In the third quarter, Jordan Clarkson had a remarkable performance, scoring 24 points and leading the Philippines to a 92-73 victory over China in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
This win not only marked their first victory in the tournament but also secured their spot in the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Clarkson’s total points for the game reached 34, and this outstanding performance delighted the crowd of 11,080 at the Manila Araneta Coliseum in the Classification 17-32 Group M.
By winning this game, the Philippines avoided the fate of being the third host nation to go without a win at a World Cup, a distinction previously held by the Philippines in 1978 and Colombia in 1982.
This victory also improved the Philippines’ historical record against China to 10 wins and 6 losses. It was the first time these two teams had faced each other in the World Cup, with their previous encounter taking place in the 1948 Olympics, where the Philippines won 51-32.
Jordan Clarkson’s exceptional performance in the third quarter alone made him an obvious choice for the TCL Player of the Game, as he outscored China by himself with a score of 24-11 in that period.
In the end, Clarkson finished the game with 34 points, including 5 three-pointers, along with 2 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal.
“My teammates found me in transition, getting some open shots,” Jordan Clarkson said. “I feel like this whole World Cup I really haven’t been able to get free and get into a super crazy rhythm just because how defenses were playing and stuff like that.
“But I just continued to stay with it. My teammates found me, got me open, I just made shots. It was great. (About the fan support) Fans continued to support us. We definitely wanted to get a win and go home with one at least. But yeah, they showed love the whole time, supported us, stayed behind us, so we kept continuing to fight.”
Check out Jordan Clarkson’s TCL Player Of The Game highlights during the Philippines and China game at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023:
