Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. AFP PHOTO
Seeing Jordan Clarkson in the flesh and wearing a Gilas Pilipinas uniform commands a price: P10,000 from the closest seat available.
With this basketball-crazed nation eager to see the Utah Jazz star on home soil, the Aug. 29 clash between Team PH and Saudi Arabia will no doubt be a blockbuster and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas has pegged modest prices for the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) World Cup Qualifying match.
Gallery tickets will go for just P100 a pop, but those willing to spend will have to fork out P10k for a Patron A seat and P5,000 for a Patron ticket. Premium lower box seats will cost P1,500 each, with the regular lower to go for P1,000.
Clarkson, who has blossomed to a full-fledged National Basketball Association (NBA) star, will banner a Philippine squad that will feature a healthy mix of stars from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), standouts plying their trade in Japan, and 7-foot-3 center Kai Sotto.
Tickets were made available on Monday and could be purchased through www.smtickets.com and via SM ticket outlets nationwide.
Firm PBA rule
Those on a tight budget can still catch the Filipino-American cager with the Nationals through upper box seats priced at P250.
Clarkson, winner of the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award two seasons ago, will also play for Gilas in the game against Fiba Asia Cup runner-up Lebanon in Beirut on Aug. 25.
Meanwhile, the PBA on Monday said it will be firm on an earlier ruling when it comes to Gilas Pilipinas’ tapping of pros—regardless of the player’s desire.
“We’ve already had an agreement—me, the PBA board, and coach Chot [Reyes]—that Gilas can only pluck players from teams that are not competing in the PBA Finals,” he told the Inquirer over the phone.
This stance means that there won’t be any TNT player that will train with the talent pool as the Tropang Giga are already in the Philippine Cup Finals that will start on Friday at the earliest. Meralco and San Miguel Beer will be disputing the second title series slot on Wednesday.
Should the Beermen make the Finals, the likes of June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez will be out, like Chris Newsome if the Bolts advance.
Gilas opened camp on Monday night at Meralco gym, with Sotto expected to plane in on Thursday and Clarkson the following day. INQ