AFRIL Bernardino played her heart out to lift the Gilas Pilipinas Women past Thailand, 17-13, and the basketball 3x3 gold medal in the 30th Southeast Asian Games on Monday at the Arena in San Juan City.
Bernardino was unstoppable in the winner-take-all final as she delivered 10 points to help the team, also made up of Jack Animam, Janine Pontejos and Clare Castro, complete the vengeful win over the Thais.
Licking the wounds of their lone 20-22 defeat to the Thais earlier in the day, the Filipinas made sure there will be no heartbreaks in the match that mattered most.
Bernardino thoroughly outplayed her defenders, scoring nine of her 10 points as the Philippines built a 16-6 lead.
The Thais scored five straight points to trim the deficit to 16-11, before Bernardino slashed her way to the basket for a 17-11 advantage with 1:34 to play.
"The Gilas Pilipinas women's 3x3 team makes history again by scoring the first SEA Games medal for the Philippines in women's basketball. Janine Pontejos, Jack Danielle Animam, Clare Castro, and Afril Bernardino captured the imagination of Filipino basketball fans and showed them the talent and heart of our Filipina ballers," said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al S. Panlilio.
"Credit also goes to coach Patrick Aquino, who has invested so much time and effort to develop the women's program."
Malaysia bagged bronze with a 21-7 win over Vietnam.
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