Not even the tightest of defenses may cease Afril Bernardino from punching in huge numbers for the Philippines. —PSC PHOTO
How does a staff heal a 3×3 heartache?
Dismantling a powerhouse rival within the full-court model of basketball could be a very good begin.
Afril Bernardino was a lady on a mission, main Gilas Pilipinas to a 97-81 thumping of regional heavyweight Thailand within the thirty first Southeast Asian (SEA) Video games girls’s basketball event on Wednesday at Than Tri Gymnasium in Hanoi, Vietnam.
“I’m simply so glad once more,” mentioned coach Pat Aquino, who dealt with the three×3 squad that acquired knocked off its throne lately. “[The team] actually labored exhausting and competed in the beginning. As I mentioned earlier than, let’s simply proceed what we’re doing. There’s no want for adjustments.”
No want, certainly, particularly when Bernardino drops 20 factors and grabs 16 rebounds.
Stefanie Berberabe and Trina Guytingco every scored 10 factors to present the Nationals all kinds of enhance—from momentum to psychological—heading into the conflict in opposition to the hosts this Thursday at 6 p.m.
The defending champions loved leads of as many as 25 factors, and managed to attract contributions up and down the roster for the second straight time.
The Thais, who settled for silver within the final version of the showcase, pulled inside 27-25 early within the second body.
However Fil-Am rookie Berberabe, Chack Cabinbin, Janine Pontejos, and US-based beginner Gabi Bade drained a triple every to widen that hole to 39-27.
Beating Thailand, which dominated girls’s basketball within the area till it was unseated by the Filipinos in 2019, was an important step towards the Gilas girls retaining their crown. The SEA Video games format is only a single round-robin with the staff having one of the best report taking the gold.
Prepared for Vietnam
However Aquino isn’t wanting that far forward simply but.
“I at all times say let’s take it one recreation at a time,” Aquino mentioned. “We’re going to be prepared [for] Vietnam [on Thursday]. We are going to put together more durable. I do know it’s going to be tough in opposition to the host nation. However we’ll do our best.”
Berberabe, a product of Westmont Faculty within the Nationwide Affiliation of Intercollegiate Athletics, had 10 factors, 5 rebounds, three assists and two steals whereas Katrina Guytingco chipped in 10 factors. Cabinbin, Clare Castro and Bade every had 9 factors.
The Philippines met little resistance within the males’s facet as anticipated, selecting aside Singapore, 88-37, to remain excellent after three outings.
Roger Pogoy starred for the Nationals, delivering a team-high 19 factors and three steals.
Francis Lopez turned in one other efficiency worthy of a spotlight reel. The teenager completed with 18 factors on an ideal 7-for-7 taking pictures from the sphere.
The defending champions are actually priming for a showdown in opposition to the hosts on Thursday.
The Gilas males play Vietnam at 8 p.m., proper after the ladies’s conflict in opposition to the hosts at 6 p.m.
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