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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Gilas Women can be 'top tier', says new coach BT Toews

Gilas Women can be 'top tier', says new coach BT Toews

Published Aug 7, 2026 12:43 pm  |  Updated Aug 7, 2026 01:31 pm
Gilas coach Burke 'BT' Toews with SBP's Bacon Austria
Gilas coach Burke 'BT' Toews with SBP's Bacon Austria

Newly-minted Gilas Pilipinas women’s team head coach Burke "BT" Toews is seeing so much potential in the national team, noting that the Nationals can get into top-tier level and be considered as one of the perennial contenders in Asia.

Speaking during a media availability on Thursday, Aug. 6, Toews shared his thoughts about the women’s national team after already spending some practice time with the girls as part of their preparation for a loaded schedule through the next two months.

Gilas is scheduled to play in the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico from Aug. 19 to 23 before setting its sights on the Asian Games gold next month.

“Of all the teams that I thought about — and I've had some other offers in Asia to coach national teams — I thought that the Philippines, the women's, were a team that had a really high ceiling,” said Toews, who left his Japanese team Fujitsu Red Wave where he won two championships with to coach Gilas.

“Not just because of what happened in the last few years with Coach Pat (Aquino) and the success they had. But if things could be changed, not just on the court, but off the court, I thought that the Philippines could really get to the top tier and be a perennial contender," he explained.

Toews is keen on applying the same blueprint that led the Red Wave to five finals appearances, back-to-back WJBL league titles (2024, 2025) and Empress Cup (All-Japan) crowns, while also utilizing and developing Gilas’ current strengths.

"I will use my team more as a blueprint, not necessarily the national team, but my team at Fujitsu, where I coached for 10 years, plays not much different than the national team. Styles are very, very similar. There's not a huge difference," Toews explained.

"But I don't want to say that we can just bring what Japan does to the Filipino national team, the Gilas. It's not only that you should not copy someone completely because you lose the essence of the players that you're coaching and what they do well, but at the same time, I feel like there's a lot of areas that we can tune up and we will imitate," he furthered.

As it stands, Toews has pieces to work on with Gilas especially with the return of Jack Animam and the rise of Kacey Dela Rosa’s play. He also has Gilas mainstays Janine Pontejos and Afril Bernardino as well as young and promising prospects in Sophia Dignadice and Tiffany Reyes among others.

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