THERE will be no rest for the weary as the rising Gilas Pilipinas women brace for bigger battles in the next months.
After the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, Gilas sets its sights on the William Jones Cup on Aug. 5 to 9 in Taiwan as part of its preparation for a much-awaited debut in the Asian Games on Sept. 23 to Oct. 8 in China.
“It’s our first time in the Asian Games…. With these invites we’re getting, it means that the team is getting recognized already,” Patrick “Pat” Aquino told The STAR.
Gilas’ participation in the Asiad will be the first for the program under the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas era. The Filipinas last competed in the continental tilt in 1998, finishing sixth.
The Jones Cup, meanwhile, is making a return after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic with expected participation from guest teams and perennial Asian squads.
Aside from the Jones Cup, Gilas has also been invited by the Women’s Korean Basketball League (WKBL) to play in South Korea for an added build-up to the Asiad.
“Playing in these tournaments will be good preparation for the Asian Games,” Mr. Aquino added.
Gilas is coming off a remarkable campaign in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup Division A in Sydney, Australia with a sixth-place finish for its best outing since finishing fourth in 1984.
That’s on top of a pair of silver-medal finishes in the 3×3 and 5-on-5 tournaments of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia last summer.
The Philippine youth team also impressed in the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Championship by sweeping Division B to gain a promotion to Division A. — John Bryan Ulanday
