On July 6th, the Paris Olympics Qualifiers continue with a clash between the Philippines and Brazil. This Philippine men’s basketball team has been exceptionally impressive in the qualifiers, defeating European powerhouse Latvia 89-80 in their first game and narrowly losing 94-96 to Georgia in their second game, but this won’t affect their qualification to the next round.
With Clarkson absent, Brownlee has completely taken over the team’s offense, showcasing an impact that rivals top naturalized players. Against Latvia, Brownlee played 37 minutes and exploded for 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists, seemingly entering a zone of his own. Driven by his performance, the Philippines saw Soto, Ramos, and Nuseon all shine, with Soto delivering one of his best career performances with 18 points and 8 rebounds.
Despite the close 2-point loss to Georgia in the second game, Brownlee still put up 28 points. This Philippine team, with Brownlee as their absolute core, has played with impressive tactics and intensity on both ends of the court. With a solid defensive foundation and a potential physical advantage against Brazil, it will be interesting to see if they can continue to surprise.
Brazil’s performance in the Olympics Qualifiers has been lackluster overall. They started with an 81-72 victory over Montenegro but fell 74-77 to Cameroon in their second game. Their core players are generally older, with the 41-year-old veteran Huertas still playing a crucial role at this level. Capocló, Dias, and Mendes are also key players, but Brazil often rotates only 7-8 players. Their loss to Cameroon showed the potential for power outages at certain points in the game. Even with Cameroon scoring only 9 points in the fourth quarter, Brazil struggled to create a decisive run.
Against the Philippines, limiting Brownlee’s impact and finding a better balance in core player fatigue will be crucial for Brazil if they want to take down the Philippines.
Based on the previously announced 12-man roster:
Philippines: Brownlee, Jhon Mar Fajardo, Nuseon, Ramos, Soto, Perez, Tamayo, Oftana, Aguila, Kiefer Ravena, Amos.
Brazil: Capocló, Dias, Marcelinho Huertas, Mendes, Santos, Y-Santos, Bennett, Felicio, Lozada, De-Paula, João Cardoso, Raul Neto.
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