The scoreboard says 90-73. The game, for long stretches, said otherwise.
Gilas Pilipinas Women secured a quarterfinal berth at the Asian Games on Sunday by beating Hong Kong, but the 17-point margin was earned the hard way, not handed over like a souvenir.
The teams were inseparable at 21-21 after one quarter, and Hong Kong remained within six at halftime, 46-40. It was only after the break that Gilas began pulling away, tightening its defense while turning up the tempo and moving the ball with greater purpose.
The payoff was a 44-33 second half.
Stefanie Berberabe led the scoring with 21 points, while captain Afril Bernardino added 17, providing the offensive lift Gilas needed as naturalized player Elizabeth Means was held to eight. Jhazmin Joson chipped in 15 and Camille Malagar 14, giving the Philippines four players in double figures.
It was less about one star than a committee doing its job.
Gilas outrebounded Hong Kong and made more field goals, 3-pointers and free throws, while also scoring more points off turnovers. Hong Kong did have the edge in assists, 19-13, proof that the box score can sometimes hide where the real tug-of-war happened.
The win puts Gilas into the knockout quarterfinals, with the final group game against host Japan on Tuesday still important for group positioning. The Philippines and Japan are in Group B, and the quarterfinal pairings will depend on the final group standings and the combined ranking of the advancing teams. The women’s quarterfinals are scheduled for Sept. 24.
So Japan is not merely the last group-stage hurdle. It is the game that helps determine what kind of hurdle comes next.
Sunday settled the immediate question for Gilas. Tuesday may help shape the bigger one.
