JAKARTA – The Rain Or Shine-staffed Philippine basketball team is determined to give Jordan Clarkson a fitting sendoff in the 18th Asian Games before the Fil-American guard returns to the US to join the Cleveland Cavaliers in training camp.
Speaking in the wake of a 113-80 win over Japan at the start of the consolation round, national coach Yeng Guiao said Clarkson will be playing one final time with the team in the battle for the fifth place against either Syria or Indonesia on Friday.
That’s why Guiao said Clarkson’s teammates are determined to send him off on a winning note before he leaves to the US to join the Cavs in their buildup for the new NBA season.
“I think we are in sixth place already. We are just trying to salvage the best finish that we can and try to play good all the time. We are trying to finish on a winning note so I think that’s a good going-away present for Jordan,” said Guiao.
Gilas Pilipinas expressed all its frustration for losing the Asian Games quarterfinals to South Korea on Japan on Tuesday night.
Gilas broke out of a 27-all deadlock after the first quarter and pulled away from Japan in the final 30 minutes, to secure a spot in the playoff for fifth place.
Chris Standhardinger made 27 points, 13 rebounds, and three steals for Gilas, which is now assured of finishing no worse than sixth place, meaning the team will have a better finish than its dismal 2014 campaign, where it finished seventh.
Clarkson added 22 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and one block.
Taichi Nakamura made 16 markers, 11 dimes, and three boards for Japan, which fell to the battle for seventh place.
Certain of surpassing the Philippines’ seventh-place finish in the 2014 Asiad in Incheon, Guiao’s hastily formed side is looking for a fifth-place finish that would stand as the country’s best since a side led by Jong Uichico finished fourth in 2002 in Busan.
