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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Coach Pat Aquino hopes Gilas brings A-game in crucial encounter vs India

Coach Pat Aquino hopes Gilas brings A-game in crucial encounter vs India

Published Sep 30, 2021 01:16 pm

Gilas Piliinas guard Janine Pontejos (right) drives hard against Chinese Taipei's Hsien-fang Lin in the final game of Group A action. Chinese Taipei prevails over Gilas, 93-52. (FIBA photo)

Gilas Pilipinas Women head coach Pat Aquino believes the team should bring its A-game if it wishes to take down fellow winless squad India in a must-win 7th-8th classification match in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in Amman, Jordan on Friday.

The Filipina dribblers are hoping for a repeat against India as they try to keep their spot in the Division A of FIBA Asia Women.

Gilas Women beat India in a dominating fashion, 92-78, in the 2019 edition of the tournament to keep its division status.

Things, however, are different now as India brought in taller and athletic players as compared to their 2019 team. Gilas, on the other hand, lost some ceiling without Jack Animan and Kelly Hayes in the lineup.

Aquino is looking forward to a tough game against India but is hopeful that his players can finally get their bearings going for their most crucial match of the tournament.

“Very tough. I think India had brought some tall players this time and I brought some small players this time. Also it’s gonna be very tough, it's a matter of execution and adjustment for the game tomorrow,” said Aquino.

The longtime Gilas women mentor also stressed that his wards must show improvements in their game especially after going winless in the group stage which saw them getting beaten by an average of 63.5 points, with the last one a 41-point drubbing at the hands of Chinese Taipei.

“I think the players that we brought in have already experienced how to play here and maybe, they will bring their A game tomorrow. I just hope that you know we became competitive tomorrow,” added Aquino.

The Filipina cagebelles showed semblance of their potential in their games against Australia and Chinese Taipei, as they stayed within striking distance in the first half before allowing their fancied opponents to pull away in the second half.

Gilas Women is riding an impressive tournament from ace guard Afril Bernardino who has stellar averages of 16.3 points and eight rebounds through three games. Her best game was against the Taiwanese where she unloaded a double-double of 24 points and 14 rebounds.

Gilas will need more from her and her supporting crew if they want to keep the Division A spot.

“We have to win, that's the main point. I think the target is to stay in level one. It's been really hard, tough games previously but we feel we can play our very best against India, with the experience the girls have already after three games, we have to adjust and probably do the little things more to win the game tomorrow,” added Aquino.

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Pat Aquino Gilas Pilipinas Women
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