BOCAUE — Gilas Pilipinas came tantalizingly close to achieving the improbable at the Philippine Arena on Friday night, as they pushed the Karl-Anthony Towns-led Dominican Republic to the brink.
Unfortunately, the Filipinos fell short in the end, unable to turn a dream scenario into reality as the Los Quisqueyanos narrowly escaped with an 87-81 victory in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
Visibly disappointed after the heartbreaking loss, Jordan Clarkson, whose absence in the final three minutes of the contest significantly influenced the outcome, expressed his frustration.
“I’m just kinda upset we didn’t come out with the win.
“There’s some things that didn’t come our way towards the end but we fought hard,” said the Utah Jazz star during the scrum with CNN Philippines’ Pauline Versoza.
Clarkson, who had accumulated four fouls by that point, was assessed a pivotal offensive foul at the 3:32 mark of the fourth quarter after a drive attempt, ultimately forcing him out of the game. At that juncture, Gilas was trailing 76-79.
From there, the Philippines struggled to regain momentum as the Dominicans capitalized to secure their victory.
Clarkson concluded the game with an impressive 28 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and eight turnovers in 34 minutes of play.
Despite the outcome, the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year extended his sincere gratitude to the Filipino fans, whose overwhelming presence at the Philippine Arena shattered the all-time attendance record. Their unwavering support lifted the team’s spirits despite the heart-wrenching loss.
“It was amazing. I’m glad everyone came out to support.”
