Rhenz Abando gets high remark from South Sudan star guard Carlik Jones

For the first time in four games, Rhenz Abando didn't come off the bench as he got the start in Gilas Pilipinas' classification phase game against South Sudan in the 2023 FIBA World Cup on Thursday.

And Abando proved why he deserved it in every second he was on the court.

Known for his high-leaping abilities, the former NCAA Rookie MVP of Colegio de San Juan de Letran was tasked to defend South Sudan star guard and Chicago Bulls' Carlik Jones, who is the squad's leader in points and assists in the ongoing global cagefest.

Immediately, Abando made his presence felt on defense, blocking Jones in his layup drive as well as Kuany Ngor Kuany's three-point shot attempt all in the early part of the first quarter.

"It's ball pressure the whole game. I give him a big shoutout," Jones said to members of Philippine media after South Sudan dealt Gilas an 87-68 heartbreaker.

"I think he played well. I think he defended well. I tried to put him in as much ball screens as I could to relieve some pressure and to also let other guys be open. I think he played well."

Abando, who had been Gilas' spark plug in the past three games, went scoreless in the loss, but racked up three rebounds and three blocks. Jones, on the other hand, paced the visitors with 17 markers, 14 assists, nine boards, and two steals as South Sudan picked up its second win in four outings.

"It's a huge win for us. We're one step closer to our goal of making it to the Olympics. I'm just glad we got the job done," Jones, an MVP in the previous NBA G League edition, added.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News