The men’s and women’s Gilas teams in 3×3 basketball at the 20th Asian Games are off to a fantastic start as both squads raced out to back‑to‑back wins at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Arena in Nagoya, Japan. With a 2‑0 ledger, both the men’s and women’s teams sit atop their respective groupings—Group A for the former and Group C for the latter.
Gilas Men Stun Mongolia, Whip Sri Lanka
The men’s squad jumped to action first, and they made their debut a memorable one, stunning perennial 3×3 powerhouse Mongolia, 19‑12, on Monday. Nic Cabañero led the way with 7 points as the Philippines got off to a rousing start. Gilas Men followed it up with a 21‑12 whipping of Sri Lanka to finish the day with back‑to‑back wins and the top slate in Group A.
Gilas Women Shock Mongolia, Blast Macau
The women’s side weren’t to be outdone as they got their own campaign off to an equally fiery start with a 17‑12 upset of Mongolia on Tuesday. Kacey Dela Rosa shook off a right ankle injury to lead the Filipinas’ attack with 10 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block. Kennan Ka added 3 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Gilas Women finished off their terrific Tuesday showing with a 21‑4 dismantling of Macau to take the top spot in Group C.
What This All Means
The two teams’ 2‑0 starts are huge because these put both Gilas sides on the doorstep of direct quarterfinals qualification. Crucially, they are primed to take the top spot in their respective groups if they can win their final assignments—vs. Kazakhstan for the men’s team and against Malaysia for the women’s squad. Even better, these two games are highly winnable, so long as each team maintains its current form.
Best‑case scenario, both Gilas sides win their group, secure outright qualification to the quarterfinals, and avoid the top squads of the other groups until the finals. The hope now is for both Philippine squads to continue flashing the same fiery form they showed to get their respective campaigns off and running.
