Pastrana confident of new-look Gilas Women

In her first tour of duty with the national team, Kent Pastrana hopes the young Gilas Pilipinas Women make history in the FIBA Asia Cup

MANILA, Philippines –Tapped to lead the youthful Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team, Kent Pastrana remains optimistic ahead of crucial tournaments next month. 

Pastrana, a three-time UAAP Mythical Team member and the face of the UST Growling Tigresses program, said the new-look national women’s basketball team aims to be competitive despite the absence of Gilas veterans Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, Andrea Tongco, and Chack Cabinbin. 

“We have a big opportunity as one of the young [players] in the team,” said Pastrana as the new Gilas Women core gear up for the William Jones Cup and the all-important FIBA Asia Cup this July.

“We believe we can contribute well for Gilas, even if we are still young and inexperienced,” Pastrana said in Filipino, during the FIBA Asia Cup trophy tour stop at the UST Arch of the Centuries on June 18. 

In the Asia Cup, Gilas has struggled to come out on the lower end of Division A, only finishing as high as sixth place in 2023. In the three iterations prior, Gilas ended up seventh, narrowly missing out on relegation to Division B. 

In this year’s edition, slated from July 13 to 20, the top six teams of the eight-team tournament will punch a ticket to the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup — a tournament where the Philippines has never qualified. 

Aside from Pastrana, the national team will also lean on the youthful nucleus of 19-year-old Sumayah Sugapong of the University of Arizona, Naomi Panganiban of San Diego State, Angel Surada of National University, Yvette Villanueva of Far Eastern University, Louna Ozar of University of the Philippines, and Gilas mainstay Ella Fajardo of Iona University.

They’re set to back up Jack Animam, who is fresh from a stint in Romania, and naturalized player Vanessa de Jesus. 

Seeing the core during training, Pastrana thinks the current Gilas composition has what it takes to break through in the continental tournaments, and perhaps march to their first-ever World Cup appearance. 

“I think we can compete. We just have to show our hearts for the team and contribute whatever we can,” she said. 

“For me, I will just do my best here to help the win, but I could not do it alone. Then again, I believe we can be competitive as a group,” Pastrana added. 

Gilas got bunched in Pool B along with Lebanon and powerhouses Japan and Australia. 

Pool A pits China, New Zealand, South Korea, and Indonesia.

For now, Pastrana zeroes in on keeping herself fit ahead of her first tour of duty with the national squad. 

“This is not like anything I’ve competed before,” she said. “So, for us young players, we have to get ready on the physicality and the speed of the game.” – Rappler.com