By NIKOLE JAVIER
Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player Jordan Clarkson was fairly surprised and impressed by his teammates’ showing despite their winless campaign in the group stage of the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Five years since the NBA star debuted as a reinforcement for Gilas at the Asiad in 2018, things haven’t been much different.
Clarkson has consistently carried the host nation’s offense in the World Cup after averaging 24.0 per game and even topping the individual scoring of the tournament’s opening day.
But Gilas is not just about Clarkson.
The Utah Jazz star said he’s happy with how Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Roger Pogoy and Rhenz Abando carry themselves against seasoned rivals.
“I think everybody down the line [surprised me]. Everybody’s been coming out here competing. Roger’s got it, you know, I really didn’t know much about [him] coming in, but seeing how he can shoot the ball. Last game, he was showing his post-up game, posting of smaller defenders,” said Clarkson.
“Dwight has always impressed me, the way he approaches the game, never really speeds up, kind of plays his role and you know, he’s aggressive when he has time,” he said of Ramos, who was the lone double-digit scorer in two games for the Philippines after him.
“AJ. AJ’s defense has been really well, put together in the first game. He had a challenge against KAT (Karl-Anthony Towns) where he did a really good job of just forcing them into different shots. I know KAT is a really talented NBA guy. Down the line, I think everybody’s really played hard and played well,” he added.
Abando, for his part, has been the last-minute spark for Gilas in the past three games and even had his moment to shine in their 90-83 defeat against world No. 10 Italy a day prior.
The Nationals absorbed their eight straight losses in the FIBA tournament since China 2019, leaving them with back-to-back winless group stage campaigns.
