Gilas Women remained winless in the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament as they lost to Nigeria, 101-84, after a second-half collapse. It is their third loss after blowouts to France and Germany.
Gilas Women Finally Start Strong
The Philippines showed early confidence, trading baskets early with Nigeria in a tightly contested opening quarter.
Gilas Women eventually grabbed momentum late in the period with a 7–0 run, turning a slim deficit into a five-point advantage.
Behind steady outside shooting and improved ball movement, the national team continued to build their lead in the second quarter. Timely baskets from veteran guard Janine Pontejos helped fuel the offense as Gilas stretched the margin to as much as 10 points.
The Philippines entered halftime in control, holding a 51–42 advantage.
Nigeria Turns the Tide After Intermission
Momentum began to shift in the third quarter as D’Tigress intensified its defense and found its rhythm offensively.
Midway through the period, the AfroBasket champions mounted a crucial rally to erase the deficit.
A turnaround jumper from Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah tied the game at 67–67 with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter. Contributions from Ifunanya Okoro and Elizabeth Balogun helped Nigeria take a narrow 70–67 lead entering the final period.
Nigeria then delivered the decisive blow in the fourth quarter: a pivotal 9–0 scoring run that turned a slim 81–80 edge into a comfortable 90–80 cushion. The Nigerians then dominated the closing minutes, outscoring the Philippines 25–12 in the final frame to seal the comeback victory.
Nigeria relied on a balanced attack led by Victoria Macaulay, who finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Murjanatu Musa nearly recorded a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Nicole Enabosi added 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Pastrana’s and Pontejos’ Solid Games Go for Naught
Gilas Women veteran Janine Pontejos had 16 points, including an eight-point scoring burst late in the second quarter that helped Gilas establish its halftime lead.
Kent Pastrana also scored 16 markers, while Stefanie Berberabe delivered a solid all-around effort with 13 points and 9 assists.
This third loss puts Gilas Pilipinas in the fifth spot in Group A, barely ahead of Colombia, which is also winless.
The Philippines will try to salvage their World Cup hopes as they attempt to win their two remaining games: South Korea and Colombia.
