
MANILA – Gilas Pilipinas Women made history on Sunday, capturing a silver medal in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup after a 9-18 defeat against defending champions Australia in Singapore.
Australia dominated early with a 6-0 run, forcing the Filipinas to play catch-up. Kacey dela Rosa, a two-time UAAP MVP, scored back-to-back points to narrow the gap, but the Australians held firm to claim the title.
The silver medal represents a landmark achievement for the Philippines, marking their first podium finish and first finals appearance in the tournament’s history.
The Filipinas reached the final after a nail-biting 21-19 semifinal win over Japan and a 15-12 quarterfinal upset against Mongolia.
On the men’s side, Gilas Pilipinas bowed out in the quarterfinals following an 18-15 loss to South Korea.
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