Facing tall odds in Olympic qualifier, Gilas women out to protect top-flight status
Jack Animam (No. 75) will anchor the squad that may compete in Sydney. —DENISON REY A. DALUPANG
Simply earlier than dismissing his fees, Gilas Pilipinas ladies’s head coach Patrick Aquino referred to as for a huddle.
It wasn’t the standard sort the place he heaps praises on a participant after which affords factors of enchancment for an additional. On this one, on a scorching steamy Monday afternoon at Aero Heart basketball fitness center in Quezon Metropolis, he reached for reminders.
“I used to be telling them how exhausting it was going out of a sure stage,” he informed the Inquirer.
“We don’t wish to be in that state of affairs once more the place we needed to begin from [Division B] once more. It was so exhausting getting as much as [this level]. You needed to undergo so many video games and be on the prime of a division after which combat out once more to [stay there].”
Gilas Pilipinas is ready to play in Division A of the Fiba (Worldwide Basketball Federation) Girls’s Asia Cup subsequent month in Sydney, Australia, the place it battles the continent’s best groups for one of many 4 spots within the Paris Olympic Video games.
But when the crew’s current outing within the Southeast Asian Video games in Cambodia was some kind of a sign, the Philippines might be dealing with tall odds within the event which will get going June 26.
Perilous route
Gilas’ lone loss within the biennial meet was in opposition to eventual champion Indonesia, which doesn’t even play in Fiba’s prime division.
Making the Philippines’ group part route much more perilous is a litter of heavyweights: Six-time winner and defending champion Japan, a perennial podium finisher Chinese language-Taipei and international energy Australia.
“I requested them to recollect the occasions after we fought exhausting [to get to Division A] as a result of that’s the one angle we’ll want. ‘To get higher. Get even higher.” Aquino mentioned, referring to the Philippines’ top-flight standing it earned eight years in the past.
Gilas has to play to indicate that it belongs, in accordance with the concurrent program director. Particularly now with second-tier groups now turning into even higher.
“We’ve been there for such a very long time already and I feel we now have to be on the identical stage because the groups competing there. We have to be up there,” Aquino mentioned.
“I don’t need us getting blended up with Indonesia and all these different groups. Like Jordan, which has a WNBA participant. Kazakhstan, which has all the time been tall. Malaysia which has all the time been [lurking]. Then there’s additionally Thailand raring to come back again.”
Twice-a-day periods
The Gilas mind belief plans to make use of the identical roster it utilized in Phnom Penh, but it surely intends to make some tweaks to accommodate Duke starter Vanessa de Jesus, who lately grew to become eligible to function a naturalized participant.
Additionally set to banner the squad is Jack Danielle Animam, who informed the Inquirer she is dedicated to taking part in for Gilas till the Asian Video games in China this September earlier than getting again on her quest to crack the WNBA.
Gilas will proceed coaching and sprucing its recreation at Aero earlier than cranking issues up with twice-a-day periods till they fly out for Sydney.
“All of the issues we must do in Cambodia, we have to do much more 1685062616,” mentioned Aquino.
“We aren’t going there to simply hold round and attempt to win, hopefully, within the final recreation,” he added. “We have to be ready.”
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