Not even the basketball gods could shift the balance of power between the two teams as the world No. 10 Italy cruised to a 90-83 win to eliminate the Philippines in Group A of the FIBA World Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, August 29.

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Unanswered prayer: Gilas Pilipinas stays winless in FIBA World Cup as Italy advances

FIBA | WATCH:

High-flying wing Rhenz Abando blasts those who booed head coach Chot Reyes during the team introductions.#FIBAWorldCup2023 #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/RmeXW5fj6c

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 29, 2023

"You guys are very lucky to have him."

Simone Fontecchio gets one over his Utah Jazz teammate Jordan Clarkson as Italy eliminates Gilas Pilipinas from the FIBA World Cup. #FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/ONQIZsc0y6

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 29, 2023

Fourth quarter

FIBA | FINAL:

Despite a spirited Gilas Pilipinas rally, world No. 10 Italy boots the host out of #FIBAWorldCup2023 contention, 90-83.

The Philippines are the first World Cup hosts to drop their first 3 games since Colombia in 1982.#FIBAWC pic.twitter.com/pv9kuGgRck

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) August 29, 2023

• ITALY 90-83: Kiefer Ravena layup with 27.8 left
• ITALY 90-81: Alessandro Pajola crucial free throws with 0:32 left
• ITALY 88-81: Giampaolo Ricci charge with 1:26 left
• ITALY 88-81: Dwight Ramos steal, Jamie Malonzo layup
• ITALY 88-79: Jordan Clarkson gets a goaltend call, and-one
• ITALY 88-76: Jordan Clarkson 2/2 from the line
• ITALY 88-74: Kiefer Ravena three
• ITALY 88-71: Giampaolo Ricci another three
• ITALY 85-71: RR Pogoy corner three
• ITALY 85-68: Simone Fontecchio layup
• ITALY 83-68: Giampaolo Ricci three
• ITALY 80-68: Dwight Ramos and-one
• ITALY 80-65: Jordan Clarkson iso leads to a mid-range shot
• ITALY 80-63: AJ Edu splits from the line
• ITALY 80-62: Nicolo Melli dunk
• ITALY 78-62: AJ Edu putback
• ITALY 78-60: Marco Spissu contested corner three. Timeout Gilas
• ITALY 75-60: Nicolo Melli 2/2 from the line

Third quarter

• END OF 3Q: Gilas Pilipinas trails by 13 points going into the final salvo, 73-60
• ITALY 73-60: Alessandro Pajola beats the buzzer with a trey
• ITALY 70-60: Jamie Malonzo from downtown
• ITALY 70-57: Alessandro Pajola for three
• ITALY 67-57: Jordan Clarkson 1/2 at the stripe
• ITALY 67-55: Great ball movement ends in a Giampaolo Ricci trey
• ITALY 64-55: AJ Edu cans his free throws
• ITALY 64-53: AJ Edu soars high for the layup
• ITALY 64-51: Jordan Clarkson with the floater
• ITALY 64-49: Alessandro Pajola sinks another triple for the Azzurri
• ITALY 61-49: Marco Spissu to Nicolo Melli for the dunk
• ITALY 59-49: Marco Spissu drains a triple
• ITALY 56-49: 6 straight points from Dwight Ramos after his trey
• ITALY 56-46: Simone Fontecchio cans his foul shots
• ITALY 54-46: Dwight Ramos completes the and-one
• ITALY 54-43: 6-0 run for the Azzurri as Stefano Tonut converts the reverse layup
• ITALY 52-43: Achille Polonara lays it in
• ITALY 50-43: Stefano Tonut answers with his own drive
• ITALY 48-43: Jordan Clarkson attacks
• ITALY 48-41: June Mar Fajardo inside to open the second-half scoring

Halftime performers

• Jordan Clarkson (PHI) – 10 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
• Rhenz Abando (PHI) – 8 points
• Roger Pogoy (PHI) – 6 points
• Simone Fontecchio (ITA) – 14 points, 4 rebounds
• Stefano Tonut (ITA) – 9 points
• Marco Spissu (ITA) – 7 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals

