THE return of two key Gilas Pilipinas players did not disappoint as Utah Jazz star, shooting guard Jordan Clarkson, and PBA MVP guard Scottie Thompson sizzled in their first tuneup game in preparation for the 2023 FIBA World Cup games here in Manila.
Gilas Pilipinas Coach Chot Reyes said that, along with NBA prospect Kai Sotto, the three formed an unstoppable combination inside the court.
This was evident in the brutal hammering of the team from Ivory Coast, 85-62.
It was held Friday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The Philippines hardly needed the big crowd, as they amped up their defense and pumped up their offense in a backbreaking 25-9 run in the final period for the big win.
Courtesy: FIBA Basketball
Clarkson played for Gilas for the first time since the fourth window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in August 2022.
He scored all of his 13 of his points in the opening quarter on a 4-of-9 shooting. He also had six rebounds, an assist and a steal in 24 minutes of play.
Sotto, on the other hand, scored 10 points, along with four boards and a block.
Courtesy: FIBA Basketball
Thompson, meanwhile, had 11 markers to go with five dimes, and four rebounds.
“I like the way that Scottie moved, and you can see that Kai was a big factor. Although he’s not still a hundred percent from his back problems, he gives us just that much-needed depth in the frontline,” Reyes was quoted as saying.
“For the first time for us to play with Jordan, Kai, and Scottie, we had 18 turnovers, and that’s something that we have to address, but I thought that we shared the ball very well,” Reyes said in a post-game interview with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
The TNT Coach said that it is important to have a series of tuneup games in their last stretch of training camp not only for the team to build more on-court chemistry, but also to help Clarkson, Sotto, and Thompson to get their way back into tip-top playing form.
