Gilas women's team yields to top seed China in FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup opener
The horrendous campaign for the Philippine teams in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup continues as the Gilas Pilipinas women’s team yielded to top seed China, 19-10, in its opening game at the Singapore Sports Hub OCBC Square on Saturday, April 1.
The Filipinas seemed to run into the Chinese great wall as they struggled to get their offense going against the defense of the taller and longer opponents. China went off to a hot start, racing to an early 6-1 lead before shrugging off some slight resistance from Janine Pontejos and Afril Bernardino, who both kept Gilas within striking distance, 8-4, midway through the game. The heavy favorites asserted their might and went on a back-breaking 8-2 run that allowed them to seize a commanding 16-6 lead and take the fight out of the Filipinas. Lingge Zhang led China with 10 points and five rebounds. Bernardino and Clare Castro, meanwhile, had four and three points in a losing effort for Gilas. All hope is not lost still for the Filipinas despite the loss as they can still advance to the quarterfinals should they win against their final assignment in pool play later in the day. The ninth seed Gilas needs to score a victory against Iran and hope that the middle-east Asian team also loses to China in their own match as the Filipinas hope to avoid the same fate that struck the men’s side, who bowed out of the competition with a winless record.
*Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 women's team (FIBA Photo)
*The Filipinas seemed to run into the Chinese great wall as they struggled to get their offense going against the defense of the taller and longer opponents. China went off to a hot start, racing to an early 6-1 lead before shrugging off some slight resistance from Janine Pontejos and Afril Bernardino, who both kept Gilas within striking distance, 8-4, midway through the game. The heavy favorites asserted their might and went on a back-breaking 8-2 run that allowed them to seize a commanding 16-6 lead and take the fight out of the Filipinas. Lingge Zhang led China with 10 points and five rebounds. Bernardino and Clare Castro, meanwhile, had four and three points in a losing effort for Gilas. All hope is not lost still for the Filipinas despite the loss as they can still advance to the quarterfinals should they win against their final assignment in pool play later in the day. The ninth seed Gilas needs to score a victory against Iran and hope that the middle-east Asian team also loses to China in their own match as the Filipinas hope to avoid the same fate that struck the men’s side, who bowed out of the competition with a winless record.