Gilas women favored in KO semis vs Samoa

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas women will try to move closer to a Division A promotion bid with a knockout outing against Samoa Saturday in the semifinals of the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s Asian Championship Division B at the Futian Sports Park in Shenzhen, China.

Game time is still to be determined pending the remaining qualification match-up but the undefeated Gilas is keen on shoring up its mission all the way to the finals.

Heavy favor is on the Filipina ballers after wiping out Group B with ease.

The wards of coach Julie Amos demolished Maldives, 141-18, then took care of Lebanon, 89-63.

Gilas also scored a win by default against Syria, which did not arrive in China for the competition due to still undisclosed reason, to top its group and clinch an automatic ticket in the Final Four along with Iran from Group A.

Samoa, which finished second behind Iran, on Friday drubbed Maldives with a 94-31 win in the qualification to the semifinals to advance.

A win by Gilas against Samoa would push it one win shy of a coveted promotion in Division A that’s being played simultaneously at the same venue featuring the powerhouse squads of Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The U16 team of Gilas women led by program director Pat Aquino achieved the feat last year by sweeping Division B.