Philippines vs Dominican Republic FIBA World Cup 2023: Who won the game, best players, result, and more

The Dominican Republic and the Philippines produced arguably the best game on Day 1 of the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The two most prominent players in action, Dominican Republic's Karl-Anthony Towns and Philippine's Jordan Clarkson put on prolific performances for their respective teams.

The Dominican Republic created a six-point separation (22-16) in the first quarter but couldn't sustain that lead for long. Utah Jazz guard Clarkson ensured the co-hosts of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, Philippines, didn't fall far behind as he got them back in the contest.

Karl-Anthony Towns bagged a team-high 26 points, shooting 5-of-16 from the floor. He dominated the contest by getting to the free-throw line and efficiently converting his attempts at the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson fouled out late in the game after tallying 28 points (game-high), shooting 9-of-24 from the field.

Who won the game between the Dominican Republic and the Philippines at the 2023 FIBA World Cup?

The Dominican Republic beat the odds to prevail against the Philippines in their opening game at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The pressure was at an all-time high for the visitors, with the majority of the 38,115 fans supporting their opponents as expected. However, despite the game being a close encounter, Karl-Anthony Towns and Co. managed to script an 87-81 win.

Jordan Clarkson fouling out with the Filipinos trailing by three points with three minutes left swung the game in favor of the Caribbean country. The winners showed more composure than their opponents down the stretch. Clarkson and Co. had 19 turnovers, offering the other team easy scoring opportunities.

Meanwhile, Towns and Co. also gained an advantage on the boards, outrebounding the Philippines 43-34.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson were the best players in the game

Your prediction couldn't have gone much wrong if you picked Karl-Anthony Towns and Jordan Clarkson to produce the best performances in this game. The NBA veterans showed out for their respective teams and were largely responsible for keeping this game so tightly contested.

Along with 26 points, Towns also bagged 10 rebounds and finished with a box +/- of +10. Meanwhile, Clarkson tallied seven rebounds and seven assists to complement his scoring burst of 28 points. Both players struggled from the field, with Towns shooting 31% and Clarkson 38%. However, they ensured they were aggressive in getting to the foul line.

Towns scored 15 points from the free throw line on 16 attempts, while Clarkson converted 9-of-11 shots from the charity stripe.

Dominican Republic and Philippines game garners record FIBA World Cup attendance

The Dominican Republic and Philippines game was watched by 38,115 fans at Manila's Philippine Arena, a FIBA World Cup record. Home fans showed out to support their co-hosts of the team.

The Filipino fans would've hoped for a win, and they nearly got there. However, the visitors from the Caribbean showed they were no pushovers and emerged as the better team.