Gilas women’s team aims to scale greater heights

MANILA, Philippines — Already on the right track with a string of recent successes, the Gilas Pilipinas women’s team could well scale greater heights with a vast pool of future talents in line at the culmination of coach Pat Aquino’s scouting trip in the United States.

Aquino, who also serves as the national women’s team program director, saw right before his eyes 60 young Filipina prospects in a two-day private showcase organized by Fil-Am Nation Select in Orange County, California over the weekend.

Comprising the massive delegation were standouts aged 14-24 from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Seattle, Las Vegas, Texas and Chicago with hopes of making it to the Gilas women’s pool and represent the country soon.

Fil-Am Nation Select founders coach Cris Gopez and San Miguel Fil-Am player Alex Cabagnot with coach Ryan Transfiguracion and PBA legendary import Sean Chambers helped oversee the historic event dubbed as “Building The Bridge” with a mission to create more opportunities for US-based Filipina talents.

High school prospects Sumayah Sugapong, Faith Curry, Alina Daffon, Tia Barefield, Nia Anderson, Angie Villasin, Halle Sii, Lynette Garon, Alex Facelo, Kai Oani, Kam Mangels, Kristen Yumul, Julia Cariquitan and Jocelyn Pascual bannered the large cast of young bloods being introduced to Filipino culture and Philippine basketball this early.

Aquino has been traveling across the US since last December to find gems that can further boost the Gilas women’s program coming off a banner campaign marked by a double-gold medal harvest in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games and retention in the elite Division A of the FIBA Women’s Asia.

Among the prized Gilas prospects Aquino have discovered and talked to are Duke University’s Vanessa de Jesus, University of Pennsylvania’s Kayla Padilla and Sofia Dignadice, the 12-year-old daughter of former national player and PBA stalwart Yves.