Photo from Philippine Sports Commission FB page
HANGZHOU – Welcome to the Asian Games, Gilas women’s team.
The Filipina cagebelles had a rousing triumph in their first-ever game in the history of the quadrennial meet, hacking out an 83-59 rout of Kazakhstan Wednesday night at the Shaoxing Olympic Sports Centre gymnasium.
Janine Pontejos exploded for 21 points, Ana Castillo with 15, and veteran Afril Bernardino added 11 in the rousing win that put the team’s campaign on a blazing start.
Gilas outscored the Kazakhs, 23-9, in the second period behind Pontejos, Jack Animam, Bernardino, and Stefanie Berberabe that had Gilas sitting on a 40-26 lead at the break.
Before the offensive spark, the contest was tied at 17-all after the first quarter.
Gilas women’s return to the court on Friday against Hong Kong, badly beaten earlier by world power Japan, 118-46, in the other Group B match-up.
Other results in the opening of the women’s 5-on-5 competitions were Korea over Thailand, 90-56, and North Korea against Chinese Taipei, 91-77, in a pair of Group C games.
In the 3x3 competition, the Philippine men’s team moved on the verge of completing a sweep of its Pool A assignment after carving out a 21-15 win over Hong Kong at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court.
John Ray Pasaol and Bismarck Lina accounted for more than half of the team’s output in its third straight win in their group.
Lina and Pasaol had seven points each while presiding over a short but telling run that turned the game around in favor of the Filipinos.
Held to a 4-4 standoff, the two sparked four straight points by the Gilas team to take the lead for good at 8-4.
Justin Sanchez and JB Sajonia finished with four and three points, respectively.
Despite already being assured of advancing in the quarterfinal qualifications, Gilas wants nothing but an outright berth in the knockout stage, which it can clinch with a win over Mongolia on Friday for a sweep of the group stage.
“Yun ang gusto namin. Win as many games,” head coach Lester Del Rosario said.
Gilas will take a needed rest on Thursday.
After the Philippines, running second in Group A is Chinese Taipei (2-1), Mongolia (1-1), Jordan (0-2) and Hong Kong (0-2).
The top team in each group will automatically earn a quarterfinal slot, while the next two teams will make it to the qualifications where the four other quarterfinalists will be determined. (PSC-POC Media Group)
