THE PHILIPPINE Under-18 women’s team looks to continue its head-turning showing to date in the 2019 FIBA 3×3 World Cup in Mongolia when it takes on world number one China in a knockout quarterfinal match today.

Barged into the next round of the tournament after finishing second in Pool C with a 3-1 record, behind undefeated France, the Philippine team, composed of Camille Izabel Clarin (18), Ella Patrice Fajardo (16), Karl Ann Pingol (17) and Angelica Marie Surada (18), tries to sustain its conquering ways against an undefeated Chinese team which has been dominant so far in this edition of the World Cup.

The Philippines did its cause a favor by sweeping its assignments on the third day of the competition on Wednesday.

Split their first two games on opening day on Monday, the Filipina players came back stronger in their return to action in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, beating number six Netherlands, 10-9, and Czech Republic (19), 15-14, in succession.

Against the Netherlands, Clarin came to the rescue of her team by draining the game-winning basket at the buzzer.

With the scored tied at 9-all and the clock ticking down, the Filipino-Canadian followed up on her own missed basket just as the buzzer sounded to hand the Philippines a big 10-9 victory that kept its playoff hopes alive.

The team then completed things later in the day when it outlasted Czech Republic, 15-14, in overtime.

Surada took over in extra time to help her team to the win.

The twin wins pushed the Philippines in the quarterfinals, along with China, France and Mexico. Four more teams to complete the quarterfinal cast were set to join them in matches scheduled later yesterday.

Leading the Philippines in scoring in the competition in four games to date is Clarin with 17 total points, good for 11th place, followed by Fajardo (15 points), Surada (10) and Pingol (5).

The Philippine-China match is set for 1:50 p.m. — Michael Angelo S. Murillo

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