JAKARTA – The Philippines dealt Syria a 54-point beating on Friday night, 109-55, to secure fifth place in the 18th Asian Games men’s basketball tournament at the GBK Istora.
Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson finished with 29 points, four rebounds, and six assists in an explosive final performance for the Philippines here before returning to the US to rejoin the Cleveland Cavaliers in training camp.
After a controversial buildup that saw the basketball federation nearly pulling out of the Asiad, a national side that barely had two weeks of preparation finished with three wins in five matches to post the best Asiad finish by a basketball team in 16 years - or since Jong Uichico's side finished fourth in Busan in 2002.
The nationals surpassed not just the seventh-place finish of Gilas Pilipinas in the Incheon Asiad four years ago but also the sixth place of the original Gilas team in 2010 in Guangzhou, China. The Philippines didn't send a basketball team to the 2006 Asiad owing to a suspension by Fiba.
Christian Standhardinger had 27 points and 15 rebounds while Asi Taulava and Stanley Pringle had 11 and 10 points respectively for the Philippines, which went on a 13-0 run to take a 26-7 lead in the first quarter.
The Philippine team, except Clarkson, will be returning to Manila on Saturday, but will get back to work on Monday to prepare for the Fiba Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers next month.
The scores:
Philippines 109 – Clarkson 29, Standhardinger 27, Taulava 11, Pringle 10, Yap 9, Belga 6, Tiu 5, Erram 5, Ahanmisi 3, Lee 2, Norwood 2, Almazan 0.
Syria 55 – Aljabi 23, Bakar 9, Saddir 6, Alhamwi 6, Al Gahmian 6, Kasaballi 3, Al Osh 2, Khouri 0, Khyyata 0, Idelbi 0, Alshaikh 0, Kassas 0.
Quarters: 38-16; 60-34; 91-44; 109-55.
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