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Friday, March 29, 2024

Perlas PH opens bid vs Singapore

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PERLAS Pilipinas open its SEABA Women’s Championship campaign against Singapore today at 3 p.m. in Malacca, Malaysia.

This is the first tournament Filipina cagebelles will be joining since  making it to the Level 1 of competition of the FIBA Asia Women’s Championship last year.

The team had to make a last-minute change in their line up as Ewon Arayi, the longest-serving national team member, had to be replaced in the line up by Andrea Pontejos. 

The veteran cagebelle was brought to V. Luna Hospital last week after being diagnosed with dengue. She has already recovered and joined the team here, but was not given clearance by the doctor to play. Arayi is an enlisted personnel of the Philippine Navy.

“Kaya ko na nga maglaro, kaso lang ‘yung doctor namin sa Navy ayaw ako bigyan ng clearance. Gusto niyang magpahinga pa ako,” added Arayi.

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On Monday, three other key members of the team joined the 11 players, who left a day earlier.

Head coach Patrick Aquino arrived with Afril Bernardino and Jack Animam, with two of her players from the National University Lady Bulldogs. The three were unable to join the Sunday trip as they finished their game in the UAAP.

Bernardino was a former UAAP Most Valuable Player, while Animam is currently NU’s starting center.

Aquino works as head mentor of NU and Perlas Pilipinas and the integration of training of these two squads had somehow helped the national team’s build up for the tournament.

Also scheduled to play today is host Malaysia, which  battles Indonesia at 5 p.m., while an opening ceremony at 7 p.m. follows.  Malaysia and Vietnam collide in the main game at 8 p.m.  

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