FILE – Philippines’ Jordan Clarkson shoots as South Korea’s Lee Seoung-hyun tries to block during the men’s basketball competition at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, Monday, Aug. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
MANILA, Philippines—NBA star Jordan Clarkson banners the Gilas Pilipinas pool for the fourth window of Fiba Basketball World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers later this month.
Sonny Barrios, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) spokesperson and executive director, bared several names included in the pool on Tuesday in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday.
Joining Clarkson, the 2021 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, are Dwight Ramos, Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Francis Lopez, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao.
Barrios didn’t name the PBA standouts yet with the Philippine Cup semifinals still ongoing.
“I talked to Chot(Reyes) yesterday. He said that the coaches agreed not to reveal the line-up yet until after the semifinals to avoid distractions of the players in the semis,” Barrios said in Filipino.
The PBA call-ups will be revealed after the semifinals series between TNT and Magnolia and San Miguel and Meralco.
The pool will start training on Monday without Clarkson, who has yet to inform his date of arrival in the Philippines.
But the SBP remains optimistic about Clarkson’s participation as the Utah Jazz guard assured his commitment and expressed his enthusiasm to see action in the fourth window.
Gilas faces Lebanon on August 25 in an away match before hosting Saudi Arabia on August 29 at Mall of Asia Arena.