Gilas Pilipinas was drawn in Group B of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup slated Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 at the Prince Hamza Hall in Amman, Jordan.
The national cagebelles will take on China, Australia and Taiwan in the preliminary round of the event which also serves as a qualifier for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.
Coach Pat Aquino’s side must finish at least third in the group in order to qualify for the playoffs.
The top team in each group will go directly to the semifinals while the second and third placers in both groups meet in the crossover playoffs.
But Gilas will play without its biggest star in Jack Animam, who signed with Serbian club Radnicki Kragujevac of the country’s first professional women’s league.
US NCAA cager Ella Fajardo, however, is expected to suit up for the Philippines for her first senior national team appearance.
Gilas was beaten handily by China (104-57) and Australia (123-57) during the 2019 edition held in Bangalore, India.
The Philippines went on to prevail over India, 92-78, in a battle for seventh place to remain in Division A.