Gilas Women concluded their William Jones Cup journey in Taiwan with another defeat as they were unable to contain the sharp-shooting Chanson V-Magic of Japan, who secured a 95-88 victory on Wednesday, August 9.
Kimika Takonahashi proved to be a formidable force, delivering an impressive 32-point performance highlighted by eight three-pointers.
Despite the valiant efforts of the 16-time Women’s Japan Basketball League champions, Chanson V Magic, Gilas Women struggled to hold their ground.
Janine Pontejos showcased her shooting prowess, contributing 20 points with four successful three-pointers for the Filipinas.
However, the Japanese club exhibited exceptional performance across the board, finishing their campaign with an undefeated 5-0 record.
Even after falling behind by a significant margin of 12 points during the first half, Gilas Women fought back and managed to gain a narrow 68-65 advantage entering the final quarter.
Despite their efforts, Takonahashi swiftly responded with consecutive three-pointers, pushing Chanson V-Magic ahead at 77-71.
Jack Animam led the Gilas Women's effort with an impressive double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds.
Unfortunately, their strong performance wasn't enough to secure a win as they concluded the tournament with only one victory, which they secured against Iran with a score of 64-60 on the previous Sunday.
With their focus now shifting towards the Asian Games in China set for September, Gilas Women are gearing up for their next challenge.
