JORDAN Clarkson plays his first Gilas Pilipinas home game and wants nothing but victory as the Philippines hosts Saudi Arabia for the second game in the fourth window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Overwhelmingly favored, the Pinoys are determined to put on a show in the 7 p.m. game at MOA Arena and not just earn the victory but also do it convincingly to reward the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year awardee his first taste of glory as the country's naturalized player.
See Cone sees present Gilas core achieving big things 'if kept intact'
And it's also something that coach Chot Reyes needs, a bit of a positive spin on what has been a very troubling past few months as the chief of the seniors national basketball program.
Jeers are still expected to be there, with fans still relentless in voicing their displeasure on how Reyes, as well as Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio, have seemingly bungled what was once a promising pipeline featuring amateur standouts.
Yet Clarkson's brilliance should help hush those boos as he looks to have a rousing home debut for Gilas.
Jordan Clarkson and Co. look to bounce back.
"We got Saudi Arabia, so I'll be prepared and be prepared for that. We'll try to get a win at home," he said after putting up 27 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in Gilas' sorry 85-81 loss to Lebanon on Friday morning in Beirut, a game where he had numerous chances to close out yet failed to execute the job.
"We had a chance to win the game. I missed some shots towards the end of the game and I feel like I usually make as well, so just a tough one tonight. We just got to take it on the head and get back to the drawing board."
Saudi Arabia should be more of a breeze, with the Arab nation ranked 46 places below No. 34 Philippines and anything but a rout being considered as a disappointment.
But Gilas also can't fall into the traps of complacency.
The last time the two nations met in a Fiba-sanctioned tournament was actually at the same venue in the 2013 Fiba Asia Championship - curiously with Reyes also calling the shots - as LA Tenorio and Larry Fonacier led the famed Gilas crew to a 78-66 win.
Turnovers were a problem then and those remain a problem now with the Filipinos committing 21 in that last outing against the Cedars.
Reyes, however, believes that with more time together, this unit which also feaures Adelaide 36ers center Kai Sotto and Japan B.League import Dwight Ramos, could live up to what many fans anticipate as the core of the country's Fiba World Cup team next year.
"That's just a result of us not yet as familiar with each other as we'd like to be. So if we get some more time or more practice time together, then we should be able to address that," the beleaguered mentor and concurrent program director said.
Free agent Roosevelt Adams is also slated to make his Gilas debut as he replaces Carl Tamayo in the 12-man roster, joining the team which already has PBA stars Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson of Ginebra, Chris Newsome of Meralco, Jamie Malonzo of NorthPort, Calvin Oftana of NLEX, and overseas-based ballers in Bobby Ray Parks and brothers Kiefer and Thirdy Ravena.
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