2018 Asian Games

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Clarkson Scores 29 Points Against Syria

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After a slow start to the 2018 Asian Games, Jordan Clarkson and the Philippines ended the tournament on a high note after routing the Syria national team, 109-55, on Friday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The win also sealed a fifth place finish for Gilas Pilipinas, which is an improvement over their seventh place finish at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. In fact, it was also the country's best showing at the event since 2002 when they placed fourth in Busan, South Korea.

In their victory against Syria, the Philippines came out of the gates firing on all cylinders, dropping 38 points in the first frame while shooting 7-of-10 from behind the arc. By the end of the half, they led Syria, 60-34, thanks to Clarkson's 23 first-half points.

By the end of the contest, Clarkson would finish with 29 points on 12-of-16 shooting, including five triples. The Cavaliers guard added six assists to go along with four rebounds. Over the course of the tournament, Clarkson averaged 26 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Clarkson's Filipino teammate, Christian Standhardinger, notched a double-double with 27 points and 15 boards.

At the other end of the court, Syria was led by Tarek Aljabi who tallied 23 points.

Overall, the Philippines performance at the 2018 Asian Games can be called a success despite not earning a medal. For Clarkson, however, he was just happy to have earned a chance to play thanks to the NBA and FIBA's one-time exception rule allowing NBA players to attend the tournament. There's no doubt that this tournament was a great tuneup for Clarkson with training camp just around the corner.

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Clarkson Scores 29 in Final Game with Philippines

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Clarkson Scores 22 Points Against Japan

Even though he won't return back to the States with a medal, Cavs guard Jordan Clarkson can still feel accomplished after helping the Philippines earn their first win of the 2018 Asian Games with a, 113-80, victory over Japan on Monday in the first round of the consolation bracket.

While the game's first quarter was tightly contested, the Philippines were able to blow the doors wide open with an 18-0 run midway through the game, giving the team a nice cushion for the remainder of the contest. In the fourth, Clarkson's squad led by as much as 25, thus sealing the deal for Gilas Pilipinas.

Filipino head coach Yeng Guiao was happy with the win, but knows there is still work to be done before the team leaves Jakarta.

"We're trying to finish on a winning note," Guiao said. "I think that's a good going-away present for Jordan before he goes back to the States for [training] camp. We want to feel good about this whole thing."

The Filipino win was a well-rounded team effort. In fact, Clarkson (22 pts) and forward Christian Standhardinger (27 pts) were the stars of the game after combining for 49 points. Clarkson added nine dimes and six boards while Standhardinger rounded out his double-double effort with 14 rebounds. Paul Lee also shot well, tallying 17 points in the win. Taichi Nakamura was Japan's leading scorer with 16, despite going scoreless in the second half.

Despite their relegation to the consolation bracket, the Philippines still have a chance to earn fifth place when they take on Syria at 8:30 a.m. (ET) this Friday morning. Whether they win or lose, the nation will improve over their seventh-place finish at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

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Clarkson Posts 22 in Philippines' Win over Japan

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Clarkson's 2018 Asian Games Through the Lens

Clarkson Scores 25 Points Against South Korea

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For the second straight game, Cavaliers guard Jordan Clarkson excelled with the Philippines men's national team, scoring 25 points against South Korea in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia. However, it was the second straight loss the Philippines suffered in heart-breaking fashion - falling to SK, 92-82, despite leading midway through the fourth quarter.

The Philippines lead by eight in the final frame but South Korea worked their way back into the contest with a hot-hand from the three-point line, which helped them go on a 13-4 run in the final minutes of the contest. The late game push by South Korea earned them a spot in the semifinals on Thursday against Iran.”

"I take responsibility for [the loss]," Philippines head coach Yeng Guiao said following his team's loss. "We were in the game until the last 5-6 minutes. We were just not comfortable with the zone [defense]."

In the end, the Philippines saw Clarkson tally 25 points, eight rebounds and three assists while Christian Standhardinger knocked down 16 points and nine rebounds for a near-double-double. South Korea's Ricardo Ratliffe was the unanimous star of the contest, leading both squads with 30 points and 15 boards.

While the Philippines' prolonged basketball woes against South Korea continued - the archipelago hasn't beaten their mainland neighbors since the 1970 Asian Games - the Filipino squad still has some work left to do in Indonesia. They'll go up against Japan in the consolation bracket and still have a chance to place fifth, which would be an improvement over their seventh-place finish at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea. Tipoff from Jakarta will be at 6:00 a.m. (ET).

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Clarkson Notches 25 in Quarterfinals Loss to South Korea

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Clarkson Pours in 28 Points vs. China

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