle East.

Owned by Caesar Wongchuking, Mighty Sports won the event via a mighty 8-0 sweep.

Down 66-63 with 12.2 seconds remaining, the PH club team, which lost to Al Riyadi in last year’s finals, went to Rhenz Abando and the former Gilas mainstay tried to barrel his way against taller defenders.

Though it appeared that he was bodied from behind by Mohamed Mokhtar Ghayaza, the referees saw nothing, prompting SGA coaches, officials and players to protest it intensely.

But their appeal was denied, and Radhouane Slimane sealed the deal with two free throws with 3.2 ticks left.

On its website, SGA stated that they “have officially decided not to participate in the third-place game… as we call for equality and fairness in officiating and for the game to be treated with the proper respect.”

Officiating inconsistencies, according to SGA, significantly impacted the outcome of the contest

“Throughout the game, multiple non-calls were made against us, with crucial decisions favoring Tunisia. The most controversial moment came in the final seconds when we were trailing 66-63,” the team stressed.

“Despite the obvious contact, the referees failed to call a foul, effectively sealing Tunisia’s victory and ending our championship hopes.

“Our decision not to play in the third-place match is not just about one game—it is about advocating for officiating that upholds the spirit of sportsmanship and ensures that all teams are given a fair chance to compete.

“We extend our gratitude to our supporters and assure our fans that despite this unfortunate outcome, we remain committed to representing the Philippines with pride on the global stage,” it added.

Though the sniping of former NBA player DeMarcus Cousins, the PH club rallied to within 65-63 on a booming triple of Mikey Williams with 56.8 seconds remaining. After a series of miscues from both teams, then came the non-call on Abando.

SGA was set to face the UAE National Team for the bronze medal while Tunisia goes for the title against Beirut First Club.