Gilas Pilipinas Women fall short in comeback vs. New Zealand to finish 6th in FIBA Asia Cup

Gilas Pilipinas Women crawled back from 16 points down, but collapsed late to absorb a 71-78 loss to world no. 26 New Zealand and close out their 2025 FIBA Asia Cup campaign on Saturday in Shenzhen Sports Centre, China. 

The Filipinas turned it up in the second half by waxing hot from downtown before losing steam in the final minutes, no thanks to a pivotal 17-5 closing rampage from New Zealand. 

Gilas Women will finish sixth in the eight-team field to match their output from the previous edition. 

The loss also denied the Philippines its best finish since getting a Division A promotion in 2015. In three editions from 2017 to 2021, the Philippines wound up seventh in the Asia Cup before clinching a sixth-place finish in the 2023 edition held in Australia. 

Vanessa de Jesus was among the bright spots for Gilas after finishing with a team-high 16 points laced with four rebounds and four assists while Khate Castillo posted 14 markers on 4-of-7 from beyond the arc. 

Youngsters Naomi Panganiban and Sumayah Sugapong both chipped in 11 points while Jack Animam poured nine markers, eight rebounds, four assists, four steals, and four blocks. 

Despite the loss, it was still an impressive showing for the Filipinas against a higher-ranked New Zealand.

After finding themselves once down by 16 at one point in the second quarter, 15-31, the gritty Filipinas turned to De Jesus, Castillo and Sugapong, all of whom connived to help Gilas cut the deficit to just four at halftime, 38-42.

Kent Pastrana and Sugapong buried back-to-back triples as they forced a 53-all deadlock in the third before Animam and Castillo combined for three free throws to close out the frame ahead by three. 

Castillo continued to knock down three-pointers, nailing a pair from downtown to give the Philippines a 66-61 cushion.

But Gilas just ran out of gas in the endgame with Emilia Shearer and Esra McGoldrick conspiring to power New Zealand's 17-5 closing rampage en route to the six-point victory. 

McGoldrick tallied 17 points together with seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal while Shearer grabbed 16 markers, six boards, four dimes, and one block. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News