By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Filipina-American cager Vanessa de Jesus is finally eligible to play for the Gilas Pilipinas national women’s basketball team after obtaining her Philippine passport recently.

De Jesus, who has roots from Boracay, will be eligible to play as a local in non-FIBA basketball tournaments such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games and the William Jones Cup.

De Jesus, who is in her third year as a player for Duke Blue Devils in the US NCAA Division 1, will be considered as a naturalized player when she suits up for the Gilas in the FIBA tournaments.

“This is because of FIBA’s eligibility rule that requires local players to have their passports before the age of 16,” Fil-Am Nation Select’s Cris Gopez, who helped De Jesus acquire her passport, said.

“She is, however, ready [to play in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup next month in Australia],” he said.

“We’re preparing her so that she is ready to fight for her spot in the national team,” he added.

In her junior year in the US NCAA Division 1, the 21-year-old De Jesus and the Blue Devils were able to reach the second round of the Women’s Championship-Seattle Regional 4.

De Jesus played for 32 games in the 2022-2023 season with the Blue Devils and averaged 15.7 minutes of play, registering five points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.8 steals.

Gilas Pilipinas women head coach Patrick Aquino said De Jesus’ acquisition of her Philippine passport is a welcome development for the national team, which recently fell short of a gold medal finish in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games.

“Maganda ang opportunity for her to represent us in international tournaments, so this is a very welcome development,” Aquino said.

“She’s very much welcome in the Gilas women’s team,” he added.

De Jesus will become the second Filipina-American player with Western Visayas roots to join the Gilas Pilipinas women aside from guard Ella Fajardo, whose parents were from Bacolod City./ASC, WDJ