Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 27) — Gilas Pilipinas absorbed its second straight loss after falling to Angola, 80-70, in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Even an 11-3 run late in the final quarter could not help Gilas in its comeback effort in front of hometown fans.
Jordan Clarkson led the way for the Philippines with 21 points on 7-of-22 shooting, seven assists, and three rebounds.While Angola was knocking down its three-point shots in the waning minutes of the match, Gilas had no answer, to the dismay of a packed crowd at the Big Dome.The Philippines had one last rally but was halted by a corner triple by Gerson Domingos to give Angola a 76-68 advantage.Despite the loss, Gilas still has a chance for securing a spot in the next round. However, the Philippines’ fate is no longer in its hands. Gilas must win against Italy on Aug. 29, then hope that Angola bows to Dominican Republic on the same day.As it stands, Dominican Republic is undefeated to occupy the top spot in Group A followed by Italy and Angola with one win apiece and Gilas at the bottom of the standings.A three-way tie for second place will be broken via the quotient system where the winning margin of games will determine who will advance to the next phase.AJ Edu tallied nine points and six rebounds, while Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, and RR Pogoy chipped in eight points for the Philippines.
