The Gilas Women’s team braces for tougher competition as it gears up for the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup Division B tournament in Shenzhen, China from 24 to 30 June.

Gilas head coach Julie Amos told Daily Tribune that she wants the squad to be at its best when it faces bigger and stronger foes on its way to Division A promotion.

The Philippines qualified to the Women’s Asian Cup after sweeping Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia in the FIBA Women’s Under-18 Asia Cup Division B 2024 SEABA Qualifiers in Thailand last week in Ratchaburi, Thailand.

“They really wanted to win, they wanted to compete, and they wanted to get a spot to go to China. I think the tryouts from local and international also helped. That’s why we were able to fit in the right players for our team to compete,” Amos, a former Ateneo de Manila University women’s basketball coach, said.

“We’re not just competing in Southeast Asia, we’re talking about Asia. That’s why we need to get used to competing against smaller and faster teams and then taller and bigger squads.”

Joining the Philippines in the Women’s Asia Cup are Samoa, Hong Kong, Maldives, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Syria.

In the 2022 edition of the tournament in India, the Philippines missed out on a Division A promotion after a heartbreaking 65-66 overtime loss to eventual champion Malaysia in the semifinals.

Now, Gilas Women have a chance to earn a Division A slot as Samoa, No. 9 in the FIBA Asia rankings, is the strongest opponent the Philippines will face in this year’s tournament.

Both squads faced each other in 2022 with the Filipinas decimating the Samoans, 84-68, in the bronze medal match.