Gilas women U18 promoted to Division A of Asia Cup
NEWLY-CROWNED Division B champion Gilas Pilipinas women will replace Indonesia in the elite Division A following its cellar finish in the 2024 FIBA Under 18 (U18) Women’s Asia Cup in Shenzhen, China.
Indonesia absorbed a 67-66 overtime defeat against Malaysia in the relegation match of the Division A to make way for Gilas.
Mentored by Julie Amos, Gilas gained the promotion ticket after wiping out the Division B highlighted by a 95-64 win over Lebanon in the finals. Gilas U18 went unbeaten in five games by wide margins to join the senior and U16 teams of the national women’s program led by director Patrick “Pat” Aquino to the Asia’s cream of the crop division.
Starting in the next edition, Gilas will share the court with the continent’s women’s basketball titans led by back-to-back Division A champion Australia.
Australia drubbed China, 96-79, to retain the title as Japan took home the bronze after a 69-54 win over South Korea. Completing the Division A are New Zealand, Chinese Taipei and former Division B winner Malaysia, which finished in order, as they welcome the addition of the Philippines.
Meanwhile despite the defeat to Australia, 7-foot-3 sensation Zhang Ziyu of China marked her Asia Cup stint by winning the Most Valuable Player plum.
Ms. Ziyu, who averaged tournament-best 35.0 points and 12.8 rebounds, was joined by teammate Xu Peilin, Lara Somfai and Saffron Shiels of Australia as well as Kokoro Tanaka of Japan. — John Bryan Ulanday