Vets Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos banner Gilas Pilipinas Women in FIBA World Cup Qualifiers

A mix of veterans and young guns will headline Gilas Pilipinas Women in the upcoming FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Lyon-Villeurbanne, France that kicks off this week.

Longtime Gilas stalwarts Afril Bernardino and Janine Pontejos banner the national squad alongside Kacey Dela Rosa and Ann Pingol, the last two MVPs in the UAAP women's basketball tournament.

Kent Pastrana of the recently-crowned champion University of Santo Tomas is also in the fold alongside Stefanie Berberabe, Trina Guytingco, Sarah Heyn, Louza Ozar, Sumayah Sugapong, Sophia Dignadice, and Angel Surada.

It's a tough road for the Philippines. The FIBA Qualifying Tournament is divided into four competitions with the Filipinas bunched in Tournament D together with powerhouse teams from Colombia, Germany, South Korea, France, and Nigeria.

World no. 3 France, led by Gabby Williams, enters the group as the clear favorite after reaching the finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where it fell to eventual gold medalist USA.

South Korea is a familiar foe to Gilas as they were the team that ousted the Filipinas during the FIBA Women's Asia Cup semi-finals qualification.

World no. 8 Nigeria, meanwhile, is also a force after ruling the 2025 FIBA Women's AfroBasket while world no. 19 Colombia is also seen as a threat after making it to the quarterfinals of the 2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup. 

The top three teams from each group will qualify to the World Cup with Germany and Nigeria already having clinched their tickets. Germany will host the World Cup next year while Nigeria earned its berth by winning the continental tournament. 

Gilas will open its campaign on Thursday against France at 3:30 a.m. (Manila time) before facing Germany on Friday, Nigeria on Saturday, South Korea on Sunday, and Colombia on Tuesday.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News