Second quarter

• END OF 2Q: Italy storms back and enters the break with a 48-39 lead
• ITALY 48-39: Rhenz Abando floats it in
• ITALY 48-37: Stefano Tonut for three
• ITALY 45-37: Jordan Clarkson again
• ITALY 45-35: Marco Spissu restores the twin-digit cushion with a trey
• ITALY 42-35: Jordan Clarkson finishes the coast-to-coast slam, makes the bonus
• ITALY 42-32: Rhenz Abando 1/2 at the line
• ITALY 42-31: Simone Fontecchio gives the Azzurri their first double-digit lead
• ITALY 40-31: Stefano Tonut strong drive
• ITALY 38-31: Rhenz Abando jumper is good
• ITALY 38-29: Marco Spissu sinks a freebie
• ITALY 37-29: Simone Fontecchio again
• ITALY 35-29: Simone Fontecchio cans the triple
• ITALY 32-29: AJ Edu 1/2 at the line
• ITALY 32-28: Simone Fontecchio also splits his freebies
• ITALY 31-28: Nicolo Melli 1/2 with his foul shots
• ITALY 30-28: Jamie Malonzo with the putback
• ITALY 30-26: Achille Polonara 2/2 at the line
• ITALY 28-26: Giampaolo Ricci wide open for the long bomb
• GILAS PILIPINAS 26-25: Gigi Datome retaliates with his own triple
• GILAS PILIPINAS 26-22: Kiefer Ravena hits the trey
• GILAS PILIPINAS 23-22: Giampaolo Ricci finishes the pick and roll

First quarter

• END OF 1Q: June Mar Fajardo beats the buzzer to give Gilas Pilipinas a 23-20 lead
• GILAS PILIPINAS 21-20: Gigi Datome cuts Italy deficit with a pair of free throws
• GILAS PILIPINAS 21-18: Rhenz Abando for three off a Scottie Thompson dime
• 18-18: Simone Fontecchio again from beyond the arc
• GILAS PILIPINAS 18-15: Jordan Clarkson goes coast-to-coast
• GILAS PILIPINAS 16-15: Dwight Ramos answers with his own three-pointer
• ITALY 15-13: Simone Fontecchio from long distance
• GILAS PILIPINAS 13-12: Roger Pogoy quick release for the trey
• ITALY 12-10: Dwight Ramos with the short stab
• ITALY 12-8: Stefano Tonut banks in the floater
• ITALY 10-8: Roger Pogoy left open for the triple
• ITALY 10-5: Achille Polonara putback is good
• ITALY 8-5: Nicolo Melli cans the trey
• 5-5: Jordan Clarkson dials up from deep
• ITALY 5-2: Marco Spissu for three
• 2-2: Jordan Clarkson finds Kai Sotto
• ITALY 2-0: Stefano Tonut opens the scoring with a layup

Starting five

• GILAS PILIPINAS: Jordan Clarkson, Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu, Roger Pogoy
• ITALY: Simone Fontecchio, Nicolo Melli, Achille Polonara, Marco Spissu, Stefano Tonut

Preview

Gilas Pilipinas needs nothing short of a miracle against Italy.

Going up against a fancied Italian side that has never lost to an Asian team in the FIBA World Cup, the Philippines will try to do the improbable in a bid to save its Group A bid at the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, August 29.

A win of at least 13 points will not only keep the Filipinos in close contention for the Paris Olympics berth reserved for the highest-placed Asian squad but also put them in a favorable position to reach the second round.

But doing so requires all the right things to go for the Philippines, which sits at the bottom of Group A with a 0-2 record.

According to analytical company Opta Sports, Italy has won all of its 11 games against Asian teams in the World Cup, the last coming against the Philippines four years ago in China.

While Italy has been proven to be far from invincible after it surprisingly fell prey to the Dominican Republic, the loss only motivates the Azzurri to vent their ire on the Filipinos with their World Cup fate on the line.

Also, the Italians have not lost multiple games in the preliminary round of a single World Cup in nearly six decades or since they dropped all their three group stage matches in 1967.

The Philippines, in contrast, has not won a World Cup game in almost a decade since it beat Senegal in overtime in the 2014 edition.

Enduring a seven-game World Cup skid, the Filipinos will once again lean on Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson as they try to pull off the biggest upset of the tournament.

Game time is 8 pm. – Rappler.com