Gilas Women open 3×3 World Cup qualifiers campaign 

There’s barely time to celebrate when bigger stages are waiting. Just days after rewriting history with a silver-medal finish in the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, the Gilas Pilipinas women’s team is back on the move—this time with the world in sight.

The same quartet of Kacey Dela Rosa, Afril Bernardino, Mikka Cacho, and Cheska Apag returns to Singapore on Friday, shifting from continental contenders to global hopefuls as they compete in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup qualifier set on April 11-12.

Momentum is on their side, but so is expectation. Currently ranked No. 19 in the FIBA 3×3 standings, the Filipinas enter the qualifier as one of the higher-ranked teams in the six-nation field—a reflection of their steady rise and recent breakthrough on the Asian stage. 

But rankings offer no shortcuts in a format as unforgiving as 3×3, where every possession carries weight and every game can tilt a campaign.

Their turnaround has been swift. From stepping off the plane in Manila on Monday to quickly resetting for another international push, the grind is real. Dela Rosa even squeezed in academic duties at Ateneo before rejoining the team, a reminder of the balancing act these athletes navigate while carrying national aspirations.

Only three tickets to the World Cup in Warsaw, Poland from June 1-7 are up for grabs. The Philippines finds itself in Pool B alongside host Singapore and Brazil. On paper, it’s a group that demands precision from the start. The Filipinas open against world No. 62 Brazil on April 11 at 3:20 p.m., before facing a tougher test against No. 20 Singapore the following day at 5 p.m.

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FROM ASIA TO THE WORLD

Fresh off their historic silver-medal finish at the FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup, the Gilas Pilipinas Women now set their sights on the world stage as they compete in the FIBA 3×3 World Cup Qualifiers starting this April 11!#GilasPilipinas #WorldCup3x3 pic.twitter.com/y6NPxkIxYG

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) April 9, 2026

Across the bracket, New Zealand, Egypt, and Hungary make up Pool A, setting the stage for a crossover phase that leaves little room for error.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas women’s 3×3 program director Ryan Gregorio laid out the path: “top two teams in each pool after Round 1 will advance to the crossover Round 2, where the pool top seeds face the second ranked from the opposite group.”

From there, the stakes only rise. Winners in Round 2 punch their tickets straight to the World Cup, while the losing sides battle for the last remaining berth—one final lifeline to extend the journey to Poland.

The Philippines’ presence in the qualifier itself is already a product of progress, having secured its slot through improved world ranking last year. But after their Asia Cup run, simply qualifying is no longer the goal.

Now, it’s about proving that their rise isn’t a one-tournament surge—but a sign of something bigger taking shape.

With powerhouse nations like Australia, the United States, France, and China already waiting in Warsaw, the road ahead is daunting. But for a team that just showed it can stand among Asia’s best, the next challenge is clear:

Carry that fight onto the world stage.

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