Benilde Blazers sharpshooter Miguel Oczon is the newest addition to the Strong Group to represent the Philippines in the 32nd Dubai International Basketball Championships on Jan. 27 to Feb. 5. 

The six-foot-tall guard averaged 11.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in his rookie year in NCAA Season 98 when the Benilde Blazers claimed first runner-up and reached the finals once again after 20 years.

Oczon will join teammate and NCAA Season 98 Most Valuable Player Will Gozum in the Charles Tiu-led roster. 

“He had a great year for us at Benilde and we want to continue to develop him and give him experience. Hopefully, he will improve playing with and against some great players,” Tiu said in an interview with SPIN.

Together with Oczon’s announcement are Adamson University’s Jerom Lastimosa, University of the Philippines’ JD Cagulangan and Francis Lopez.

Now represented by Strong Group, Mighty Sports became the first non-Arab team to win the competition in 2020 and is set to defend the title in the upcoming season.

Strong Group is also composed of NBA veterans such as Nick Young, Shabazz Muhammad, and Renaldo Balkman, and Filipino standouts such as Sedrick Barefield, Angelo Kouame, Justine Baltazar, Will Gozum, BJ Andrade, and Inand Fornillos.