Gilas Women to Face Undefeated Mongolia in 3x3 Asia Cup Quarterfinals

Gilas Pilipinas Women are set to advance to the quarterfinals of the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup as the second seed in Pool D, where they will face undefeated Mongolia on Sunday at 3:20 p.m. at OCBC Square in Singapore.

The Philippine team finished pool play with a 1-1 record, starting the tournament with a solid 19-11 win over Tonga, but falling short against defending champions Australia, 21-10, in their second game on Saturday.

Earlier that day, Gilas dominated Tonga with Kacey Dela Rosa leading the way with eight points, supported by Afril Bernardino’s six.

Australia, on the other hand, easily dispatched Tonga 21-3, showcasing their powerful performance ahead of their quarterfinal clash with New Zealand at 1:55 p.m.

Against Australia, Gilas struggled to cope with their opponents' height advantage. The Australian team had an average height of 186.25 cm, compared to Dela Rosa, the tallest Filipino player, who stands at 183 cm.

Australia quickly built a 12-7 lead midway through the game, then extended it to 16-8 after Amy Atwell’s clutch two-pointer. Lara McSpadden pushed the Australians to match point with a key basket, while former WNBA player Emma Clarke sealed the win at 21-10 with 1:24 left.

McSpadden finished with eight points and six rebounds, while Clarke contributed seven points and six boards. For the Philippines, Dela Rosa and Bernardino each scored four points, although Dela Rosa was unable to grab any rebounds in the game.

Photo Credits to FIBA