Gilas women training at full steam as SEA Games three-peat bid looms

MANILA, Philippines — The Gilas Pilipinas women's team is already at full force weeks before they attempt a three-peat bid in the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia next month.

Some 16 Filipina cagers were present at the team's training at the Aero Center in Quezon City Wednesday morning, with Filipino-American pool members Ella Fajardo and Stefanie Berberabe already present as well with the homegrown core.

The Philippines has unique opportunity in SEA Games women's hoops in Phnom Penh as it can become the first country to win three straight golds in the biennial meet.

After winning their first gold in 2019 when the Philippines hosted the multi-sport event, the Nationals were able to successfully defend their gold in Hanoi last year, setting up the perfect chance to write their names in history.

On deck for Gilas women head coach Patrick Aquino this time around is national team mainstay Jack Animam, who returns to the team after being sidelined with injury last year.

After her teammates held the fort during her absence, Animam is raring to get back into the thick of it come the SEA Games.

"I'm so excited. Namiss ko yung last edition ng SEA Games, you know, coming from injury," Animam said after practice on Wednesday.

"Yung teammates ko, I've been playing with them for a long time and missing them for one year, it really, talagang it really made a difference. I just missed playing with them and I'm just so eager to get back and play with them once again," she added.

Animam arrived in Manila on Tuesday from France where she's playing professionally.

She beefs up a national team pool that already has the likes of veterans Afril Bernardino, Clare Castro, Janine Pontejos, Andrea Tongco, Camille Clarin, Trina Guytingco, and Khate Castillo, to name a few.

At the end of the month, the team is also expected to set up a bubble training camp in Lipa, Batangas.