Aquino assures Gilas Women will remain driven despite long respite they face
There won’t be any global platforms for Gilas Pilipinas Women to showcase its mettle in the coming months until halfway through next year, but national coach Pat Aquino believes the recent tournaments have lit a big enough fire under his charges to keep them hungry until the next opportunity.
“We want to keep things competitive all the time, so (the outlook is) every tournament is one step closer to what we want to achieve. I know the fire continues to burn in the girls,” Aquino told the Inquirer on Sunday.
The Nationals last saw action in August during the Pre-Qualifying tournament geared towards the Fiba Women’s World Cup that will be held in Berlin, Germany, in 2026.
Aquino and the crew led by program cornerstone Jack Danielle Animam dropped all of their three matches to finish dead last in Kigali, Rwanda, but not without taking home valuable lessons from the campaign, the program’s first-ever appearance on the world stage.
The Women’s program will have a chance to cash in on whatever learnings they had during that bid when they play in the Fiba Asia Cup in Shenzen, China, in July.
Aquino said a big chunk of his optimism is anchored on Animam’s continued progress, with the center again landing a contract in Europe. The latter, who has been the face of the Gilas program for over half a decade, has been plying her trade in Romania for FCC UAV Arad.
“Jack’s very competitive and highly spirited. I know she plays with the heart of Gilas whenever she is in the world,” Aquino said of the 26-year-old Bulacan native. “Every time she comes back, Jack gives us a plus, and with her at the helm, the future is bright for Gilas.”
In a previous interview, Animam reaffirmed her commitment to the program and Aquino, who was also her varsity coach at National University.
She declared that it won’t be long until Gilas gets to be a fixture in tournaments featuring the world’s finest, considering the program’s current talent and the youthful lot in the pipeline.
“I think we’re really gonna be competitive, and, for the years to come, it’s not impossible,” Animam said. “I mean, the World Cup or Olympics are just around the corner. So it’s just really a matter of some help, you know.”
