AT LAST, the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Basketball Team has finally clinched their first win in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, narrowly edging out Lebanon, 73-70, on Wednesday at the Shenzhen Sports Center in China.
It may have taken several games, but this win came at the perfect moment—securing Gilas a place in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament and preserving their status in Division A of the Asia Cup.
Their hard-fought victory was a tense affair. Despite a strong start, the national team faltered midway, nearly surrendering the game before regrouping just in time to close it out.
Delivering in the Clutch
With Lebanon briefly leading 62-61 in the fourth, Jack Animam sparked a momentum shift with a quick four-point run, giving the Philippines a 67-62 edge with four minutes left.
Lebanese standouts Zena Elias and Maria Ghaleb answered with inside baskets to cut it to 67-66. But Gilas’ young core responded under pressure.
Kacey Dela Rosa of Ateneo powered through for a key layup, followed by two composed free throws from Sumayah Sugapong to restore a 71-66 cushion with just over two minutes to go.
Lebanon kept up the pressure, as Rebecca Aki and Jillian Archer each hit one of two free throws to close the gap to 71-70 with 35 seconds remaining. But Animam’s defensive rebounds proved vital.
Those crucial boards led to a hustle play from Sugapong, diving to save a near-turnover by Vanessa De Jesus. The ball ended up in the hands of Naomi Panganiban, who calmly knocked down two free throws to ice the game.
Panganiban paced five Gilas players in double figures with 15 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Animam followed with a dominant 14-point, 16-rebound double-double, adding five assists and three steals.
Sugapong added 14 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals, while De Jesus, despite foul trouble, finished with 13 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
A Victory Years in the Making
Though the win may seem modest after earlier defeats, it symbolizes the slow but steady progress of a program that’s been building for years—and now, it’s finally showing results.
“I’m just so proud of the girls, just happy for the girls and the federation and the women’s basketball in the Philippines,” Gilas Women head coach Pat Aquino said.
“I think this win represents everything that we’ve been working hard for the past 10 years or so. We’re glad to be competing, and not just staying here in Division A, but we still have to improve more, and we hope we level up again soon,” he added.
With a 1-2 record in Group B, Gilas Women will move on to face the second-placed team from Group A-which includes China, South Korea, New Zealand, and Indonesia-in a play in matchup on Friday.
Meanwhile, the loss dropped Lebanon to the seventh-place classification game against the bottom team of Group A-a precarious position, as the last-place finisher of the tournament will be relegated to Division B in the next FIBA Asia cycle.
