MANILA — Jordan Clarkson, Kai Sotto, and Scottie Thompson finally played their first tuneup game together with the squad for their 2023 FIBA World Cup preparations.

Gilas Pilipinas dealt Ivory Coast a rude welcome to the Philippines and among the standouts in the Nationals’ win were Clarkson, Sotto, and Thompson.

• Basketball: Gilas manhandles Ivory Coast by more than 20 points

No other than team head coach Chot Reyes was impressed with the way the trio performed even if this is the first time they suited up together since last year’s World Cup Qualifiers.

• FIBA: Clarkson-powered Gilas bucks slow start in rout of Saudi Arabia

“For the first time for us to play with Jordan, Kai, and Scottie, we had 18 turnovers, and that’s something that we have to address, but I thought that we shared the ball very well,” Reyes said in a post-game interview with Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

The former TNT Katropa mentor also lauded how the team displayed unselfishness on the offensive end while also showing consistent effort while guarding the ball.

“We showed a lot of great intentions in moving the ball and finding each other, and for me, that was very important,” Reyes said.

“More importantly was really the defense that we emphasized and continued working on and focused on in Europe and in China. I thought the guys showed tremendous defense,” he continued.

The multiple-time PBA Champion coach then explained how their tuneup game last night gave them a glimpse of how Angola, which they will be facing on August 27th at the Araneta Coliseum, might possibly go against them.

“Ganon kadiin dumepensa yung Angola. They really pressure the basketball. Their guards really attack the rim, and they have strong and powerful big men, very long and athletic. I think the difference is Angola are much better outside shooters than this Ivory Coast team, but we played the game to prepare for them.

But for Reyes, the real victory was about getting the three standouts to finally have the chance to jell with the team more.

“But this is not the World Cup. We take solace in the fact that, at least, we got one game under our belts where we got those three guys in,” he said.

Reyes emphasized the importance of having these series of tuneup games in their last stretch of training camp not only for the team to build more on-court chemistry, but also to help Clarkson, Sotto, and Thompson to get their way back into tip-top playing form.

“As you see, he had a couple of turnovers, [but] that’s going to improve in the next two games. It was important for Jordan to play the whole first half to get his game wind slowly. He has a couple of more games to get into game shape,” Reyes said of the Utah Jazz star who only joined the team’s practices last week.

He finished the game with 13 points, six rebounds, and an assist in over 24 minutes of action.

• Gilas doesn't see issues incorporating Clarkson: 'He's a smart player'

Sotto, who scored 10 alongside four boards and a block, and Thompson, who put up 11 markers, five dimes, and four rebounds, meanwhile, missed a chunk of the team’s practices due to their respective injuries.

• FIBA: Scottie Thompson finally rejoins Gilas practice
• Kai Sotto now cleared to play for Gilas in FIBA World Cup

“I like the way that Scottie moved, and you can see that Kai was a big factor. Although he’s not still a hundred percent from his back problems, he gives us just that much-needed depth in the frontline.”

The final pair of friendly games that the team will have are against World no. 18 Montenegro and No. 31 Mexico which they will be facing on August 20 and 21, respectively.

RELATED VIDEO

Watch more News on iWantTFC