ALLAN THE MAN

The Philippine national team ended its first tune-up tournament under new coach Tab Baldwin on a losing note, yielding an 86-76 result to Iceland on Saturday (early Sunday PHL time).

Gilas Pilipinas ended its campaign in Estonia with three defeats, but showed progress as it displayed more competitiveness from game to game against taller European sides. The Philippines earlier lost its first two games to the Netherlands and Estonia, respectively.

The Philippine national basketball team lost its second straight assignment in Estonia, 90-80, to the host nation on Friday (early Saturday PHL time). Estonia got the jump on Gilas Pilipinas early, ending the first quarter up 33-18.

The taller European side then leaned on its hot shooting from all five positions to keep the Philippines at bay for most of the game. Gilas had one final run, coming to within nine points, 86-77, with a little more than two minutes remaining in the game, on a three-pointer from Terrence Romeo.

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is hoping Los Angeles Laker Jordan Clarkson could be added as a regular member of Gilas Pilipinas in the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship on Sept. 23-Oct. 3 in Changsha, China.

In fact, the national federation included Clarkson’s name in the tentative list of players submitted to FIBA Asia Saturday. From this roster will come the Final 12 for the Changsha meet that serves as the regional qualifier for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Gilas Pilipinas Official 24-man lineup for 2015 FIBA Asia Championship:

University of Perpetual Help's do-it-all guard Scottie Thompson was simply "too good to pass up" in the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft, according to Ginebra head coach Tim Cone who selected the Alta with the fifth pick.

Thompson, the NCAA Season 90 Most Valuable Player who has led the Altas to a 7-2 record so far in the tournament, was showered with cheers by the crowd at the Robinson's Place Manila when his name was called on Sunday.

There is a big possibility that the Los Angeles Lakers' Fil-Am guard Jordan Clarkson would play for Gilas Pilipinas in the future. 

No less than Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) Executive Director Sonny Barrios confirmed that Clarkson is is a Philippine passport holder.

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NBA scout Jim Kelly, once a part of the coaching staff of Presto/Great Taste during the early 1990s, remains to keep an eye on Philippine basketball despite his work for the Dallas Mavericks.

That’s why during one of his visits to the practices of Gilas Pilipinas, he quickly noticed one player missing from the team: reigning back-to-back PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo.