Gilas Pilipinas’ fate took a downturn with Jordan Clarkson’s departure in the late fourth quarter, resulting in their 87-81 loss to the Dominican Republic during Friday night’s 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup game at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
With the Dominican Republic holding a 79-76 lead and three and a half minutes remaining in the game, Gilas Pilipinas faced a significant setback as Clarkson committed his fourth and fifth fouls, resulting in his premature departure.
Capitalizing on the situation, the Dominicans seized the opportunity as Karl-Anthony Towns scored from inside, bringing the score to 81-76. However, Gilas countered with free throws from June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu, narrowing the gap to 79-81.
However, a layup by Victor Liz, a single free throw by Lester Quinones, and an additional inside basket from Jean Montero extended the Dominican Republic’s lead to 86-79 with less than a minute remaining in the game.
Towns led the scoring for the Dominican Republic with a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds. Liz contributed 18 points, while Andres Feliz concluded the game with 12 points and eight rebounds, contributing to their narrow victory.
Clarkson recorded 28 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, although he also committed eight turnovers. On the other hand, Fajardo and Dwight Ramos contributed 16 and 13 points, respectively, for Gilas Pilipinas.
Kiefer Ravena displayed a commendable performance for the Philippine men’s basketball team during the first half, contributing two points, two assists, and a steal. However, he was notably not reinserted into the game by head coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes.
The Philippine men’s basketball team has an opportunity for redemption on Sunday night when they face Angola at the Smart Araneta Coliseum before concluding their group stage matches against Italy on Tuesday.
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