Gilas Girls drop to 0-2 after costly collapse vs. Chinese Taipei in U16 Asia Cup

The Gilas Pilipinas Girls saw their promising start quickly unravel as they absorbed a stinging 74-48 defeat to Chinese Taipei in the FIBA U16 Women’s Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday at the Karisma Arena.

For a brief moment, the young Filipinas looked poised to make it a fight. A gritty exchange in the opening minutes even knotted the score at 9-all, hinting at a possible breakthrough performance after their rough debut against powerhouse Australia. 

But that glimpse of momentum was short-lived—Chinese Taipei responded with a 13-0 barrage that completely changed the complexion of the game.

From there, the East Asian side showcased why it remains a fixture on the podium at this level. Pushing the pace and attacking with balance, they left Gilas chasing shadows for the rest of the night. By halftime, the Filipinas were already staring at a double-digit hole they would never climb out of.

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Tiffany Reyes and Gilas Pilipinas Girls could not sustain a promising start and eventually fell to Chinese Taipei#ReadMore https://t.co/UC55cZnwtR

FIBA#U16AsiaCup #LabanPilipinas pic.twitter.com/UZeVcXWcj2

— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 23, 2025

Despite the lopsided scoreline, Ella Smith stood tall once again. The 6-foot-2 forward delivered an all-around effort with 14 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and two blocks—a testament to her versatility and tireless motor. Guard Tiffany Reyes provided support with 12 points, but the team struggled to find a third consistent scoring option.

Chinese Taipei, meanwhile, flaunted depth and composure. Chang Yu-Tung spearheaded the attack with 17 points and eight boards, while teammates Hsieh Ai-Tung, Lin Nian-Zhen, and Tsai Yu-Yen all hit double figures to keep the pressure relentless.

The loss dropped Gilas to 0-2, leaving them in a must-win scenario against Korea—also winless—in a crucial matchup on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. A victory will be the only way for the Filipinas to keep their hopes of advancing alive.

For now, the young squad is learning the hard way what it takes to compete at Asia’s elite level: discipline, depth, and the ability to weather storms when opponents go on a run. Tomorrow offers them another chance to prove they belong.

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