MANILA, Philippines — Despite heading overseas, Gilas women players Jack Danielle Animam and Ella Fajardo are still willing to play for flag and country.
Animam, a mainstay of the senior team, will play as an import for Taiwan's Shih Hsin University while youth player Fajardo recently committed to NCAA Division I school Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey.
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"They can still play for us," Gilas women head coach Pat Aquino assured in a recent episode of Tiebreaker Vods' Coaches Unfiltered podcast.
"With Jack [Animam], we had that understanding with the Taiwanese head coach that she'll be allowed when the national team is in play. So that will be good for us," he said.
For Fajardo's part, Fairleigh Dickinson University is also lenient in letting national team players go back to their own countries when the need arises.
Aquino said that Fajardo had greatly considered the national team calendar in negotiating her contract with the NCAA Division I school.
"I'm so happy that Ella still thought about those things with the schedule of FIBA," he said.
Despite the continued commitment of both cagebelles, Aquino is continuing his search for possible recruits to strengthen the women's squad.
After their first-ever Southeast Asian Games gold last December, the Gilas women are still looking to up their game.
"I'm still recruiting in the States for Fil-Am girls," Aquino said, with Fil-Am Kelli Hayes among the recent Gilas women recruits.
"People from Canada also have been giving me some profiles for future national team members," he added.