The Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Team showed their #WeBelong mantra in the 44th William Jones Cup as they picked up their first win yesterday, July 3, against Thailand.
Jack Aninam and Vanessa de Jesus Led Gilas to the 1st Win
Another blowout happened at the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, but this time, it was the Philippines who were on the positive side of things.
The game was close in the first half, with both teams tied at 40-all. But the tide turned decisively in the third quarter, where Gilas outscored Thailand 26-12, thanks to an explosive 22-9 run led by De Jesus, Animam, Ella Fajardo, and Louna Ozar. The rally transformed the deadlock into a commanding 62-49 lead entering the fourth.
Thailand attempted a brief fightback in the final frame, trimming the gap to 69-56. However, back-to-back baskets inside from Animam and De Jesus widened the lead again, staving off any comeback and securing the win. The Philippine side continued to apply pressure and closed out the game strongly.
Final Score: 83-66
Thailand, which went down with a record 0-2, was led by Supavadee Kunchan with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Rattiyakorn Udomsuk also contributed with 13 points, seven boards, and a couple of steals.
For Gilas, Jack Animan proved to everyone why she is the #1 scoring option. She tallied 23 points while shooting 11-19 from the field, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.
While Vanessa de Jesus bounced back from a horrible 1st game as she recorded 23 points, 3-out-7 from beyond the arc, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal.
Here are other Gilas players who contributed to the win:
- Sumayah Sugapong (Off the Bench) – 23 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal
- Louna Ozar – 8 points, 4 rebounds, an assist, and a steal
- Ella Fajardo – 7 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and a steal
- Naomi Natalie – 6 points, a rebound, 3 assists, and a steal
- Katrina Guytingco – 3 points, 3 rebounds, and a steal
- Margarette Dueñas – 2 points and a rebound
An Evenly Matched Statline
Despite winning with a huge margin, the team comparisons are actually close.
Both teams tied in the rebounding category at 49 all, Thailand winning the offensive boards 20-18 while the Philippines winning the defensive rebounds at 31-29. The assists were in favor of Thailand at 14-13, and the steals were won by Gilas 8-6.
Even the 3-point shooting is the same, with both squads knocking down 6 of them.
But the blocks were heavily favored for Thailand with 4-0.
All Going for 2 Wins
Up next, Gilas Pilipinas is set to face the 1-1 South Korea later at 2:00 PM with both teams seeking a record of 2-1.
