Gilas Pilipinas Women hurdled one of their two biggest tests in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games’ 3×3 basketball tournament on Sunday at Morodok Techo National Stadium, Elephant Hall 2 in Cambodia.
The Filipino quartet of Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, and Mikka Cacho outlasted the hosts, 21-20 (9:55.9), to advance to the Final against Vietnam later in the day.
Bernardino capped her masterful eight-point performance by zipping through the lane and scoring the final-clinching point with 4.1 seconds to spare.
Cambodia, along with Vietnam, was seen as one of the favorites to win the two-day meet as it fielded an all-naturalized crew.
Unlike their men’s team that had one local, Cambodia decided to field an all-naturalized crew composed of 5-foot-7 University of Southern Mississippi product Brittany Dinkins, 5-foot-9 University of Tennessee big Meighan Simmons, 6-foot-1 Washington State bruiser Mariah Cooks, and 5-foot-8 Stony Brooks alum Kim Hanlon.
All four will be part of Cambodia’s 5-on-5 team as well along with Cambodian-American players Jasmine Kong, Sima Suon, and Izzy Om.
Gilas Women will face Cambodia on May 10 in the cup-style tournament.
For the meantime, the Filipinas will now focus on stopping Vietnam’s Truong twins in their quest of regaining gold.
Vietnam defeated the Philippines in the pool phase, 21-19 OT.
