Gilas Women 3×3 turn focus to World Cup Qualifiers after Asia Cup silver 

Fresh off a historic silver-medal finish in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, Gilas Pilipinas Women now turn their attention to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifiers in Singapore.

The silver medal may have been historic, but for Gilas Pilipinas Women, it was never meant to be the finish line.

Just days after delivering the best-ever result by a Philippine team in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, the Filipinas are already back in pursuit of something even bigger — a return trip to the world stage.

From April 11 to 12 in Singapore, Gilas Women will take another shot at history in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup 2026 Qualifiers, where a place in the sport’s biggest global showcase will be up for grabs.

What made their Asia Cup run memorable was not just the silver medal itself, but the way it reset expectations for a program that has steadily climbed in the international 3×3 scene. Instead of simply proving they belong, the Filipinas are now entering the next tournament with genuine pressure and a real opportunity to advance.

This time, they won’t be sneaking up on anyone. The Philippines enters the qualifiers as the highest-ranked team in Pool B at No. 19 in the world, just ahead of host Singapore, which sits at No. 20. Brazil, the third team in the group, is ranked No. 62.

That makes the path to the knockout round clear, but far from comfortable. Only the top two teams from each pool will move on to the crossover phase, where the stakes rise immediately. 

From there, only the teams that reach the podium will book tickets to the FIBA 3×3 World Cup, set for June 1 to 7 in Warsaw, Poland.

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HERSTORY STILL MADE

The Gilas Pilipinas Women’s team ended its FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup campaign with a historic second place finish.

Gilas Women put up a gallant stand but fell short against four-peat champions Australia, 18-9, in the final. (: FIBA Media) | via… pic.twitter.com/Sqxz7cxguP

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) April 5, 2026

For Gilas Women, the mission is as much about validation as it is qualification.

Their lone previous appearance in the World Cup came back in 2018, when the Philippines hosted the event at the Philippine Arena. That campaign ended with a 17th-place finish, but this version of the national team arrives in a much different place — more seasoned, more battle-tested, and carrying momentum that few Philippine women’s squads have ever had in this format.

The challenge, however, will not end with the group stage. Pool A is expected to be far more punishing, with Hungary ranked No. 13 in the world and Lithuania at No. 22, while Egypt rounds out the bracket. 

Any team that survives the knockout round will likely have to go through one of those two European squads, making every early game in Singapore crucial.

Still, Gilas Women will head back with a core that already knows how to compete under pressure.

Coach Anton Altamirano is sticking with key holdovers Kacey dela Rosa, Afril Bernardino, and Mikka Cacho — the same battle-tested pieces that helped fuel the team’s breakthrough run in the Asia Cup.

The lone change in the lineup comes in the form of added size and versatility. Replacing 5-foot-5 Cheska Apag is 5-foot-9 Tantoy Ferrer, currently ranked as the sixth-best women’s 3×3 player in the Philippines. The move gives the squad another long, mobile option as it prepares for the physically demanding back-to-back battles that define the 3×3 format.

There will be little time to recover or reset. After wrapping up their Asia Cup campaign, the team is set to return home on Monday before flying back to Singapore on April 9 for one more push.

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