Gilas Women Make History with Silver at FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup

Gilas Pilipinas Women made history on Sunday, securing the silver medal at the 2026 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup with an impressive and hard-fought run.

The Filipino squad—comprising Kacey Dela Rosa, Afril Bernardino, Mikka Cacho, and Cheska Apag—under the guidance of coaches Anton Altamirano and Paolo Layug, fell 9–18 to the defending champions, Australia Gangurrus, at OCBC Square in Kallang. Despite the defeat, the silver medal marks the Philippines' best-ever finish in the tournament's history.

Australia, claiming their sixth title and fourth consecutive win, surged to a quick 6–0 lead. Dela Rosa put the Philippines on the scoreboard with a basket at 6:33 remaining, and Bernardino followed with three consecutive points to close the gap to 7–12. However, Kristy Wallace and Amy Atwell extended Australia’s advantage, leaving Gilas Women unable to complete a comeback.

Reaching the final not only secured the silver for the Philippines but also guaranteed their spot in the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2027, alongside Australia, China, and Japan, after all four teams advanced to the semifinals.

Gilas Women’s journey to the podium was a true Cinderella story. After finishing the group stage with a 1–1 record—beating Tonga 19–10 but losing to Australia 21–10—the team shocked world No. 11 Mongolia, 15–12, in the quarterfinals. They followed that up with a thrilling 21–19 (9:13.6) win over 12th-ranked Japan, earning their place in the final.

Looking ahead, Gilas Women will return to Singapore on April 11–12 for the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2026 qualifiers. Drawn into Pool B with hosts Singapore and Brazil, they will face stiff competition, with only the top three teams advancing to the World Cup in Warsaw, Poland, set for June 1–7.

Photo Credits to FIBA