Gilas Pilipinas, tinalo ng Dominican Republic sa Philippine Arena

- Gilas Pilipinas failed to secure a win in their opening game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup

- The Filipino team was defeated 87-81 by the Dominican Republic

- Jordan Clarkson led the Philippine team with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists

- As for the Dominican Republic, Karl-Anthony Towns led his team with a double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds

In a thrilling match that had fans on the edge of their seats, Gilas Pilipinas suffered a defeat at the hands of the Dominican Republic, with a final score of 87-81 in their 2023 FIBA World Cup opener. The game, which took place in front of an electric crowd of over 38,000 spectators at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue on Friday night, showcased the national team's remarkable effort.

Read also

Sofia Andres shares epic moments from her star-studded birthday celebration

Throughout the first three quarters, Gilas Pilipinas put up a valiant fight against the Dominicans, displaying impressive teamwork and skill. However, their energy seemed to wane in the crucial fourth quarter, leading to their eventual defeat. This setback marked the Philippines' first loss in Group A of the tournament.

Despite the defeat, the Philippines achieved a different kind of victory that night, as they broke the FIBA record for the highest attendance in a World Cup game. A record-breaking 38,115 fans filled the stands to witness the intense matchup, surpassing the previous record of 32,616 set during the 1994 FIBA World Cup finals between the US and Russia.

Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson delivered a standout performance for Gilas Pilipinas, racking up an impressive 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. However, even his remarkable efforts were not enough to secure victory for the Philippines. On the opposing side, the Dominican Republic's Karl-Anthony Towns proved to be a formidable force, leading his team with a dominant double-double of 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Read also

LJ Reyes & Philip Evangelista share their romantic prenup video

One Sports shared some highlights from the game:

One of the members of Gilas Pilipinas is PBA star Scottie Thompson. He is part of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel of the Philippine Basketball Association. Scottie played college basketball at the University of Perpetual Help of the NCAA. He was then drafted fifth overall in the 2015 PBA draft by the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

In a previous report by KAMI, Scottie took to Instagram to greet his wife, Jinky Serrano. The lovely couple celebrated their anniversary and Scottie wrote a lengthy message for his better half. He also reposted their heartwarming wedding video on his Instagram feed. Furthermore, many netizens reacted to Scottie's post and extended their best wishes to the couple.

Earlier, Scottie shared a sweet social media post with his wife, Jinky Serrano-Thompson. His post contains a cozy photo of him and Jinky embracing each other as the latter went back home from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A backdrop could also be seen behind the couple. It has a message that reads, "Congratulations and welcome home, Love." To recall, Scottie and Gilas Pilipinas team flew to Jeddah for the fifth window of the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.

Source: KAMI.com.gh