A hard-fought silver medal from the Gilas Pilipinas women’s 3×3 basketball team is emerging as the standout result of the Philippines’ campaign at the 20th Asian Games. The team fell to host nation Japan, 21-11, in Friday night’s final.

Japan’s Yuki Hirashita sealed the win with a dagger shot with 31.2 seconds remaining. The title clash played out in front of a large hometown crowd at the Kinjo Futo Station Square Venue in Nagoya.

Kacey Dela Rosa battled hard in the paint for the Philippines. She finished with six points, three blocks and three rebounds.

A Gritty Run That Fell Just Short

Amyah Espanol and KA Kennan chipped in three and two points, respectively. The Philippines settled for its second silver medal of the Games.

Gilas women’s coach Anton Altamirano did not hide his emotions after the loss. “Honestly, I feel bad because I couldn’t lead them to the gold. They really deserved to win that,” he said.

“Sa lahat ng sakripisyo, lahat ng hard work, I really believe they deserve it,” Altamirano added. “But we’re still happy to bring a medal home for the country.”

“I believe we gave our best in the tournament, we just really fell short in this gold-medal match,” he said. Japan proved too consistent throughout the final.

Hirashita directed Japan’s offense with poise from start to finish. She finished with nine points and five rebounds.

Sakura Horiuchi provided the muscle underneath, posting eight points and seven rebounds. Together, Hirashita and Horiuchi formed a tough interior-and-perimeter combination.

Philippine Basketball’s Rough Stretch at the Games

Japan’s win was hardly a surprise given its dominant week. The host nation demolished South Korea, 19-8, in the semifinals to reinforce its status as an Asian 3×3 powerhouse.

Gilas advanced to the final with a gritty semifinal win over Thailand. That victory set up Friday’s clash with a Japan squad that had not lost a step all week.

The silver stood out against a difficult tournament for Philippine basketball overall. The men’s 3×3 squad missed the podium after falling to South Korea, 21-9, in the bronze-medal match.

Both the men’s and women’s traditional 5×5 squads also struggled throughout the Games. Neither team reached the podium in their respective tournaments.

Against that backdrop, the Gilas women’s silver-medal run stands out. It remains the rare highlight for Philippine basketball at this year’s Asian Games.