SEA Games: Cagebelles debut vs Thais

SINGAPORE—Denied of victory twice in heartbreaking fashion, the national women’s basketball team hopes to strike gold this time at the 28th Southeast Asian Games here.

Head coach Patrick Aquino is dead set on changing the squad’s fortunes when it clashes with defending champion Thailand at the start of basketball competitions Tuesday at the OCBC Arena Hall 1.

The Thais broke the hearts of the Filipino cagebelles in 2011 Indonesia and 2011 Burma (Myanmar) with the previous encounter ending in a painful 75-36 defeat.

“We certainly feel the pressure, knowing that everybody is curious of how we will perform,” Aquino told the Inquirer.

Back for another tour of duty are Ewon Arayi, Analyn Almazan and Allana May Lim. Aquino is also expecting a lot from UAAP MVPs Afril Bernardino of National University and Camille Sambile of Far Eastern.

The outcome of the game against Thailand will most likely determine the Philippines’ campaign for the gold in the six-team, single-round format where the squad with the most number of wins takes the crown.

The team, backed by Ever Bilena, will also have Danica Jose, Shelley Ann Gupilan, Cindy Resultay, Clare Castro, Sofia Roman, Fria Bernardo and Raiza Palmera.