JANINE Pontejos' hot shooting wasn't enough to stop the blazing performance from Alice Kunek as Australia sent Gilas Pilipinas Women's 3x3 home with a 21-16 victory in the quarterfinals of the 2019 Fiba 3x3 Asia Cup on Sunday in Changsha, China.
It was a valiant performance for the Filipinas, which held a 4-1 lead, but the veteran Kunek's explosion would not be denied as the Aussies progressed to the semis.
Clare Castro brought the Philippines within one, 16-15, but Kunek answered right back with a deuce from the top of the arc before putting the game under wraps with an and-one play with 1:31 remaining.
Kunek finished with 13 points.
Rebecca Cole added four points for last year's bronze medalists, as Madeleine Garrick and Hanna Zavecz scored two each.
Pontejos led the Patrick Aquino-mentored Gilas Women's side with eight points, all from beyond the arc.
Afril Bernardino was at her feisty self to wound up with five points, Jack Animam scored two, as Castro had one point.
The scores:
Australia 21 - Kunek 13, Cole 4, Garrick 2, Zavecz 2.
Philippines 16 - Pontejos 8, Bernardino 5, Animam 2, Castro 1.
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