Sweeping the qualifiers, Gilas Pilipinas Women’s 3×3 got a first taste of what the next level is like, Friday afternoon in Changsha, China.
Third-seed Japan was so disciplined on both ends, handing the Philippines a 20-8 loss to open play in Pool C of the 2019 FIBA 3X3 Asia Cup.
Just how disciplined were the Japanese?
For starters, Japan only committed one foul in the 10-minute affair compared to nine for the Filipinas.
The Japanese locked down both the paint and the perimeter to stifle the Filipinas while their crisp ball movement helped erect a 6-0 lead in the early-goings.
Mio Shinozaki scored three of her eight points in the first three minutes of the game.
Gilas Women’s only got their first points with 6:28 left after a basket by Jack Animam.
Clare Castro and Janine Pontejos tried to rally the Philippines back but Risa Nishioka had a party in the paint to extend Japan’s lead to 10 points, 15-5.
Though Afril Bernardino and Animam fought back, Nishioka was just too powerful, scoring Japan’s last three points to seal the win.
Pontejos had three points while Bernardino and Animam chipped in two markers each.
Shinozaki and Nishioka had eight and seven markers, respectively.
The Philippines will figure in a win-or-go-home game against Sri Lanka at 5:40 pm. Only two teams from Pool C will advance to the knockout playoffs on Saturday.
The Scores:
Philippines 8 – Pontejos 3, Bernardino 2, Animam 2, Castro 1.
Japan 20 – Shinozaki 8, Nishioka 7, Iju 4, Miyashita 1.
