Jordan Clarkson put up a stellar performance on Saturday night for Gilas Pilipinas at the expense of Asian rival China, 96-75, to cap off the Philippines’ participation in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Clarkson scored 34 points to give the Philippines their first-ever World Cup triumph at home and prevent a winless campaign, which was last seen in 1982 when Colombia hosted the quadrennial competition.
It was a neck-and-neck battle in the first 20 minutes of action, with China holding on to a one-point lead at the half, 40-39.
After the break, the Utah Jazz guard took care of business, pouring in 24 points in the third quarter, including five triples, giving the Philippines a 73-51 lead going into the payoff period.
Jordan Clarkson went ballistic in the third period to lift Gilas Pilipinas over China in their final game 🔥
— FIBA Basketball World Cup 🏆 (@FIBAWC) September 2, 2023
📊 34 PTS | 5 3PM | 61.1% FG | 29 EFF#FIBAWC x #WinForPilipinas 🇵🇭 | #InspireGreatness pic.twitter.com/hiOQn4APGu
China couldn’t just find the pieces to overcome the deficit as Dwight Ramos, who celebrated his 25th birthday on the floor, sealed the victory with a basket at the final buzzer to the delight of over 11,000 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ramos contributed 11 points, while Rhenz Abando and Kai Sotto chipped in 14 and 12 markers, respectively.
Kaier Li produced a team-high 17 points for China.
“The basket felt big at that point,” Clarkson said after the match. “We got a good flow. All (World) Cup (long), the guys have been hounding me, I’ve been aggressive and not able to get free, get the shots and rhythm that I’m used to taking it.”
”But in that third quarter, my teammates just found me. We started to get good screens and good looks and [were] just able to knock them down.”
He also credited the fans’ support for Gilas, who dropped all their previous assignments (Dominican Republic, Angola, Italy, and South Sudan) prior to the final game against China.
”When you start hearing that as loud as it was, it’s going to be hard to calm me down at that time, and I stayed hot. The crowd was just amazing. The fans were amazing. There was just so much energy in there. We just really want a win,” he said.
China’s coach, Aleksandar Djordjevic, congratulated Gilas on the decisive victory.
”Congratulations to the Philippines team. They took advantage of our loss of focus, concentration, and understanding of how we should have played this third quarter. And they did exactly what we were preparing for them not to do,” he said.
With the win, the Filipinos secured a spot for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year, where four tickets are up for grabs after failing to earn direct qualification to Paris 2024 via the World Cup.
The Philippines ended in 24th place out of 32 nations with a 1-4 win-loss record, tying its performance in the 2014 edition in Spain, where it won against Senegal.
It also placed second in Group M (classification round), behind Olympics-bound South Sudan (3-2).
In the 2019 edition in China, the Filipinos finished last with zero victories.
Chot Reyes steps down as Gilas coach
Meanwhile, Chot Reyes announced that he was stepping down as Gilas head coach after the World Cup.
”I signed up to do a job, and we did not deliver the result. So I think it’s time to step aside and allow the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) to make a decision for the good of the team and the program,” Reyes said, adding he informed the national federation of his decision prior to the game.
“I hate using the word resign because I am not a quitter,” he added.
Reyes said the bashing that he had received, including boos during the games, was just ”brutal.”
“Never mind on me, but on my family and my loved ones. It’s just brutal,” he said.
While insisting that he would never turn his back on serving the country, Reyes said, ”There is a point where I just have to think about my health and my family’s health as well.”
Fans began asking for Reyes’ resignation even before the World Cup because of the Philippines’ defeat to Indonesia in the Southeast Asian Games gold medal game last year and its lackluster performances in other FIBA-sanctioned competitions.
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