THE prospects of Fil-Am guard Jordan Clarkson suiting up as a local for Gilas Pilipinas in FIBA-backed tournaments is gone with the wind.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director and spokesman Sonny Barrios bared this heartbreaking development yesterday, adding the cage body has accepted that the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year winner of the Utah Jazz could only see action for the nationals as a naturalized player.
“Hindi na puwede iyong local (status). Tinanggap na namin na naturalized ang classification niya sa FIBA,” Barrios said yesterday in the online Philippine Sportswriters Association forum.
“We tried our best. Maraming pagsisikap na makuha ang ating kagustuhan pero gagamitin na natin siyang naturalized. There’s no turning back,” he added.
The 6-foot-5 Clarkson is set to play for the Filipino cagers in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers against Lebanon in Beirut on Aug. 26 and Saudi Arabia three days later at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Barrios also identified the initial players who will be part of the pool for the fourth window, among them Dwight Ramos, Kiefer Ravena, Thirdy Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., Carl Tamayo of University of the Philippines, La Salle’s Kevin Quiambao, and Francis Lopez.
The rest of the pool members will come from PBA teams who will be named after the semifinals of the Philippine Cup.
Barrios maintained the SBP did not easily give up on its bid for FIBA to allow Clarkson to play as a local.
“We did not abandon (that bid). It’s just that at the level of talks that we’ve had, kumbaga kapag sinabing pasensiya na at hindi puwede, then we accept it. I hope it would not appear like we abandoned it,” Barrios said in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Milo, Amelie Hotel Manila, Unilever, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
“Kasi kung sa usapang matino, kapag nasabing hindi puwede, paulit-ulit ka pa. Ang ayaw natin masagot tayo na, ‘What part of ‘no’ did you not understand?’ Mahirap naman iyon kung lalabas na mahirap tayong maka-intindi.”
The nationals are moving forward with Clarkson expected to become a big part of their coming campaigns leading up to the World Cup next year.
“Gets na natin, tanggap na natin. Kaya nga tayo naman, puspusan tayong gagamitin ang kagalingan at karunungan ni Jordan Clarkson the best way we can,” Barrios said.
“We are playing with the cards that are dealt to us. We’ll not sit on our hands and feel sorry for ourselves.”
