The Philippine netball team hopes to pick up from where it left off as it eyes a modest finish in its next major international campaign next year.
Siklab Pilipinas is looking to repeat its modest finish in the just concluded Asian Netball Championships as it vies in the 2023 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Thailand.
The Filipinas bagged a plate title in the Asian meet after a sweep of Maldives (59-41) and Brunei (40-37) in Group F during the second round of the competitions held at the OCBC Arena in Singapore.
Earlier, they split their games against India (45-41) and Sri Lanka (99-37), relegating them to the group plate.
They later repeated against Brunei in the playoffs (42-38) to finish fifth place overall, a marked improvement since a ninth place finish during the 2018 edition of the tournament.
Sri Lanka beat host Singapore for the title, 63-53.
Their morale and confidence boosted, members of the Siklab team are looking to do well in the AIMAG considering the one-year preparation it will have before the 17 to 26 November meet.
“We will try to improve what we achieved in the Asian netball,” said coach Piao Fedillaga during the online Philippine Sportswriters Association a day after arriving from Singapore.
The session is presented by San Miguel Corporation, MILO, Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee, Amelie Hotel Manila and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.
Siklab will face the same cast of teams in the AIMAG as the top eight finishers in the Asian netball earned a slot in the quadrennial showpiece originally set last March, but was deferred for next year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
