Towns praises Philippines experience, while Clarkson leaves upset / News - Basketnews.com

Jordan Clarkson was frustrated he couldn't help the Philippines beat the Dominican Republic in a crunch time.

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

The FIBA World Cup opener couldn't have been scripted better.

Player of the Game EFF 20 Andres Rafael Feliz Points 12 Accuracy 5-11 Rebounds 6 Assists 8

A record-breaking World Cup setting, with 38,115 fans in a basketball-crazy nation.

The overwhelming feeling of awe being in such a grand venue like the Philippine Arena.

And two NBA stars, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson, going head-to-head in a late-minute drama with their respective teams.

The script could have been a bit more in favor of the hosts. But the Dominican Republic managed a close win over the Philippines, starting with a vital World Cup victory, 87-81.

A lot was riding on the shoulders of Towns and Clarkson, but the night wasn't smooth sailing for these two NBA players.

Although they put up impressive stats - Towns finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds - he only managed 5 of 16 field goals. Facing the physical Philippines frontline, the Minnesota Timberwolves star found ways to score aggressively in the paint, going 15 of 16 from the free-throw line.

Clarkson scored 28 points but struggled from the field, making only 9 of 24 shots. He also grabbed 7 rebounds, dished 7 assists, but had 8 turnovers and fouled out with 3:32 left.

As the Dominican Republic was on their way to securing a victory, Clarkson was seen rubbing his face in disappointment and disbelief, unable to remain on the court at the crunch time to help the hosts make a strong start and increase their chances of advancing to the next stage.

The Philippines couldn't secure any more field goals after Clarkson had to leave the floor. Before his fifth foul, the hosts were down only 76-79.

"Unfortunately, Jordan's fifth foul was a big blow to us," the Philippines head coach Chot Reyes admitted.

Jordan Clarkson

Position:PG, SGAge:31Height:191 cmWeight:82 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

"I'm a little upset. The game is physical. Some things didn't go our way towards the end. Playing physical is part of the FIBA game, we understand that. We had a chance to win the game. I'm upset that we lost, but we have more games here," Clarkson addressed the media after the Filipinos' first loss.

He gave his all, taking 43% of all his team's shots. The Philippines' offense heavily relied on Clarkson's one-on-one game, often forcing him to take contested shots.

Now, the hosts are in a tough spot and need to rebound quickly to defeat Angola and Italy, one of the top 8 teams in the competition.

"Just keep competing like we did tonight. We fought hard. Some things didn't go our way toward the end. But we got to finish well and get to the next one," Clarkson doesn't lose hope of bouncing back in the upcoming games.

With the support and belief of this basketball-loving nation behind them, they have no choice but to give it their all.

"That was amazing," Clarkson said about the Philippines fans' support.

This wasn't the first time Filipinos showed up in large numbers. In January, over 54,000 people watched the PBA finals game.

However, showing up to support their national team on such a big stage with so much at stake was a different experience.

"Glad everybody came out to support. I'm just upset we didn't come out with the win. Some things weren't going our way in the end. But we fought hard and kept fighting," Clarkson pointed out something the Philippines should continue doing.

The game wasn't easy for Towns either. Both NBA players made only one field goal each in the fourth quarter.

Yet, Towns could have celebrated with a group of Dominican fans, who supported their team even louder at the last minute of the game.

After a brief post-game media session, Towns joined his national team fans for a celebration.

But even a substantial local crowd stayed behind to give him high-fives and chanted MVP as he headed to the locker room.

"Great team, great country. They treat us well here. The food is amazing. Salamat, Mabuhay. Thank you. Everyone has been so gracious to us," Towns was impressed with the locals.

"Filipinos don't give up. They played hard, as I expected. It's a culture of hard-working people. And it was amazing to play in front of 38,000 people. I've never been here, so I was really excited to come out. Super excited to be here. The fans have been nothing but amazing to us," Towns praised the local support.

After making one of his 15 free throws that night, he made a gesture on both sides of his head as if combing his hair.

The Philippines fans took it a bit personally and booed him after his first successful free throw.

"The people are amazing. One of my best friends growing up was heavily into Filipino culture. He was born here. I'm very proud to be Dominican and be here with a win. But also being very proud of having great fans here," Towns responded.

Despite playing a team-high 35 minutes, he didn't disappoint the locals and showed his appreciation by clapping hands as if flying on his way to the Dominican Republic locker room.

This crucial victory on the opening night of the FIBA World Cup could give him and his teammates the wings to advance to the next phase.

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