Gilas Women lose big to Canada, remain winless in Fiba Pre-OQT

Gilas Pilipinas women’s Jack Animam during a game vs Canada in the FIBA Women’s Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament. –FIBA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Gilas Pilipinas Women suffered a heavy 85-38 loss to No. 7-ranked Canada in the Fiba Women’s Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Thursday in Guadalajara, Mexico.

The Philippines fell to 0-2 in Group B and faces elimination from the competition after also losing to host Mexico, 61-59, in its opener Tuesday.

Gilas Women never led against Canada, which pulled away early with a 12-0 run for a 23-4 lead in the first quarter and never looked back.

The Philippines showed some fight in the third quarter, putting together an 11-0 run, but Canada responded with a 23-9 finishing run in the fourth to pull away.

“I think what we saw today was a 30th-ranked team in the world playing a seventh-ranked team, except that I know that we can play better than we played today,” Gilas Women coach BT Toews said.

“It just became a complete domination in every statistical category. In order for us to get to the next level, starting in Asia, we definitely need to do better in the smaller things.”

Gilas Pilipinas women’s Vanessa de Jesus during a game vs Canada in the FIBA Women’s Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament. –FIBA PHOTO

Jack Animam paced Gilas with 11 points and seven rebounds, the only Filipino player to score in double figures. Vanessa de Jesus added nine points, while Kacey Dela Rosa had eight.

Gilas Pilipinas looks to rebound against Senegal on Friday, with Animam hoping the team can carry over the flashes it showed in the third quarter.

“In the second half, we had some good flashes where we made a good stop, and we ran into a transition a little bit. That forced them to put their starting five back in the game,” Animam said.

“I think that is something that we can take away from this game and to build. Again, we have another game tomorrow, another chance for us to show how we play.”