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Tough draw for Gilas PH Women in FIBA Asia Cup

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BUILDING on impressive performances over the past two years, the Gilas Pilipinas Women are bracing for another formidable test in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup 2025, set to take place from July 13 to 20 in Shenzhen, China.

Since their promotion to Division A in 2017, the Filipinas have consistently faced top-tier competition.

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In this year’s tournament, they are drawn into Group B alongside basketball heavyweights Australia and Japan, as well as West Asia’s top team, Lebanon.

The Japanese team, a six-time champion, previously defeated Gilas in lopsided fashion, 96-59, in their their encounter during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

In its group-stage campaign, Gilas will first battle the three-time bronze medalists, the Australia Opals, on July 13, followed by a showdown with Japan on July 14. They will conclude their matches against Lebanon on July 16.

Group A features defending champion and host China, alongside 12-time winners Korea, 2023 semifinalist New Zealand, and Division B champion Indonesia.

Under the mentorship of head coach Patrick Aquino, the Gilas Pilipinas Women recorded their best-ever performance in the Women’s Asia Cup in 2023. They secured a dramatic 92-81 victory over Chinese Taipei to reach the playoffs, eventually claiming a sixth-place finish after a narrow 71-80 loss to South Korea.

The team also broke new ground last year by competing in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Pre-Qualifying Tournament, where they tested their skills against global powerhouses from Europe, the Americas, and Africa.

Highlights of their campaign included a close loss to world No. 8 Brazil and hard-fought matches against Hungary and Senegal.

Coach Aquino expressed pride in his progress on the international stage.

“The keyword was to play together and show how our part of the world can compete with the rest of the world,” Aquino said in a previous interview.

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