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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Sandy Arespacochaga tapped as Gilas U18 Women head coach

Sandy Arespacochaga tapped as Gilas U18 Women head coach

Published May 19, 2026 05:04 pm

At A Glance

  • The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has tapped Sandy Arespacochaga as head coach of the national team's U18 women's squad which will vie in the 2026 FIBA Women's U-18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers next month.
(UAAP Media)
(UAAP Media)
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has tapped Sandy Arespacochaga as head coach of the national team’s U18 women’s squad which will vie in the 2026 FIBA Women’s U-18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers next month.
Arespacochaga, a well-respected mentor in the collegiate and professional ranks, will guide the Filipina cagers in the five-team regional meet which is slated from June 2 to 6 at the STI West Negros University Gym in Bacolod City.
It wasn’t the first time that the 51-year-old multi-titled coach was called for national team duty as he had served the role for Batang Gilas (Philippines U-19) in the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup seven years ago.
This, however, is his first try at handling a women's team/
“I’ve been a fan of women’s basketball, but I’ve never coached women’s basketball, so I’m really thankful for this opportunity,” said Arespacochaga “We formed the pool with the idea not just of forming the team for SEABA. We wanted to form a pool that included players whom we can help out and help elevate because we wanted to elevate women’s basketball as a whole.”
Arespacochaga, who also serves as assistant for TNT and Ateneo, looks to hone the play and chemistry of the dribblers.
The Philippines, which is expected to be bannered by Tiffany Reyes and Sophia Dignadice, takes on Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam in the five-day joust.
For SBP president Ricky Vargas and Gilas Women Program Director Bacon Austria, Arespacochaga is a perfect fit for the coaching job, knowing him as a teacher and a master of developing young guns.
“First of all, he is a teacher. At this stage, he fits perfectly in shaping the girls’ future. More than winning, his focus is on developing the girls into better basketball players and better people,” said Austria.
“On the basketball aspect, Coach Sandy is no stranger to FIBA tournaments. He’s already coached Gilas Youth Men and assisted Gilas Men at the World Cup level,” he added. “For the assistant coaches, we asked the NU and UST high school programs to lend us one of their coaches to help Coach Sandy.”

Related Tags

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas 2026 FIBA Women\'s U-18 Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Sandy Arespacochaga
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