These Filipina ballers will only get better.
Seventy-one points. That was the distance between losing and winning for Gilas Pilipinas Women in their FIBA Asia Cup game against Australia on Monday.
In basketball parlance, though, that means the Filipina hoopers seriously need to work on a lot of things after absorbing a 105-34 loss at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in Australia.
The Opals simply dominated the Filipinas from start to finish with size, ball movement, and accuracy from long range. They led 30-7 after the opening quarter and refused to ease on the gas pedal from there.
But there’s no shame in the loss for the Philippine women’s basketball program that only keeps improving with coach Pat Aquino at the helm. After all, they were able to execute their plays for the most part. Shots just didn’t fall.
Naturalized player Vanessa de Jesus didn’t disappoint in her Gilas debut, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field for Gilas.
The Duke Blue Devils ace was the lone bright spot for the team, dropping 11 of of his total output in a 13-2 run in the second quarter to trim the gap to 20, 38-20.
It would have been nice to have her as a local, really. Under FIBA rules, de Jesus would have been considered a local if she obtained her Philippine passport before the age of 16. She got hers at 21.
The skills are there, but we need height, said @luisjamiltan. Cherifer pa!
To keep up with our Asian counterpart’s size, @fakedhar suggested to get at least 4 Jack Animams. That sure woud be a lot of fun—and drip—in the locker room if that happens.
Gilas Women will next face defending champion Japan on Tuesday at the same venue.
(GM)