THE HOPE for a berth at next year’s Olympic Games comes to an end as Gilas Pilipinas took a 87-68 loss to 2023 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Cup debutants South Sudan in the tournament’s classification round at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Co-hosts Japan’s 86-77 comeback victory over Venezuela sealed the Akatsuki Five’s second victory, eliminating any hopes for Gilas to obtain an outright Olympic slot. Additionally, China and Lebanon also obtained their first victories earlier today and are still in contention for the lone Olympic berth from Asia.

The first minute and a half was a showcase of pure athleticism by Rhenz Abando, who got two rejections on the defensive end. However, Gilas’s poor shot selection allowed South Sudan to jump to a 7-2 advantage early in the quarter. The athleticism of the African debutants was too much for the Philippines as South Sudan jumped to a 16-3 lead with six minutes left in the first frame.

Looking for a spark, Gilas responded with a  7-0 burst, with AJ Edu scoring five of the seven points in that span. Perimeter shooting would then be the arsenal for the Bright Stars as they pushed their lead to 17 points after the first ten minutes, 34-17. 

Edu was one bright spot for Gilas, putting up 10 points and 5 rebounds in the first frame. Meanwhile, South Sudan shot over 60% from the field, including six three-pointers in the said frame.

In the first few minutes of the second quarter, Gilas played with much better energy, being active offensively and on the glass to cut the deficit to 12, 27-39. Dwight Ramos provided the spark, scoring seven straight points in that span. Despite Kuany Kuany’s three-pointer, Kai Sotto made a great find to a cutting Jamie Malonzo to trim South Sudan’s lead, 29-42. The debutants then responded with a 50-30 advantage, capitalizing on their athleticism and Gilas’s poor execution. Jordan Clarkson had the final say of the first half, hitting a momentum-inducing three-pointer, 33-51.

Despite Gilas winning the rebounding battle in the first 20 minutes, the Bright Stars managed to make nine three-pointers and dish out 15 assists.

Playing behind to start the second half, Dwight Ramos went on a personal 8-0 run to bring the deficit down to ten for Gilas, scoring two three-pointers in the process. Since then, the Philippines was able to put up a string of stops, but could not convert their shots on the offensive end. Jordan Clarkson then broke the dry spell, hitting a three-pointer to bring Gilas to within 11 points.

With four minutes left in the third quarter, Sotto went for an emphatic block on the defensive end and made two charity shots to cut the deficit to single digits, 46-55. The Bright Stars would respond with a 5-0 run, led by Sunday Dech’s breakaway layup and Dut Jok Kacoul’s three-pointer, to push the lead, 60-47. Clarkson would end the quarter with a three-pointer to complete a dominant 17-9 third frame for the Philippines to bring them within striking distance, 50-60, heading into the final ten minutes.

Building on momentum, the Philippines began the fourth quarter with six straight makes, including an emphatic dunk by Sotto to bring Gilas to within four, 56-60. South Sudan would stop the run with a 4-0 spurt, with Carlik Jones dishing out an assist in both makes. Despite Ramos nailing a triple to trim the deficit to five, Jones completed a three-point play and Nuni Omot hit a three-pointer sparked a 6-0 run for the Bright Stars. The latter then got fouled on a perimeter shot attempt by Abando, hitting all three free throws and another three-pointer to seal the deal for South Sudan. The game ended with a final score of 87-68, with Gilas losing its fourth straight game.

Jordan Clarkson and Dwight Ramos led the way for the Philippines, scoring 24 and 20 points respectively. Meanwhile, AJ Edu notched a double-double of 12 points and 14 rebounds. Five players made at least two three-pointers for South Sudan, with Carlik Jones putting up 17 markers for the debutants.

With the Olympic dream now over, Gilas will look to end their World Cup campaign on a high note as they take on Asian rivals China on Saturday, September 2, still at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Box scores: 

South Sudan (87): Jones – 17, Deng – 13, Omot – 13, Shayok – 12, Gabriel – 11, Kacoul – 8, Kuany – 8, Acuoth – 3, Dech – 2, Bar – 0, Madut – 0, Maluach – 0

Philippines (68): Clarkson – 24, Ramos – 20, Edu – 12, Sotto – 8, Malonzo – 4, Abando – 0, Aguilar – 0, Fajardo – 0, Perez – 0, Pogoy – 0, Ravena – 0, Thompson – 0

Quarter scores: South Sudan-Philippines: 34-17, 51-33, 60-50, 87-68