Jack Animam on Gilas Women's first Asia Cup Division A win: 'This is just the start'

For the first time since being promoted to Division A in 2015, the Philippine women's basketball team isn't going home empty-handed in the FIBA Women's Asia Cup.

Gilas Pilipinas Women showed off all of their wares on Wednesday to pull off a 92-81 statement win against their usual tormentor Chinese Taipei, who had beaten the Filipinas by landslide in their two previous meetings in the same contest.

Chinese Taipei defeated the Philippines in the 2021 edition with a 93-52 triumph while five years before that, they eked out an 87-53 victory, and both occasions saw Gilas finish with a winless slate.

But the Philippines was able to turn the tides this time around and longtime national team player Jack Animam vowed it isn't the last.

"It was really special. All the things that we've been through being here in FIBA Asia, you know, people always have something to say," the 6-foot-5 center said in the post-game interview.

"But I think this is a testament with this program and with everybody behind, especially the sacrifices that we players put in."

Personally, the win also marked a special triumph for Animam.

The former NU Lady Bulldog standout had to be sidelined for a year after sustaining an ACL injury in late 2021, which prevented her from suiting up for the national team in the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam last year.

She returned this year and was able to reinforce the crew in the Cambodia SEA Games, where they finished with a silver medal both in the 3x3 and 5-on-5 competitions.

"You know, coming back from an ACL (injury), this is like my redemption year," Animam added.

"I don't know if I'm gonna be the same Jack I was before and getting this win, this means so much not just for us but back home also."

Animam and Gilas Women will look to create more history as they go up against world no. 29 New Zealand on Friday for the right to enter the semifinals.

"This win is just like the icing of the cake and I think we played for ourselves knowing that we have a bigger responsibility on what this win means to the women's basketball community in the Philippines," she said.

"And I think this is just the start of greater things for this program."

—Bea Micaller, JKC/GMA Integrated News