Gilas Women simply had no answer for world No. 7 Canada as they suffered an 85-38 defeat, dropping their record to 0-2 in the FIBA Women’s Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
Canada Dominates From the Opening Tip
Canada immediately took control and never relinquished it, holding the Philippines scoreless for the opening 5:05 of the contest. The Canadians raced to a 23-4 advantage after the first quarter, with their suffocating defense preventing Gilas from establishing any offensive rhythm.
The onslaught continued in the second period as Canada limited the Filipinas to only seven points, taking a commanding 46-11 lead into halftime.
Gilas Women Briefly Find Spark
The Philippines finally found some momentum after the break, putting together its best stretch of the game in the third quarter.
Gilas unleashed an 11-0 run that cut Canada’s lead from 56-18 to 56-29. Jack Animam and Vanessa De Jesus provided the spark during the brief rally, giving the Philippines some much-needed offensive production.
However, Canada quickly regained control and entered the final quarter with a 62-29 cushion. The Canadians then shut the door completely, outscoring Gilas, 23-9, in the final period.
Canada’s lead eventually reached 47 points with just 16 seconds remaining, matching the final margin at 85-38.
Canada Controls the Glass, Forces Turnovers
The numbers reflected Canada’s complete dominance. The Canadians controlled the rebounding battle, 63-26, including 26 offensive boards that generated 21 second-chance points.
Canada also pressured Gilas into 23 turnovers, converting those miscues into 26 points. The Philippines never led throughout the game, while Canada spent 39 minutes and 26 seconds ahead.
Syla Swords led the Canadians with 15 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals, connecting on five of seven attempts from beyond the arc. Jasmine Bascoe added 10 points, four assists, and three steals, while Yvonne Ejim contributed eight points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Olympic Dreams of Gilas Women Get Slimmer
Animam once again served as the Philippines’ primary source of production, finishing with 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists. De Jesus added 9 points and 5 rebounds, although she committed 7 turnovers. Kacey Dela Rosa chipped in 8 points and 5 rebounds.
The defeat dropped Gilas Women to 0-2 in the tournament and placed their advancement hopes in serious jeopardy. They previously blew a 15-point lead in their opening-day loss against host country Mexico.
The Philippines would now hope that Senegal wins its ongoing match against Mexico, while Canada would also need to beat the host country. Gilas Women, meanwhile, must win their final game against Senegal by at least four points to finish among the top two teams in the group and advance further in the tournament.
The Philippines will close the group phase against Senegal on Friday, where they will look to end their campaign on a positive note and keep their slim hopes of advancing alive.
