Gilas Women Survive Lebanon Scare to Advance to Quarterfinals, Book Spot in 2026 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers
Gilas Pilipinas Women showed grit and resilience as they held off a late surge from Lebanon, escaping with a 73-70 victory on Wednesday to close out their group stage campaign in the 2025 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup at the Shenzhen Sports Center in China.
The win gave the Philippines a 1-2 record, securing third place in Group B and a berth in the quarterfinals. More importantly, the result guarantees Gilas a Top 6 finish, officially punching their ticket to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament, set for March next year in Germany.
Gilas Pilipinas came out firing early, building a commanding 29-12 lead by the end of the first quarter. But Lebanon slowly clawed back into the game and even took a slim 62-61 lead in the fourth. It was a tense finish, with Jillian Archer of Lebanon trimming the gap to just one, 70-71, with 35 seconds left.
But Naomi Panganiban stepped up under pressure, calmly sinking two clutch free throws with 17 seconds to go to seal the deal. She finished with 15 points, four rebounds, and three assists to lead the Filipinas.
Jack Animam delivered a dominant all-around performance with 14 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and three steals, earning Player of the Match honors. Sumayah Sugapong added 14 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while Vanessa De Jesus chipped in 13 points. Kacey Dela Rosa also came up big, scoring 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a crucial reverse layup that helped steady the team late in the game.
Rookie Kent Pastrana impressed with seven points in just 14 minutes off the bench.
The victory not only advances the Philippines to the quarterfinal round on July 18, where they will face the second seed from Group A, but also ensures their continued place in Division A—a significant achievement ahead of their hosting duties for the 2027 FIBA Women’s Asia Cup.
WATCH: Gilas Pilipinas vs. Lebanon (July 16, 2025) Game Highlights
Statistically, Gilas outperformed Lebanon in key hustle categories. They had the edge in offensive rebounds (21-16), which led to 19 second-chance points compared to Lebanon’s 10. The Filipinas also produced 31 bench points, more than double Lebanon’s 14, and led in steals, 11-6.
Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with the Philippines shooting 4-of-30 (13.3%) and Lebanon at 3-of-20 (15%). Overall, Gilas shot 37.5% from the field (30-of-80), while Lebanon managed 39.7% (23-of-58).
This hard-fought win marks a historic step forward for the Gilas Pilipinas Women, who will now look to build on their momentum as they chase a spot in the semifinals and beyond.
