FROM Asia to the world.
Gilas Pilipinas women’s team saved its best for last, whipping host Singapore, 21-10, to earn the third and final ticket to the FIBA 3x3 World Cup on Sunday at the OCBC Arena.
Veteran Afril Bernardino’s gutsy plays complemented KC Dela Rosa’s dominance inside in steering the Filipinas to the emphatic win in their do-or-die encounter for the last ticket to the world meet slated in Warsaw, Poland from June 1-7.
READ Gilas Women denied outright spot to FIBA 3x3 World Cup by Lithuania
The triumph came exactly a week after the Gilas women’s team clinched a landmark silver medal finish during the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup at the same venue in Singapore.
This marks the Philippines' return to the 3x3 World Cup since it hosted the tournament at the Philippine Arena in 2018.
From that Gilas quartet, only Bernardino remained from that team which also included Jack Animam, Janine Pontejos, and Gemma Miranda.
“I can’t imagine I’m still here playing,” said Bernardino afterwards. “But I don’t feel old because they gave me a chance to play with these young players.”
Dela Rosa, the two-time UAAP MVP, was simply assertive in the middle and finished with a game-high 11 points, while Bernardino added six including the two free throws with 38 seconds left that officially punched the country’s ticket to the World Cup.
Mikka Cacho, who hurt her left knee midway through the game but managed to come back and finish the contest, had four points, while Reynalyn Ferrer completed the Filipina quartet.
The win was the second in as many days for the Philippines against Singapore, which earlier lost to Gilas, 21-19, in Saturday’s pool play.
With the win over Singapore coupled by a 16-13 loss to Brazil, Gilas still emerged as the top-seeded team in Pool A and drew Lithuania as it opponent in the crossover semifinals.
The Filipinas lost to the Lithuanians, 21-16, and fell short of earning an outright World Cup berth, but still earned a shot for the remaining ticket after being relegated in the do-or-die game against the Singaporeans.
The scores
Philippines (21) – Dela Rosa 11, Bernardino 6, Cacho 4, Ferrer 0.
Singapore (10) – Ying 4, Yi 3, Han 2, Matilda 1.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
