Gilas Pilipinas U18 women are continuing to break the glass ceiling, although Asia’s basketball elite clearly had no intention of making it easy.
For three games at the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup in Seremban, Malaysia, Gilas ladies got the full Division A experience. First came the defending champions. Then came another Asian heavyweight. Finally, came the breakthrough.
The ending was worth the bruises.
The Philippines stunned New Zealand, 69-64, Tuesday at Karisma Arena, overcoming a nine-point halftime deficit with an 18-4 third-quarter avalanche before showing the poise to close out the game.
It was the country’s first-ever Division A victory, and it came after two defeats that could have easily dented confidence.
Australia, the defending champion, provided a rather emphatic introduction on Oct. 4, rolling past the Filipinas, 102-47. Tiffany Reyes and Zaydhen Rosano led the Philippines with 10 points apiece, but the 55-point margin underlined just how steep the climb had become.
Division A, it turned out, was not exactly handing out welcome baskets.
South Korea was next. Gilas U18 girls fought from the opening tip but could not survive Korea’s second-quarter surge, falling 86-70 on Oct. 5. Reyes again led the Philippines, but another loss left the team staring at an uncomfortable 0-2 record.
Then came New Zealand.
Down nine at halftime, the Filipinas suddenly found belief. The 18-4 third-quarter turnaround erased the deficit and, more importantly, changed the mood.
With the game hanging by a thread, Rhiane Perez supplied the biggest play, driving for a go-ahead layup off a foul to put the Philippines ahead, 65-64, with 49.8 seconds left.
The finish belonged to defense and nerve. Zaydhen Rosano and Grace Curley made crucial stops, then delivered pressure free throws in the final 24 seconds to keep New Zealand at bay.
Gilas finished third in Group A at 1-2 and advanced to Thursday’s Qualification to Semi-Finals, where they face the No. 2 team from Group B, either China or Japan.
The glass ceiling has not exactly disappeared. But that is the beauty of breaking barriers. You do not have to demolish the whole ceiling in one afternoon.
Sometimes, one victory is enough to prove there is a crack.
And now the Filipinas know exactly where to hit it.
