Both the Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 men's and women's teams secured their spots in the quarterfinals of the basketball tournaments at the 6th Asian Beach Games on Monday, providing a boost for the Philippine delegation after the Alas Pilipinas beach volleyball squads were eliminated. The Philippines remained in third place overall in the medal standings.
Philippines Holds Third Place
As of Monday evening, the official medal tally placed the Philippines third with three gold, two silver, and two bronze medals among the 45 participating nations. Host China topped the standings with 14 gold, 11 silver, and four bronze medals, followed by Thailand with four gold, five silver, and three bronze.
The Philippine campaign in Sanya is supported by the Philippine Olympic Committee under President Abraham "Bambol" Tolentino and the Philippine Sports Commission led by Chairman Patrick "Pato" Gregorio.
Gold Medals and Other Achievements
The three gold medals were won by jiu-jitsu athletes Annie Ramirez and Alexandria Luz Enriquez, as well as high jump standout Leonard Grospe. The Games returned after a 10-year hiatus, and the Philippines is set to host the 2028 edition in Cebu.
The two silver medals came from jiu-jitsu competitor Emily Thomas and the women's relay team of Jessica Rose Laurance, Kristina Marie Knott, Lianne Diana Pama, and Shane Poince. The bronzes were earned by Laurance in the 60-meter dash and Kaila Napolis in jiu-jitsu.
Men's 3x3 Team Advances Despite Loss
The men's team, coached by Patrick Fran, lost to Iran 14-21 in their final Pool A match but still advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 record. They finished first in the group due to a three-way tie with Iran and China, decided by total accumulated points.
"We accomplished our goal to top our pool. Just to be honest, the boys deserved to be here. They worked hard, and this is a blessing for us because of the hard work we put in the first day," said Coach Fran. "I think this is a big preparation for us going into the quarterfinal tomorrow."
Jeff Manday led the scoring with eight points, while Nic Cabañero added six points. The men's quarterfinal opponent will be determined on Tuesday.
Women's 3x3 Team Sweeps Group
The women's 3x3 team overcame a slow start to sweep Group C, defeating Kyrgyzstan 21-15 to secure a quarterfinal berth. After falling behind early due to lax defense, veterans Mikka Cacho and Tantoy Ferrer combined to chip away at the deficit, while Gabi Bade and Kaye Pingol made key baskets down the stretch against the winless Kyrgyzstan squad.
