Bright future looms for Gilas Women

The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is anticipating the rise of the Gilas Pilipinas Women team in 2025.

SBP executive director Erika Dy said their hopes are high on the Filipina dribblers after posting encouraging results last year, including a razor-thin 73-74 loss to powerhouse Brazil in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Ryanda last August.

Dy said they are very happy with how the program under noted women’s coach Patrick Aquino is running, boosting their chances in major international competitions in the brand-new year.

“We’re very happy with what the women’s program has achieved this year. Our women’s elite team — our senior team — was able to compete for the first time outside of Asia in a FIBA competition and although we didn’t get any wins there, we really showed that we can also compete,” Dy said.

“We only lost to Brazil by, I think, two or three points in a last possession deciding game. And that was against Brazil, which is No. 8 in the world.”

The year that passed was such a good year for Gilas Women.

For one, they finished fourth in the 43rd William Jones Cup with a 2-3 win-loss record last July. Also, key players like Ava Fajardo, Sophia Canindo, Ariel de la O were given a golden opportunity to participate in the Basketball Without Borders in Perth, Australia last September.

The U18 squad also showed progress after beating Lebanon, 95-64, in the final of the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup in China to earn promotion to Division A.

With competitions such as the Jones Cup, FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in China and the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand this year, Aquino believes that his girls will be able to go above and beyond against the best cagers in the continent.

“I believe that these girls have the talent to exceed that level. We have young girls coming out. We have good talents,” said Aquino, the architect of National University’s dominance in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s basketball tournament.

“With those little things, we can compete in FIBA Asia. The confidence will be higher.”