The Philippines suffered a loss to Montenegro.
On the 20th (all times KST), the Philippine Men’s National Basketball Team faced Montenegro in a friendly match at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig, Philippines, and was defeated 87-102.
The Philippines, along with Japan and Indonesia, will co-host the upcoming 2023 FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup, set to tip off on the 25th. Games from Group A to Group D will take place in Manila, and the Philippines has been drawn in Group A alongside the Dominican Republic, Angola, and Italy.
Given that they are one of the hosts, the determination of the Philippine players seems exceptional. In preparation for the tournament, the Philippines recently returned from a training camp in Europe and has been undergoing rigorous training and friendly matches. NBA player Jordan Clarkson has토토사이트 순위also joined the squad.
Although the Philippines clinched a decisive 23-point victory over Côte d’Ivoire in their previous game, they couldn’t break through the Montenegrin defense. The game remained competitive in the first half, with the Philippines trailing by only two points at the end of the second quarter. However, the gap widened significantly in the third quarter.
Nikola Vucevic, who plays for the NBA’s Chicago Bulls and is Montenegro’s ace, poured in 11 of his 18 points (along with 9 rebounds) in the third quarter alone, toppling the Philippine defense. Both Bojan Dubljevic (16 points) and naturalized player Kendrick Perry (15 points) also contributed significantly to Montenegro’s score.
Despite Clarkson’s stellar performance, scoring 27 points, the Philippines couldn’t prevent the loss. While Clarkson posted a double-double with 27 points and 5 assists, his 8 turnovers were a cause for concern. Junemar Fajardo supported with 19 points and Dwight메이저사이트 기준 Ramos added 13, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win. Promising Filipino prospect Kai Sotto played for nearly 15 minutes but failed to score.
Meanwhile, in the day’s game, KGC’s Rhenz Abando, familiar to Korean fans, made an appearance. Set to participate in the World Cup representing the Philippines, Abando played for 9 minutes and 36 seconds, marking a successful three-pointer and recording 5 points and 1 rebound.