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MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas fell to a hot-shooting Mexico facet, 84-77, on Monday as Jordan Clarkson sat out the Philippines’ last tune-up sport forward of the Fiba World Cup.
With Clarkson resting, Gilas lacked the firepower to match its foe within the second half, the place Mexico broke free and by no means regarded again.
Gilas staff supervisor Butch Antonio and coach Chot Reyes made certain to allay any issues about Clarkson’s well being 4 days earlier than the World Cup comes off wraps.
“He simply wanted a relaxation,” mentioned Antonio. “Nothing like that (harm). He actually simply wished to relaxation.”
“He simply actually wanted to relaxation,” Reyes echoed.
Earlier than the sport, Clarkson requested for a break after seeing motion in Gilas’ 85-62 win over Ivory Coast on Friday and 102-87 loss to Montenegro on Sunday the place the 31-year-old guard performed near half-hour.
Regardless of the Utah Jazz star’s absence, the Nationals saved it shut. A basket by AJ Edu introduced Gilas inside three, 72-69, on the halfway mark of the fourth.
Gilas, nonetheless, couldn’t pull any nearer after a number of missed possibilities.
Scottie Thompson, who simply recovered from a fractured proper hand, was the lone double-figure scorer for Gilas with 14 factors whereas Dwight Ramos and RR Pogoy scored 9 apiece.
Pako Cruz led the Mexicans with 18 factors whereas Paul Stoll had 17. The 2 mixed for 9 triples.
Mexico, which is in Group D together with Egypt, Lithuania and Montenegro, shot 13-of-24 from lengthy vary whereas the Philippines struggled anew with a 7-of-23 taking pictures clip from distance.
Gilas performs the Dominican Republic, which arrived in Manila Monday evening, on Friday at Philippine Enviornment in Bocaue, Bulacan.
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