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Gilas Pilipinas On The Brink Of Elimination As Angola Wins
Photo credit: FIBAWC
Angola delivered a significant setback to Gilas Pilipinas' FIBA World Cup journey by securing an 80-70 triumph at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday (August 27, 2023).
The defeat places the host nation on the brink of elimination, raising concerns about their prospects in the subsequent stages of the tournament.
A remarkable 19-5 surge propelled the Angolan team from an 11-point deficit, allowing them to seize control of the game and head into halftime with a 36-33 lead. Gerson Goncalves emerged as the star for Angola, registering 17 points with an impressive 4-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point line. Gerson Domingo added 15 points, contributing to Angola's recovery after their initial loss to Italy (81-67) in Group A.
Gilas Pilipinas' Jordan Clarkson acknowledged Angola's tenacity, admitting, "They just kept playing hard and executed what was needed to get it done. They just beat us." Despite Clarkson's 21-point effort, which topped the Philippine team's scoring, his 7-of-22 shooting accuracy limited their impact.
Emerging talents AJ Edu and Kai Sotto combined for nine and eight points, respectively, providing Gilas Pilipinas a 28-17 lead early in the second period. However, Angola, led by Bruno Fernando's impressive display, mounted an 11-0 rally, erasing the deficit and setting the stage for their dominant performance.
Angola maintained control throughout the second half, holding off Gilas Pilipinas' brief attempts to regain the lead. With just five minutes remaining, Angola held a commanding 73-57 advantage.
Looking ahead, Angola is set to face the undefeated Dominican Republic, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, in their final first-round group phase match on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas faces a formidable challenge against Italy (1-1), ranked 10th globally, as they strive to keep their hopes alive for advancing to the next stage of the tournament.
The defeat places the host nation on the brink of elimination, raising concerns about their prospects in the subsequent stages of the tournament.
A remarkable 19-5 surge propelled the Angolan team from an 11-point deficit, allowing them to seize control of the game and head into halftime with a 36-33 lead. Gerson Goncalves emerged as the star for Angola, registering 17 points with an impressive 4-of-8 performance from beyond the three-point line. Gerson Domingo added 15 points, contributing to Angola's recovery after their initial loss to Italy (81-67) in Group A.
Gilas Pilipinas' Jordan Clarkson acknowledged Angola's tenacity, admitting, "They just kept playing hard and executed what was needed to get it done. They just beat us." Despite Clarkson's 21-point effort, which topped the Philippine team's scoring, his 7-of-22 shooting accuracy limited their impact.
Emerging talents AJ Edu and Kai Sotto combined for nine and eight points, respectively, providing Gilas Pilipinas a 28-17 lead early in the second period. However, Angola, led by Bruno Fernando's impressive display, mounted an 11-0 rally, erasing the deficit and setting the stage for their dominant performance.
Angola maintained control throughout the second half, holding off Gilas Pilipinas' brief attempts to regain the lead. With just five minutes remaining, Angola held a commanding 73-57 advantage.
Looking ahead, Angola is set to face the undefeated Dominican Republic, led by Karl-Anthony Towns, in their final first-round group phase match on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Gilas Pilipinas faces a formidable challenge against Italy (1-1), ranked 10th globally, as they strive to keep their hopes alive for advancing to the next stage of the tournament.
Aug 28, 2023
