After Division B return, Amos vows cleanup for Gilas girls

Julie Amos (right) talking to her players during the rout of Malaysia. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Gilas Pilipinas crushed one opponent after another in Thailand to punch a return ticket to the Fiba U-18 Women’s Asia Cup Division B.

The young Nationals cut Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia down to size, winning by a whopping average 37.3 points in the short tournament held in Ratchaburi province.

Still, coach Julie Amos feels there is plenty of polishing that her charges could do right before they plunge into action in the main tournament set in Shenzen, China, late next month.

READ: Gilas Women sweep U18 Seaba Qualifiers with rout of Indonesia

“We have always emphasized attack mentality—that everyone should run and push the ball. We have been consistent on that. But I will continue to polish [the girls] offensively,” Amos, a member of the women’s program brain trust, told the Inquirer on Monday.

“There were situations that we needed to slow down to see mismatches and needed timing,” she pointed out. “We [also] need to be more consistent with our rotations and individual stops.”

Improve maturity

Overall, Amos feels that Gilas needs to improve on its maturity as it’s a trait that will allow the squad to be patient in certain situations.

It was, somehow, what the team lacked in its overtime meltdown against Malaysia in the Division B semifinals two years ago in Bangalore, India.

Amos is steadfast in her belief that Gilas can apply the necessary tweaks just in time, especially with promising players at her disposal. Aside from the ever-improving Ava Fajardo and hands-down the tournament’s finest scorer, Alicia Villanueva, Amos sees a lot of promise in Gabby Ramos and Tiff Reyes.

“[Gabby] has been so solid inside and out and really contributes well offensively and defensively. There was this one game where she made 29 points and 19 rebounds,” said Amos, adding Ramos is a “complete package” like Villanueva.