FIBA 3x3 stint a ‘win’ for Philippine women’s basketball, says Kaye Pingol

MANILA, Philippines – The participation of Gilas Pilipinas women in the FIBA 3x3 Women’s Series 2024 was already a “win” for women’s basketball in the country, star Kaye Pingol said, despite their quarterfinal exit in Ulaanbaatar. 

The Philippines bowed out of contention in the tournament’s quarterfinal round against Austria, 18-12, last Friday. 

They ended the event at sixth place. 

In a statement, Pingol said that their participation was “an amazing experience playing at that kind of level.” 

“For us, playing there was already a win for the women’s basketball scene in the Philippines,” the top-ranked women’s 3x3 player in the country said.

She added that there are a lot of things they realized playing in that kind of an event overseas. 

“The physicality of the game is different… we are smaller, so we see the disadvantage,” the Uratex Dream standout stressed. 

“But, with that experience, at least we now know and feel that the level overseas is not usual.” 

With these, the team, composed of Pingol, Allana Lim, Hazelle Yam and Sam Harada, will be working harder in the next stops of the Women’s Series.

“We fell short of our goal that we wanted, but we are just getting started,” she said.

“We’re able to show off what we got and we will be more ready in the next stops.” 

The series will shift to Clermont-Ferrand next from June 14-15. 

Gilas women is also expected to participate in Orléans from June 20-21 and in Wuhan from June 29-30.