Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes lamented the team’s 21 turnovers in their 81-85 defeat against home team Lebanon at the Nouhad Nawfal Sports Complex in Zouk Mikael in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers fourth window.
And Reyes pointed to the team’s lack of practice time, resulting in a bevy of turnovers that gave the Wael Arakji-led Lebanon 22 easy points.
The national team lineup for the window only started training together last August 15, while Jordan Clarkson arrived on the eve of the 19th and practiced on the 20th.
“We knew it was gonna be a tough game, it was gonna be difficult because we’re playing the number two team in Asia from the FIBA Asia Cup playing at home,” said Reyes.
“Twenty-one turnovers really was the big difference in this ballgame and that was the result of us not yet as familiar with each other as we’d like to be,” the PBA’s six-time Coach of the Year continued.
“If we get some more practice time together, we should be able to address that.”
But Gilas would not have that luxury again when it battles Saudi Arabia at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Monday, 7 pm, just two days away.
Clarkson also echoed Reyes’ thoughts about the team’s turnovers. Lebanon only had nine errors.
“With all the turnovers, it’s hard to win when you have 20 plus turnovers in a game like this, especially with the home crowd behind them,” said the 2020-21 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, referring to the packed and roaring stadium.
Clarkson finished with 27 points on a 6-of-17 clip from the field to go with seven assists and six rebounds. However, he tallied a game-high four turnovers.
Scottie Thompson and Dwight Ramos also got three turnovers each, while Chris Newsome and Kai Sotto had two apiece.
