Gilas Women hires Canadian tactician as new head coach

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

It’s a new era for the Gilas Pilipinas Women’s National Basketball Team once they kick off their upcoming international tournament calendar.

In an official statement released by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Canadian mentor Burke “BT” Toews will take over the head coaching duties for Gilas Women, the federation confirmed on May 20, 2026.

Boasting a long list of achievements on his résumé, Toews will replace coach Patrick Aquino, who served as the national team’s think tank since 2015.

It was a series of “what ifs” for Gilas after a disappointing campaign in the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, where they finished with a 1-4 win-loss record to end up in fifth place.

With the dismal outing, Gilas failed to advance to the final phase of the World Cup qualifiers and missed a chance to clinch its first-ever seat in the FIBA-sanctioned tournament.

Now under the guidance of Toews, Gilas will head in another direction and look to retool the team’s structure, system, and approach to the game.

Toews will handle a talented pool led by collegiate superstar Kacey Dela Rosa, Ilongga Karl Ann Pingol, Louna Ozar, Angelica Surada, Afril Bernardino, and Janine Pontejos.

Before accepting the job in the Philippines, Toews became a household name in the international basketball scene after imparting his knowledge in the Japan Basketball League.

Toews handled the Fujitsu Red Wave, helping the franchise clinch back-to-back Japan B. League championship titles from 2023 to 2025.

The Canadian also was part of the coaching staff of the University of Winnipeg, Canadian Academy High School, and two other Japan B. League teams.

“The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) announces the hiring of Burke ‘BT’ Toews as the head coach of Gilas Pilipinas Women,” SBP wrote in a statement.

“After months of searching across continents and with more than a dozen applicants, the SBP selected a Canadian coach based in Japan to lead the squad, which currently ranks 30th in the world according to FIBA.”