NBA star Jordan Clarkson celebrated his Gilas teammates’ triumphant campaign in the 19th Asian Games, marking a redemption from the 2023 FIBA World Cup debacle.
After winning gold in the men’s basketball finals against Jordan, Clarkson shared a photo of the Philippine flag on his social media accounts.
“Puso!!! 
,” said his simple caption that accompanied the photo.
Clarkson was part of the national team that absorbed stinging defeats in the World Cup.
He was not able to join Gilas in the Asiad due to his commitments with the Utah Jazz.
The basketball gold was the Philippines fourth medal in the Hangzhou edition of the Games, duplicating the country’s gold medal harvest in Jakarta and Palembang five years ago.
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Rep. Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino said the basketball gold was the biggest of all: “It’s worth a thousand golds!”
EJ Obiena won the Philippines’ first gold in Hangzhou by setting a new men’s pole vault record of 5.90 meters. Then came the pair of gold medals from Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters Meggie Ochoa and Annie Ramirez, who tripled the count.
Eumir Marcial could have made it four if not for the controversial result in the men’s light heavyweight finals against a Chinese boxer. Then came the Gilas coup de grace, which rubbed salt against China’s wound following their thrilling 77-76 win in the semifinals.
“After 61 years, thank you, Lord, we proved once again that the Philippines is the No. 1 in Asia,” Tolentino said.
The post Clarkson on Gilas’ Asiad conquest: ‘Puso!’ first appeared on Fastbreak.
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