KUALA LUMPUR – The Philippines will have to overcome the ‘Great Wall’ if it wishes to go deeper into the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup 2025.
Coach Julie Amos & Co. will have to use the next 24 hours to prepare the best that they can as the Gilas Girls will meet China in the Qualification to Semi-Finals on Friday, September 26, at the Karisma Arena here.
The clash was forged after Team Dragon sealed the no. 2 spot in Group B with a 2-1 record following a massive 93-27 rout of Syria on Wednesday night.
Champions of the biennial tilt thrice, the Chinese will be taking on the third-placers of Group A — a spot which the Southeast Asian crew clinched following a dramatic 77-75 win over Korea earlier in the day, thanks to Tiffany Reyes.
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Reyes beat the buzzer with a sweet jumper off a fake to not only cap off a solid 16-point performance, but also give the country its first win in Division A.
But the team may have to leave that behind and focus on Friday’s big game, as they will be taking on a team that’s been aching to get over the hump.
Since salvaging a bronze in the 2017 competitions, China hasn’t taken home another medal, finishing just sixth in the previous edition two years ago.
Needless to say, the squad of Coach Li Jianxin would want to arrest that drought this year, especially now that they’ve gotten their groove back with that win over Syria after bowing to many-time silver winners Japan on Tuesday.
China is coming in with the mental edge over the Philippines, having won both of their past meetings. First was a 129-36 rout during the 2009 inaugurals — which it eventually ruled — and then a 144-29 crushing two years later.
Still, it should not be enough reason for the present batch to feel complacent, as it will be taking on a team that surely knows how to flip the script.
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For starters, the Philippines lost in its previous meeting versus Korea — an 86-44 result during the 2011 tournament, which the latter would go on to conquer.
But 14 years later, albeit a lengthy wait, it finally evened things up with their East Asian counterparts. And the Filipinas will definitely be hoping to pull off another upset.
The winner between China and the Philippines will make it to the Semi-Finals and qualify for the FIBA U17 Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026.
