Gilas Pilipinas Women saw their championship hopes fade in the 2025 William Jones Cup after suffering a tough 94-74 defeat to Japan Universiade on Saturday in Taiwan.
The loss dropped the Philippines to a 1-3 record, officially ending their shot at the title. Meanwhile, Japan stayed unbeaten at 4-0. Both teams will play once more on Sunday, with Gilas set to face Chinese Taipei’s collegiate squad, while Japan takes on the Chinese Taipei national team.
The Filipinas started strong, even holding a slim 46-44 halftime lead behind Jack Animam’s 15-point outburst. However, things unraveled in the second half. Japan pulled ahead 66-58 in the third, sparked by a flawless shooting stretch from Suzuno Higuchi, who tallied seven points in the quarter.
In the final period, Maika Miura and Ufuoma Tanaka took over, combining for 28 points to cement Japan’s fourth straight win.
Animam delivered a dominant performance with 21 points, 16 rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Naomi Panganiban added 14 points, while Louna Ozar contributed 11. Japan, on the other hand, showcased a well-rounded offense, with Miura scoring 12, and Higuchi, Tanaka, Haru Owaki, and Azusa Asahina each chipping in 11 points.