With the support of a 12,784-strong fan base rallying behind them, Gilas Pilipinas burst right out of the gates and seized a 19-12 advantage against Angola in the first quarter.
The Filipinos continued to draw energy from the fans, who cheered at every point, rebound, steal, and even substitution Gilas made. They extended their lead to as much as 11 points early in the second quarter.
At that moment, it seemed possible. It appeared that the Filipinos, coming off a narrow 81-87 loss against the Karl-Anthony Towns-led Dominican Republic, would secure their first victory in the World Cup after almost nine years against Angola.
Gilas felt that, despite trailing by three points entering the second half, they might finally achieve success and end their six-game losing streak in the global basketball event.
However, as the third quarter commenced, the Filipino fans inside the arena started to grow quiet. And when the Black Antelopes made a significant run in the fourth quarter that propelled them to a 16-point lead, the once-lively crowd hushed.
Suddenly, the cheers and jeers transformed into deafening silence. Some fans even chose to head for the exits, hoping to avoid the impending traffic both inside and outside the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The remaining spectators in the venue made a final united effort – summoning the last bit of energy they had to cheer for the Gilas team, which was also making a final desperate attempt to secure a victory that the Filipino crowd had been yearning for since 2014.
Jordan Clarkson, who struggled to find his shot throughout the game, sank two free throws before converting a clutch layup to ignite what turned into an 11-0 run, reducing the deficit to just five points, 68-73, with only one minute and 12 seconds left in the game.
Regrettably, their efforts fell short as Gilas’ rally came to an end, succumbing to a 70-80 defeat that disrupted their plans of progressing to the second round and becoming the highest-ranked Asian team in the tournament.
After experiencing the love and energy brought by the crowd, especially during their final surge that nearly caused Angola to crumble, Clarkson pledged to keep fighting for the Filipino fans. He promised to secure that elusive victory that has remained out of reach for so long.
“We just gonna keep fighting. They’re here to support us every night, every day so we gonna keep fighting for y’all and we gonna keep playing and compete. We’ll try to get it together and we’ll try to get wins for y’all,” Clarkson expressed when asked for a message to the fans in attendance.
“We don’t give up. We’re gonna keep fighting, gonna keep playing and still compete. That’s a good thing for us. We figured it out a little late but somehow we just gotta continue going.”
Clarkson reaffirmed his commitment to keep fighting for them, just as they’ve been fighting for Gilas.
