ni MC @Sports | August 20, 2024
Aaksiyon ang Gilas Pilipinas Women sa FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Pre-Qualifying Tournament sa Kigali, Rwanda. Kauna-unahan ito sa women’s national basketball team na sasabak sa labas ng FIBA Asia borders.
Nasa ranked 40th ang Pilipinas, sa women’s division ng FIBA at ka-grupo ang Brazil (8th), Hungary (16th), at Senegal (25th). Nakakuha ang Filipina ballers ng ticket sa Rwanda nang maka-sixth-place finish sa FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2023 sa Australia noong Hunyo.
Heavy underdog ang Gilas women sa torneo bilang may lowest-ranked competitor sa labas ng host Rwanda pero ayon kay coach Patrick Aquino at sa buong team na habang pinag-iibayo nila ang performance mula sa inihandang programa, ibig sabihin positibo sila sa kanilang estado.
“Moving up the rankings means we’ll have to learn how to step outside our comfort zone,” ayon kay Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Executive Director Erika Dy. “Our Women’s Team has shown us they can be competitive in the region but there’s still a lot of work to be done to reach the next level."
Ayon sa FIBA article, dalawang Pinay ballers ang dapat abangan sa hanay ng 8 teams - sina April Bernardino at Jack Animam. "Known for her athleticism and relentlessness to win, Afril is one of the best players I have seen in the country. Her constant will to learn and determination to work harder than anybody else has made her who she is now,” ani Aquino hinggil sa ace players.
Haharapin ng Pilipinas ang Brazil sa August 19 ng 8pm. Kasunod ng showdown kontra Hungary sa August 20 ng 11pm. Paghahandaan din nila sa group stage assignment ang Senegal sa August 22 ng 5pm.
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