Jordan Clarkson (Facebook) Jordan Clarkson, the Cleveland Cavaliers guard tapped by the Philippines as a reinforcement, will miss Gilas Pilipinas’ game against Kazakhstan in the basketball competition of the Asian Games at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Chief of Mission Richard Gomez told Daily Tribune that Clarkson’s arrival in Jakarta, Indonesia is also at 10 a.m. of 16 August.

“That is a concern,” Gomez said. “We wanted JC to play against Kazakhstan.”

According to Gomez, the game against Kazakhstan is a “must win” or the Philippines will be out of contention for the podium if it loses to mighty China next.

“China is sending a very tall team,” Gomez said. “The Chinese are parading three seven-foot players.”

Clarkson is a Filipino-American. He expressed willingness to play for Gilas and was nearly barred by the National Basketball Association from joining the national team.

It took the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas to make two appeals before Clarkson was given the green light to fly to Jakarta.