Gilas Pilipinas suffered a setback in their quest for their first victory in the World Cup campaign as they faced off against South Sudan.
This game was also crucial in their pursuit of securing a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In a final score of 87-68, the Philippine team was outperformed by South Sudan, who were making their debut in the FIBA World Cup during the classification phase at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The first half of the game saw Gilas trailing by a substantial 21-point deficit, with a score of 51-30. However, Dwight Ramos led the charge to narrow the gap to 59-64 midway through the third period.
Despite their efforts, South Sudan managed to maintain their lead, thanks to the hot shooting of players like Wayne Gabriel from the Los Angeles Lakers, incoming Chicago Bulls guard Carlyk Jones and Noni Omot.
Jones nearly recorded a strong triple-double with 17 points, 14 assists, and 9 rebounds.
Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson contributed significantly with 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.
Gilas also saw double-double performances from Dwight Ramos with 20 points and 12 rebounds, as well as the young big man AJ Edu with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
As a result of this defeat, the Philippines' chances of securing an Asian spot in the upcoming Olympics have dimmed significantly.
Their final game in the 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign will be against China on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, while South Sudan will also face Angola on the same day.
