After using the 44th William Jones Cup as a practice time for Gilas Pilipinas women’s team, they now have named their 12-player lineup for the FIBA Asia Cup.
Jack Aninam and Vanessa De Jesus Leads Gilas Women’s Team
Only 8 players from the Jones Cup roster have been retained for the Asia Cup campaign. If there’s one clear thing after their 1-4 record at the Jones Cup, it’s that both Jack Aninam and Vanessa De Jesus are their 2 main stars of this team.
Credits: Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas – SBP via Facebook
8 players have previously suited up in senior-level FIBA competitions, and half the roster played in the 2024 FIBA Women’s World Cup pre-qualifying tournament in Rwanda.
Leading the way is Vanessa de Jesus, the squad’s main playmaker, who played four seasons with the prestigious Duke Blue Devils before making the move to the University of Notre Dame for the 2025 campaign.
Animan on the other hand averaged 16.6 points and 13 rebounds in the previous Jones Cup.
Kacey Dela Rosa, a two-time UAAP MVP is in the team adding depth in the frontcourt. Part of the team also included UAAP Season 87 Finals MVP and Rookie of the Year, Cielo Pagdulagan.
They are also joined by UAAP Mythical Five alongside MVP runner-up Kent Pastrana of UST, UP’s dynamic scorer Louna Ozar, and Gilas veteran Angel Surada from National University. Yvette Villanueva from the FEU Lady Tamaraws also is in the lineup.
Sumayah Sugapong is coming off an impressive sophomore campaign at the University of California San Diego, where she averaged 14 points per game and started all 36 contests. Her performance earned her a spot on the All-Big West First Team, along with the title of Most Outstanding Player in the Big West Championship.
Joining her is Ella Fajardo, who played a key role for Iona by starting all 32 games and posting an average of 9.3 points per game while also leading the team in assists.
Naomi Panganiban also made waves in her debut season, securing a place on the Mountain West All-Freshman Team after leading all rookies in the conference with 10.3 points per game for San Diego State University.
A Golden Ticket to be in the World Cup and World Cup Qualifiers
Gilas will have a HERtoric opportunity in sight in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.
Taking place in Shenzhen, China which will be played from July 13 to 20, the tournament will offer a coveted berth in the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, along with five tickets to the World Cup Qualifiers.
Head coach Patrick Aquino is determined to guide the national team to its first-ever appearance on the World Cup stage in women’s basketball.
There’s plenty of reason for fans to be optimistic.
Back in the 2023 edition of the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, the Philippines recorded their best finish ever — placing sixth overall.
They were on the brink of a semifinal breakthrough, carrying a one-point edge into the fourth quarter of their quarterfinal clash with New Zealand, only to fall short, 78-83. In the fifth-place game, Gilas Women lost to South Korea, 71-80.
However, Gilas will face a tough challenge right out of the gate as they take on world No. 2 Australia on Sunday, July 13, at 4:30 p.m.
They’ll then battle Japan on Monday at 7:30 p.m., followed by a matchup against Lebanon on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m.
