While waiting for the next call of his professional career, Rhenz Abando gets to keep himself fit and active with the Strong Group Athletics in the 2025 Jones Cup.
Rhenz Abando is keeping himself busy as he navigates being a free agent in professional basketball, rejoining the Strong Group Athletics for their latest bid in the 2025 William Jones Cup unfurling on Sunday in Taipei.
Abando, who was last with KBL side Anyang JKJ Red Boosters a year ago, has been mulling his choices for some time now. But while his pro career is paused, he hasn’t been fully vacant, also seeing action with Strong Group in last year's Jones Cup run.
Already in his third straight competition with SGA, Abando is grateful that he gets to keep playing the sport that he loves thanks to his current team, even as he continues to look for professional opportunities.
“Pangatlong warmup ko na nga ‘to sa kanila eh. Sa SGA, pangatlo na. Since nung first na Jones Cup, wala pa akong team nu’n eh tapos nag-Dubai kami, and then ngayon. Gusto ko lang magpasalamat kina boss Frank [Lao] at boss Jacob [Lao],” he said.
Having been pivotal to last year’s run to the championship in the Jones Cup, Abando is confident that they can repeat, despite the team’s short preparation time.
With most of the title core returning for one more year, Abando said that they are already familiar with each other and will be ready to plunge into action immediately.
“Okay naman [kami] kasi yung iba naman diyan, kilala na namin yung isa’t isa,” he said.
“Ang bago lang ata ngayon si [Andre] Roberson. Nag-Dubai siya dati [with SGA] pero yung batch niya ata dati is nagpalit na so ilan lang yung mga natira nung Jones Cup last time. [Pero] okay naman [kami] so far,” he added.
Though Abando is still waiting for calls for his professional career, another development is him getting a call up to join the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup.
[READ: Abando, Abarrientos, Rosario, and Lucero added to Gilas pool for FIBA Asia Cup]
After wrapping things up in Taiwan with SGA, Abando said that he will be ready for Gilas.
“Sa Gilas, sobrang happy ako kasi naging part ulit ako ng Gilas pool. Sana pag na-lineup ako, gagawin ko lahat,” he said.
“Kinausap naman ako ni coach Richard [del Rosario], tinanong niya rin kung kailan balik namin. Sabi nila, tatawagan daw nila ako kung need na nila ako dun sa practice after SGA.”
As he focuses first on SGA, Abando is hoping he can strut his stuff in Taiwan good enough to have more teams interested in him.
“So far, wala pa [akong offers]. Sana after ng Jones Cup, sana meron na. May mga nakakausap pero hindi pa naman ganun na ka-comitted na nagbibigay na sila ng [formal offers],” said Abando.
Abando and SGA face ROC Blue in their opening game on Sunday, which will be a rematch of last year’s finale where they beat the home team to claim the championship.
No Filipino squad has gone back-to-back in winning the Jones Cup title.