Gilas women kicks off SEA Games title defense with rout of Indonesia

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Gilas Pilipinas women’s national basketball squad proved to be too much for Indonesia after decimating them in their 2022 Southeast Asian Games opener, 93-77.

Their title defense bid was off to a rousing start as the firepower of the Filipinas put them in a comfortable position early in the game.

Alfril Bernardino led the Gilas onslaught with 16 points, nine rebounds, and four steals and was the one who set the tone for head coach Patrick Aquino.

The savvy veteran continued to dazzle on the international stage and scored in various ways including her signature mid-range jumpers.

“They played so hard. What can I ask for? That’s what we’ve been working for the last couple of months. Hopefully, we can sustain that,” said Aquino.

From the get-go, the Gilas women team immediately pounced on the Indonesians after exposing their loose perimeter defense.

Janine Pontejos joined Bernardino in the scoring party and chipped in 15 huge points and was always trigger-ready from downtown.

Aside from their consistent offensive execution, Gilas’ solid hold on the defensive end paid dividends after registering 18 steals.

A huge portion of the steals was then turned into gold for team PH as the Filipina guards quickly pushed the ball on the break for some easy deuces.

The Gilas women will have one full day of rest before taking on the tough Thailand squad who placed second behind them during the 2019 SEA Games.