Gilas Pilipinas Ascends to Division A After Dominating FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup Division B Final

SHENZHEN – Gilas Pilipinas has successfully secured its promotion to Division A of the FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup following a commanding 95-64 victory over Lebanon in the Division B final held at Futian Sports Park on Sunday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippines team showcased exceptional three-point shooting throughout the match, which played a pivotal role in their win. The game was closely contested early on, with the score tied at 17 before Ava Fajardo hit a crucial three-pointer at the end of the first quarter, shifting the momentum in favor of Gilas. They then extended their lead significantly in the second quarter, scoring 33 points and restricting Lebanon to just nine, effectively setting the pace for the remainder of the game.

Alyssa Rodriguez was particularly notable, sinking six three-pointers and scoring a total of 22 points. Alicia Villanueva also made significant contributions with 15 points and several assists and steals. Gilas’s victory in the final capped a flawless tournament run, during which they won all four of their games.

With their promotion, Gilas Pilipinas will replace Indonesia in Division A. Indonesia was relegated following a narrow loss to Malaysia in their battle for seventh place. On the Lebanese side, Reem El Ghali stood out with a game-high 31 points and 15 rebounds, despite the loss. This match marked Lebanon’s second defeat to the Philippines in the tournament, having previously lost in the group stages.