In the last game of Gilas Pilipinas Women at the 44th William Jones Cup, they still couldn’t end their stint on a winning note as they lost against the WUG CTUSF team yesterday, July 6.
Another Unsustained Hot Start
Despite a promising start, where the Filipinas held a slim 32-30 advantage at halftime, they were unable to maintain their momentum.
Their offense sputtered after the break, as they were outscored 20-11 in the third quarter, allowing the Taiwanese side to seize control with a 50-43 lead entering the fourth. The final period further widened the gap, with WUG CTUSF pouring in 26 points against Gilas’ 14 to seal the loss.
Final Score: 76-57
WUG CTUSF’s Wang Yue Shi led her squad with 14 points, while Huang Qiao Jun added 13 points and five assists, helping the Taiwanese team finish with a 3-2 record and keep their medal hopes alive.
An Awful Shooting Night
The Philippines struggled mightily with shooting efficiency throughout the game, hitting only 30.4 percent from the field. Their two-point shooting was particularly problematic, converting just 14 of 45 attempts (31.1 percent). Meanwhile, their opponents shot efficiently from inside, making 22 of 41 attempts (53.7 percent), which proved to be a crucial difference.
Jack Aninam, the best player of Gilas, was held to only 7 points shooting 3 of 10 from the field. She did grab 11 rebounds and 2 assists but also recorded 2 turnovers.
Here are the other “not so eyepleasing” statline of other Gilas members:
- Vanessa De Jesus – 15 points (5 of 16 FG shooting), 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers
- Naomi Panganiban – 10 points (3 of 11 FG shooting), 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 turnovers
- Yvette Marie Villanueva – 8 points, 3 rebounds and an assists
- Ella Fajardo – 8 points (3 of 15 FG shooting), 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 turnovers
- Louna Ozar – 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 turnovers
- Ana Alicia Castillo – 3 points, a rebound and an assist
This marked the Philippines’ lowest finish at the Jones Cup since 2023, also ending with a 1-4 record. After an initial win over Thailand, Gilas dropped three straight games to close out their stint in the six-team tournament.
Up Next: FIBA Asia Cup
They are now preparing for a tougher competition in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup on July 13 to 20 to be played at Shenzhen, China.
The Philippines is in Group B and will play Japan, Australia and Lebanon in the elimination round.
