FATE does have its own way.
Gilas Pilipinas Women, now under Burke ‘BT’ Toews, ended up being grouped with host Japan in the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya.
The Filipina cagebelles and the Japanese, a two-time gold medal winner in the quadrennial meet, were bracketed in Group B together with Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.
READ Gilas, China set for early Asiad clash as they meet in Group C
Of course, Japan is close to Toews’ heart.
The 60-year-old Canadian, who took over the women’s program from multi-titled coach Patrick Aquino, has had an extensive coaching stint in the Land of the Rising Sun dating back to the late 1990s.
Toews eventually won back-to-back championships in the Women’s Japan B. League in 2023 and 2024, before accepting the head-coaching job with the women’s Gilas team.
The showdown with Japan - ranked third in Asia Oceania and 10th in the world - will be on Sept. 22 during the final playdate of the group stage.
The Filipina cagebelles open their campaign on Sept. 17 against Kazakhstan, then play Hong Kong on the 20th before battling the host country two days after.
The Philippine team left on Monday for a Las Vegas training camp as it prepares for the FIBA Women’s Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament.
The Gilas Women finished fifth during the 2023 edition of the meet in Hangzhou, China, marking its return to the Asiad since last competing in the showcase during the 1998 Bangkok edition.
Japan finished runner-up to China in the previous staging of the Asiad, losing in the gold-medal match by the skin of its teeth, 74-72.
The defending champion found itself in Group A along with Southeast Asian countries Indonesia and Thailand.
Meanwhile, Group C features South Korea, Chinese Taipei, Mongolia, and Malaysia.
Japan has been a perennial contender for the gold. China leads the way with seven gold medals won, including back-to-back in 2018 (Bangkok) and 2023 (Hangzhou).
South Korea is a four-time winner, while Japan is the only other country to win the gold which it achieved during the inaugural Games in Tehran in 1974 and the last time in Bangkok in 1998.
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