By REYNALD MAGALLON
SANYA, China — The silver medal in the FIBA Asia Cup, the qualification to the World Cup and the latest, another silver in the Asian Beach Games.
The Gilas Pilipinas women’s 3×3 team felt it finally got the vindication after falling short of the podium in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand last December.
Raring to bounce back from a winless run in the biennial meet where the team finished last in the pool play, Gilas 3×3 head coach Anton Altamirano stressed that the team has been hard at work and it’s beginning to pay dividends in their recent stints.
“To be honest, this is a very parang vindication sa amin. Kasi, I don’t know if you remember the SEA Games last year, we really did badly,” said Altamirano recalling the team’s 0-2 record in that tournament.
“So, matapos yung SEA Games last year, it was our battle cry to really have redemption for the country,” he added.
From there work never stopped for Gilas Women as behind the efforts of Kacey Dela Rosa, Afril Bernardino, Cheska Apag and Mikka Cacho, the Nationals notched their first ever silver medal finish in the Asia Cup.
Save for Apag who were replaced by Reynalyn Ferrer, Bernardino, Cacho, and Dela Rosa also punched their ticket to the World Cup in Poland in June. Cacho and Ferrer then joined hands with top 3×3 player Kaye Pingol and Gabi Bade to deliver another silver in the Beach Games.
“It all started with the Asia Cup, the World Cup Qualifier, and now the Asian Beach Games. So talagang, we’re really blessed with these kinds of opportunities. Maganda yun sa program namin,” said Altamirano.
“We just have to keep going. Sky’s the limit. Some of our players, like Kacey Dela Rosa, did not even join this tournament. So talagang, we have a lot of players. It says a lot about our players na kahit sino na game mo talaga, we’re gonna fight well for our country.”
The Filipinas won’t have much time for rest as after the silver medal finish, they are flying to Chengdu, China for the FIBA 3×3 World Cup series.
