Gilas Pilipinas Falls to South Korea in Asian Games
In a disappointing turn of events, the Gilas Pilipinas women’s basketball team has been eliminated from the 19th Asian Games after a tough loss to perennial tormentors, South Korea. The game ended with a score of 93-71 at the Shaoxing Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium on Monday, October 2.
Despite a valiant effort from the Gilas team, they were unable to overcome a slow start which ultimately led to their downfall. This marked the end of the Filipinas’ promising run in the tournament, their first since 1998, after suffering two consecutive losses in the quarterfinals.
Right from the opening frame, Gilas found themselves trailing by double digits, struggling to find an answer to the Koreans’ relentless offense. The Filipino team never had a real opportunity to pose a significant threat as the Koreans consistently exploited the gaps in their defense.
The closest Gilas came to closing the gap was at 54-43 in the third quarter, but their surge was short-lived, as the experienced South Korean opponents quickly regained control with timely scoring. Jisu Park and Lee Seul Kang emerged as a lethal inside-outside duo, each contributing 15 points to lead the South Korean squad’s offensive charge. Jihyun Park and Jihyun Shin also made significant contributions with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
This defeat followed Gilas’ previous loss to Japan, where they were defeated by a staggering 37 points. The team ultimately finished the tournament with an even record of 2-2.
Despite the setback, Khate Castillo stood out for the Filipinas, scoring 18 points solely from three-pointers, while Jack Animam recorded an impressive double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Unfortunately, their standout performances were not enough to prevent Gilas from suffering the same fate against South Korea, who had also defeated them earlier this year in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.
While the loss is undoubtedly disappointing for the Gilas Pilipinas women’s basketball team, their participation in the Asian Games marked a significant milestone in their resurgence on the international stage. The Filipinas can now return home with their heads held high, knowing they gave their all and competed against some of the region’s top teams.
