Afril Bernardino has been a mainstay of the Philippine’s women basketball team at both the 3x3 and 5x5 levels for over 10 years. In the SEA Games, she has played in three of the four 3x3 editions, missing last year’s competition. At 30, Bernardino is far from finished in adding to her treasure trove, including three UAAP championships and four SEA Games gold medals.
Last weekend, Bernardino was on the Philippine team that bagged a historic silver at the FIBA Women’s 3x3 tournament in Singapore. Since the first joust in Doha in 2013, the Philippines had never landed a podium finish with fourth its best placing last year. Barging onto the dais had to be a highlight in Bernardino’s 3x3 career with the silver shining like gold. On the way to the final, the Philippines stunned Mongolia, 15-12 and Japan, 21-19. Australia wouldn’t be denied another championship in the gold medal match, ending the Philippines’ hopes, 18-9.
Bernardino was chosen among the top three players by FIBA at the end of the competition, joining Australia’s Kristy Wallace and China’s Zhang Zhiting. Here’s what FIBA said about Bernardino: “An iconic figure in Filipino women’s basketball, Bernardino was instrumental in the Philippines’ historic run to the final. Her physicality, sharp scoring and calm under pressure helped propel her team to a breakthrough silver medal.” Bernardino’s a 5-8, 140-pound guard while Wallace is a 5-11, 160-pound WNBA veteran who was Atlanta’s second round pick in 2018 from Baylor University and the WNBA’s Sixth Woman of the Year awardee in 2022. Zhang is a 6-4 1/2 star who was on China’s gold medal 3x3 teams at the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 World Cup. Zhang was also on the Chinese squad that claimed the bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Bernardino was clearly in high-profile company.
Bernardino was with Jack Animam, Janine Pontejos and Clare Castro when the Philippines took the inaugural women’s 3x3 title at the 2019 SEA Games. She was on the team that failed to podium in 2021 but was back on the dais for a silver with Pontejos, Castro and Angelica Surada in 2023. The women’s team underwent a facelift for last year’s SEA Games and came home without a medal after losses to Indonesia and Malaysia. Bernardino wasn’t on the roster. The men’s squad of Ange Kouame, Joseph Eriobu, Joseph Sedurifa and Janrey Pasaol was also out of the podium after losing to Singapore and Malaysia. The twin setbacks triggered an overhaul of SBP’s 3x3 management, leading to Ryan Gregorio’s appointment as project director last January.
While the women drew raves in Singapore, the men also delivered positive results in reaching the quarterfinals to finish sixth, their best since fourth in 2022. The men improved from 15th last year. The men’s team was composed of Ralph Cu, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Sean Alter and Chris Koon while the women’s squad featured Bernardino, Kacey de la Rosa, Cheska Apag and Mikka Cacho. The Philippines will ride on the 3x3 momentum when it hosts the second leg of the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series on May 7-8. Additionally, Manila will stage the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup next year.