Gilas Women Finish 6th in 2025 FIBA Asia Cup After Tough Loss to New Zealand
Gilas Pilipinas Women mounted a spirited comeback but ran out of steam in the final minutes, falling to New Zealand, 71-78, to wrap up their 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup campaign on Saturday at the Shenzhen Sports Center in China.
The Filipinas trailed by as many as 16 points early in the second quarter, 15-31, but turned the game around with a red-hot shooting stretch from beyond the arc. They managed to erase the deficit and even took a 68-65 lead midway through the fourth quarter. However, a late 17-5 run by the Tall Ferns sealed the deal, denying the Philippines its best finish since joining Division A in 2015.
Despite the loss, Gilas secured a sixth-place finish, matching their output from the 2023 edition in Australia and maintaining their place in Division A. The result also guaranteed their participation in the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament, a major milestone for the program.
Key Performances:
- Vanessa de Jesus led Gilas with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists.
- Khate Castillo sparked the second-half rally with 14 points, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.
- Sumayah Sugapong and Naomi Panganiban added 11 points each, while Jack Animam filled the stat sheet with 9 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks.
Gilas had their moments of brilliance, especially during a stretch where Sugapong buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 53-all. Castillo and Panganiban followed with timely buckets that gave the Philippines a 66-61 edge in the final quarter.
But New Zealand, anchored by Esra McGoldrick (17 PTS, 7 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK, 1 STL) and Emilia Shearer (16 PTS, 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK), capitalized on their size and rebounding edge to regain control in crunch time. A foul-out by Sugapong during Gilas’ final push further dampened the Filipinas’ comeback hopes.
Team Stats:
- Philippines shot 35.2% from the field and 38.5% from three, compared to New Zealand’s 37.8% overall shooting and 19.2% from deep.
- The Tall Ferns dominated the glass, out-rebounding Gilas 66-35, including a staggering 31 offensive rebounds.
- New Zealand also led in second-chance points (30-8) and points in the paint (52-24).
- Gilas, however, had more steals (11-5), blocks (12-9), and forced 18 New Zealand turnovers while committing just 10.
WATCH: Gilas Pilipinas vs. New Zealand (July 19, 2025) Game Highlights
Gilas Pilipinas Women’s Journey:
The Philippines finished the group stage with a 1-2 record, absorbing heavy losses to Australia (115-39) and Japan (85-82) before defeating Lebanon (73-70) to avoid relegation. They then bowed to South Korea (104-71) in the qualification game for the semifinals.
Though they missed a chance at a breakthrough finish, Gilas Pilipinas Women showed heart and improvement throughout the tournament. With their campaign now complete, the focus shifts to the 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and preparations for the country’s hosting of the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.
