JAKARTA— Handa na ang Team Philippines men’s basketball team para sa krusyal na laban sa China.
At ang mahabang oras ng ensayo ng koponan kahapon ay sapat na para tuluyang mag-jell si Fil-Am Jordan Clarkson ng Cleveland Cavaliers sa sistema ni Coach Yeng Guiao .
“I think he’s a class of his own in this Asian Games,” sambit ni Guiao. “Wala pa akong nakita. I’ve watched Korea, China, Japan, Iran. I don’t think skill-wise may tatapat sa kanya.”
Bukod sa angking husay, mahaba na ang karanasan ni Clarkson sa NBA at nakalaro sa koponan ang dalawang future hall-of-famer na sina Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles) at LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers).
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“Nadagdagan ang quickness natin sa pagdating si Clarkson,” pahayag ni Guiao. “Jordan’s mentality is he can control the game just by his decision-making not to mention his skills and physical abilities.”
“If you give him the ball and make him create, it’s either he will find the open guy or he will score. A lot of PBA [Philippine Basketball Association] imports don’t get to that level. Mayroon silang physical skills, mayroon silang size and mayroon silang abilities, pero at a young age, it’s really the mental aspect of the game (that sets him apart). How he reads the game, how he makes decision, how he chooses his options, I think that’s the difference,” aniya.
Mapapalaban si Clarkson at ang Team Philippines sa China ngayon, target na makuha ang No.1 spot sa Group B at makaiwas na makaharap ang defending champion Korea sa quarterfinals.
“Kung mabilis tayong mga Pinoy, sobrang bilis nito. He’s incredibly quick, fast and he’s got quick reflexes. On a match up situation, hindi ko alam sino itatapat ng China sa kanya,” pahayag ni Guiao.
