“Au revoir,” said Gilas Pilipinas Women, and they made it ring less like a goodbye and more like a mic drop.
The Filipinas signed off from the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in France with a swaggering 74-59 takedown of the Colombia, bagging their first-ever win over a non-Asian side and doing it with style to spare.
Front and center was Kacey dela Rosa, who owned the paint like prime real estate. She bullied her way to 25 points, secured 18 rebounds, and rejected five shots for good measure. Every Colombian drive came with a warning label. Alongside her, Sumayah Sugapong poured in 21 points, mixing calm control with just enough flair to keep Gilas ticking.
At halftime, though, it felt familiar. Down 33-40, the climb looked steep. Then came a third-quarter plot twist.
Cue Afril Bernardino, the veteran sparkplug who lit the fuse. Gilas turned scrappy, then suffocating, locking Colombia down to just seven points while piling up 18 of their own. Defense bled into offense, hesitation morphed into confidence, and suddenly the Filipinas were dictating terms at 51-47.
Colombia, ranked 19th in the world, simply ran out of answers. Even Jenifer Muñoz, their top scorer, found no breathing room against a defense that chased, bumped, and bothered every touch.
Yes, there were losses to women’s national basketball teams of host France, Germany, Nigeria, and South Korea. But this ending hit different.
Ranked 39th in the world and 7th in Asia, Gilas did not just dodge a winless exit. They kicked the door, looked around, and showed they can win on a bigger stage.
