Perlas PH seals gold in 2016 Seaba

Perlas Pilipinas celebrates after securing the gold medal with a 77-73 win over host Malaysia in the 2016 Seaba Women’s Championship Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

No matter what the result of its final game of the tournament, Perlas Pilipinas will take home the gold in the 2016 Seaba Women’s Championship in Malacca City in Malaysia.

The Filipinas weathered a late spurt from the host country to come away with a 77-73 win on Saturday at Bukit Serindit Indoor Stadium to stay unbeaten and register their fifth win in as many games.

“This is a defining moment for Philippine women’s basketball,” said Perlas coach Patrick Aquino. “I’m happy for the girls. I’m happy for our supporter, Blackwater, and I’m happy for the country. We did it.”

At 5-0, the country assured itself of finishing first, allowing it to replicate the feat done by the Haidee Ong-mentored squad back in 2010 even if it loses to Thailand (2-2).

Allana Lim paced Perlas Pilipinas with 16 points while Afril Bernardino tallied 14 markers and 10 rebounds.

Analyn Almazan also registered a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Philippines, which reclaimed the title after six long years.

Lim and Bernardino paired up to allow Perlas to break away at halftime, 43-34, as the rest of the team continued to pound on the Malaysians in the second half, with the lead reaching as high as 20, 71-51 courtesy of a Janine Pontejos fastbreak.

Malaysia, though, blanked Perlas in the final three and a half minutes to cut the lead to just four, 77-73, but costly turnovers down the stretch allowed the Philippines to escape with the tight win.