WIN or be relegated.
Gilas Pilipinas Women fight for its dear life in Division A of the 2021 Fiba Women's Asia Cup.
Facing a taller India team, the Filipinas will have to put everything on the line on Friday as they wrap up their assignments at Prince Hamza Hall in Amman.
"We have to win. That's the main point. I think the target is to stay in Level I," said coach Pat Aquino on the heels of the Philippines' 93-52 defeat at the hands of Chinese Taipei on Thursday.
"I know it's really hard, tough games previously, but we feel that we can play our very best against India and I think with the experience the girls have already after three games, they know that they have to adjust and probably to do little things more to win the game tomorrow."
Gilas Women try to avoid winless stint
The team has not had a consistent performance, finishing with a 0-3 record in Group B.
There's no better time for the team led by Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, and Clare Castro to deliver a performance to remember against world No. 70 India.
The Philippines beat India, 92-78, also in a battle for seventh place in 2019. The loser of this match will slip to Division B.
Aquino noted that the task will be a lot harder this time with the lack of ceiling for the Filipinas.
"This will be very tough. I think India brought some tall players this time, and I brought some small players this time also. So it's gonna be very tough," he said, highlighting the need to stop India's main weapons Pushpa Senthil Kumar and Navaneetha Pattemane Udayakumar.
"It's a matter of execution and adjustment on the game tomorrow. I think the players that we brought in have already experienced how to play here and maybe they'll bring their A game tomorrow. I just hope we'll be competitive."
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