Under the stewardship of coach Patrick Aquino, the Philippine women’s basketball team, also known as Gilas Women, is slowly making big-time progress in its global ranking.
Since handling the team in 2015, Aquino has steered the Filipina cagers to Group A and just recently, the team reached another first after climbing to no. 37 in the updated FIBA World Rankings.
The team’s improvement from its erstwhile no. 42 standing came after their 6th-place finish in the 2023 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, where they beat higher-ranked Chinese Taipei, 92-81, their only win in five games.
It was enough to retain a slot in Group A until 2025 and remain at no. 7 in Asia/Oceania.
Leading Asian countries are the world. no. 2 China, Australia (3rd), Japan (9th) and Korea (13th) and Chinese Taipei (33rd).
Except for Australia and New Zealand, all the aforementioned countries will see action in the 19th Asian Games, with the Philippines going up against Japan in the group phase.
The women’s squad shared practice sessions with the Gilas Pilipinas men’s squad on Thursday, with Aquino saying he will bring all his acquired knowledge from Gilas coach Tim Cone to China where the Filipinas will make their Asian Games’ debut.
Aquino said his top center, Jack Animam, who has been in China after being tapped as an import in the China Women’s Basketball Association, will join the team’s practice upon arrival a few days before their first game on Sept. 27 against Kazakhstan.
“Naghihintay na siya doon para makapag-ensayo with the team,” said Aquino.
The PH women’s squad is grouped in Pool B together with Kazakhstan, Hong Kong, and Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Japan. The top team per group will advance to the quarterfinals, while the second and third-placed teams per group will proceed to qualification for the quarterfinals.
The Gilas Women are coming fresh from a string of practice games against commercial teams from Korea and Japan at the Women’s Korea Basketball League.
Aquino said their initial goal is to reach the second round and “go from there.”