The buildup for its first ever Asian Games participation continues for the Gilas Pilipinas women’s basketball team as the Filipinas test Korean club team Hana 1Q Sunday in the Park Shin-Ja Cup, an invitational tournament organized by Women’s Korean Basketball League in Cheongju, South Korea.
Gilas women’s arrived on Friday and immediately plunged into action against BNK Sum in a game that is still being played as of press time.
The Filipinas return to the hardcourt against Hana 1Q at 2 p.m. (1 p.m. in Manila) as coach Patrick Aquino and his troops try to figure out the team that he is planning to send for the upcoming Asiad, which will happen in Hangzhou, China from 23 September to 8 October.
Mainstays Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos will once again lead the charge for the Filipinas, who will also bring back Fil-Am dead shot Gabi Bade and naturalized player Malia Bambrick, one of the key players of Long Beach State, a US NCAA Division 1 school.
Also returning are Chak Cabinbin, Trina Guytingco and Stephanie Berberabe.
Hana 1Q, a team from Bucheon, is a four-time champion in the WKBL, and is currently bannered by Mi-Yeon Kim, Chae Eun-Lee and FIBA Asia Cup campaigner In-Young Yang.
Yang is a 6-foot-1 center who played for the Korean women’s national team several times.
But for Aquino, the tournament could also be a good test at how Bambrick, a six-foot guard capable of guarding bigger players, can get her rhythm and conditioning back.
