The Gilas Pilipinas women’s basketball team almost stormed back from a double-digit deficit in the fourth but fell short and absorbed their second straight loss.
Despite scoring on a massive 18-to-nothing run late in the contest, the Nationals fell to Japan, 85-82, at the Shenzhen Sports Center.
Jack Animam led the Philippines anew, putting up a stellar 24-point, 14-rebound game with three assists, two blocks, and a steal, while backstopping her were Vanessa de Jesus, Naomi Panganiban, and Sumayah Sugapong, who scored 13, 13 and 12, respectively.
The Filipinas are now sitting at 0-2 in Division A’s Group B as they were dealt with a 76-point beatdown by Australia on Sunday, July 13, and they will look to avoid a winless record in the group stage when they go up against Lebanon on Wednesday, July 16, at 1:30 p.m.
Down 83-61 with only 5:37 left in the fourth period, Gilas went on to score 18 straight points in the next five minutes following a run that was built on buckets from De Jesus, Animam, Angel Surada, and Panganiban.
Monica Okoye ended that run with a perfect trip to the foul line with only 15 seconds left in the game, but this still gave the Philippines a chance to further close in on their counterparts.
Unfortunately, Kacey Dela Rosa missed her three-pointer with only 10 ticks left, and while De Jesus drained a trey at the buzzer, it only got them to as close as three.
Earlier, as they were already trailing by double digits at the end of the first period, Gilas suddenly fell to a 21-point hole, 55-34, come the second following a three-pointer by Norika Konno with still a minute and 38 seconds left in the first half.
A late quarter surge from Animam and Sugapong cut the Nationals’ deficit to 16 at halftime, and eventually only 12, 62-50, midway through the third, all thanks to the efforts of Animam, Surada and Panganiban.
Unfortunately for the Philippines, the Japanese had another run in them as they went on to score nine straight points in a span of two minutes to rebuild a lead that was over 20, 71-50, following a pair of foul shots by Yuki Mizayawa, and that was all they needed to eventually complete the win in the fourth despite Gilas‘ late game charge.
Maki Takada led Japan with 20 markers. (ABS-CBN News)