IT is out of the question to expect the Philippine women’s team to duplicate what the men’s team recently accomplished in the Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan.
The PH men’s team emerged champion with a perfect 8-0 record, practically all by big margins except against runner-up South Korea, the only team to give a semblance of a battle against the Filipinos.
Led by PBA ex-imports Renaldo Balkman and Eugene Phelps who made it to the tournament’s Mythical Five, it was an impressive performance by Mighty Sports which represented the country in the nine-team tournament. However some questioned the fact that outside of Joseph Yeo and Gab Banal, the rest of the team was made up of pure imports and Fil-Ams.
But then this is an open type of competition and any commercial club or country can send whatever team it wants to represent either the sponsoring company or the country or even both. So, it does not bother me at all that Mighty Sports delivered the goods using mostly “imported” talents, nothing wrong with that at all.
Now it is the women’s turn to compete. But this time, it is our national team that will be playing and definitely it will be a good test and preparation for the squad.
And much as I wanted to go there on my own expense to watch, work here precluded me from doing it but I will definitely follow the games on live stream or delayed basis online.
This is a good team, the core of which has been together for quite some time but now reinforced by four Fil-Am players, all with good credentials and height that makes the team one of the tallest on the average to be formed. Three arrived earlier — Kelly Hayes, Arnecia Hawkins and Elisha Bade while Meily Bautista proceeded straight to Taipei where the tournament is slated for July 24 to 28.
I was able to talk to head coach Pat Aquino before they left and he said the three Fil-Ams were doing fine and adjusted well to his system but are still trying to adjust to their new teammates.
The locals are made up of veterans Afril Bernardino, Jack Animam, Clare Castro, Gemma Miranda, Janine Pontejos, Chack Cabinbin, comebacking Danica Jose and newcomer Camille Claro.
Pat picked them from his training pool and the players’ performance in the Jones Cup will determine who will be retained or changed for the FIBA Asia Cup in India on September and the forthcoming 30th Southeast Asian Games right here in Manila where Pat and his girls are itching for the country’s first ever gold medal in women’s basketball.
As I said, I do not expect this team to do what their male counterparts did earlier. According to Pat, he is after the international experience the players will get playing tough commercial teams there in the Jones Cup, at the same time that it will give him the opportunity to identify his team’s strengths and weaknesses and work on them for the next two tournaments.
The Asia Cup is part of the qualifying series for the 2020 Olympics, another big, big dream for Filipina players but sorry, not with the likes of the Chinese, Japanese and Korean teams there.
Going back to the Jones Cup, first game for the PH women’s team in the five-team field is against New Zealand, the result of which should be known by the time you are reading this, then against Japan, South Korea, Chinese Taipei Team A and Chinese Taipei Team B in that order. And I believe all the games will be uphill for the team but I am not discounting a victory or two for Pat.
And if you think the opposition here is tough, look at our girls’ games in the FIBA Asia Cup. They will be playing against Australia, China and New Zealand in their bracket, but then if you want to become a tough team, no choice but to play tougher teams. And this is exactly the path for Gilas Pilipinas on the distaff side.
Good luck girls.