Backs against the wall, the Filipina hoopers went out and played their best basketball in the tourney so far.
It was an all-important match for both Gilas Pilipinas and Chinese Taipei in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup. The winner would be awarded a shot at making the semifinal stage in the crossover round, while the loser would be in danger of getting relegated to the tournament’s Division B.
After losing the previous two games in lopsided fashion, Gilas came out with the right amount of motivation to come up with the 92-81 victory on Wednesday at the Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre in Australia.
This is Gilas Women's first win in the group phase since being promoted to Division A back in 2015, and some are already calling it the biggest victory in the history of Philippine women’s basketball.
The two adversaries came out of the gates with guns blazing, but it was the Philippines who ultimately benefited from the breakneck pace of the contest. Relentless with their defensive pressure, the Filipina hoopers were able to take control early, ending up with a 29-20 advantage in the opening frame.
From that point on, Gilas tried its hardest to keep the lead and secure the win that meant so much not only for the players but for an entire community as well.
“This [game] means so much not just for us but back home also,” Gilas center Jack Animam told reporters after game.
“This is for the country, for the program, for the federation,” Gilas coach Pat Aquino added.
Gilas’ biggest heroes were naturalized player Vanessa de Jesus and Animam. The 21-year-old floor general scored a series of crucial buckets down the stretch to finish with 25 big points. The 6-foot-5 pivot meanwhile, posted a massive double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds. Also coming up huge was Afril Bernardino as she tallied 18 markers and 10 boards.
Animam hopes this victory would pave the way for more opportunities and success for the program.
“We played for ourselves knowing we have a bigger responsibility [with] what this win means to the women’s basketball community in the Philippines. Hopefully, this is not the last. But I think this is just the start of greater things for this program,” the Gilas Women stalwart said.
By the end of the hard-fought game, Coach Pat’s charges experienced a downpour of emotions, especially since the feat came against a stubborn Chinese Taipei squad led by Yu-Ting Lin, who notched a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds alongside 7 assists.
Looking ahead, the ladies of Gilas will have their sights set on their next task on Friday, as they play once more to hopefully seal a spot in the semifinals.
(GM)