Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team coach Patrick Aquino is dead set on successfully defending the women’s basketball gold in the coming Southeast Asian Games.
He is now in the United States looking for at least four players with Filipino heritage to help fill the big hole left by the team’s top center and internationalist Jack Animam.
The 6’5” Animam will miss the 31st SEA Games slated for May in Vietnam as she is still undergoing rehabilitation from the operation on the ACL injury she sustained during a game in the Serbian league.
“She (Animam) can contribute so much. She’s a big factor. We’re just hoping na makabalik na siya,” said Aquino in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas Dos.
Aquino, though, maintained that his main priority is the Asian Games in September in China.
“Defending champion tayo sa SEA Games kaya dapat ding paghandaan, but the goal is to compete at the highest level. First time tayo maglalaro in the history of the Asian Games, dapat maganda ang maipakita natin,” Aquino said.
The multi-titled mentor of the National University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines said he will conduct tryouts in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago for the Under-16 and Under-18 teams.
For the SEA Games’ squad, she already has several prospects, including Gabi Bade, daughter of former Philippine Basketball Association player Chris Bade. Gabi, who played US NCAA Division basketball with the Sacramento State, is coming off a professional stint in Cyprus.
Other prospects include Mylony Henson from University of Washington, former MVP of the US NCAA Division 2 in Stephanie Berberabe, Malia Bambrick from Pepperdine and Leila Phelia from Michigan U.
“I hope I can get more. ‘Yung iba kasi du’n wala pang passport, kaya minamdali namin, sana maihabol,” added Aquino, who has been the national women’s Gilas team mentor since 2015.
Still with the team are homegrown players Afryl Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, Kate Castillo, Gemma Miranda, Andrea Tongco, Ella May Fajardo, Christine Cayabyab, Camille Clarin and center Claire Castro.
The team has started practicing on Thursday at the Aero Center in Quezon City, under assistant coaches Julie Amos, Mon Garcia, Mark Solano, and Paul Du.
“Maganda itong nangyayari sa amin na nakakapaglaro na kami despite the pandemic,” said Aquino, whose squad made the Asian Games cut following a decent finish in the 2021 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup in October last year in Amman, Jordan.