Gilas women enter FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup quarters

MANILA, Philippines — The Gilas Pilipinas women's 3x3 team are moving on to the quarterfinals of the 2023 FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup after China beat Iran in pool play Saturday evening.

Gilas, which ended the day at 1-1 with a cardiac win over Iran earlier, needed the defending champions to send Iran to 0-2 for the Filipinas to clinch the other spot for the quarterfinals.

China drubbed Iran, 21-12, with 2:25 left in the last game of Pool A action to give Gilas their spot.

Janine Pontejos nailed the dagger with 14 ticks left against Iran when she pushed the Philippines' lead to three, 16-13.

Gilas and Iran went neck-and-neck until the final minute of play as Negin Rasoulipour slashed the Philippines' lead to just one, 13-14, with 51 seconds remaining.

But Khate Castillo quickly gave Gilas breathing room anew with a shot with 43 ticks left.

Against Iran, Pontejos paced the Filipinas with six points. She also had five rebounds.

Castillo added five markers while Afril Bernardino and Clare Castro chipped in three and two points, respectively.

In their first game of the day, the Gilas women bowed to China, 19-10.

The Filipina ballers will play New Zealand, the top team in Pool C, in the knockout quarterfinals Sunday.

The Philippines improved on its performance in the regional tournament after failing to exit the qualifiers last year.

The men's squad, meanwhile, was eliminated in pool play after going winless in Pool D, 0-2.

The squad was bannered by Brandon Bates, Rodel De Leon, Jorey Napoles and Almond Vosotros.