Philippines women's national basketball team

Philippines
FIBA ranking	49 9[1]
Joined FIBA	1936
FIBA zone	FIBA Asia
National federation	Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
Coach	Patrick Aquino
Nickname(s)	Perlas Pilipinas
Olympic Games
Appearances	0
Medals	None
Women's World Cup
Appearances	0
Medals	None
Asian Championships for Women
Appearances	12
Medals	None
Uniforms
Light Dark

The women's national basketball team of the Philippines represents the country in women's FIBA tournaments.

Compared to the men's national team, the women's national team receives less reception from local basketball enthusiasts. Locally based player has no national league to play in after college which has a few leagues such as the WNCAA, Filoil Premier Cup, and Fr. Martin’s Cup. The women's national team has been playing at Level II at the FIBA Asia Championship for Women for the past few editions of the tournament. Again in contrast of their men counterpart who were often describe as powerhouses in the Southeast Asia region, the women's national team has been behind Thailand and Malaysia in the past few years.^[2]

Perlas Pilipinas represent the current women's national team.

History

SBP era (2007–present)

Perlas Pilipinas 1.0 (2007-2015)

On 2007, Discovery Suites, a hotel brand, became the main sponsor of the women's national team.^[3] On 2008, Haydee Ong was appointed as head coach of the women's national team replacing Matthew "Fritz" Gaston, who guided the team at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Thailand.^[4] Under Ong, the team won the gold medal at the 2010 SEABA Championship for Women, the country's first medal at the said tournament. The team previously won silver during the 1995, 1997, and 2007 editions of the tournament.

The team pushed for the naturalization of 6'3" tall Chinese, Zheng Xiaojing, a move parallel to the naturalization of American-born Marcus Douthit for the men's national team. Zheng's naturalization process started with the filing of House Bill 02683 by Congressman Roberto Puno of Antipolo in August, about the same time as Douthit's. Head coach Ong lobbied the SBP and the Philippine Congress to hasten the naturalization process of Zheng so that she can join the national team for the 2011 editions of the FIBA Asia Championship and the Southeast Asian Games^[5] While Douthit was eventually naturalized, Zheng's naturalization was in limbo. On August 2014, team manager, Cynthia Tiu said that the team will focus on developing homegrown players than resort to naturalizing players. Tiu said that Zheng was disappointed but also said that a re-filing of her petition for naturalization cannot be done since Zheng is already married.^[6]

Perlas Pilipinas 2.0 (2015–present)

The SBP appointed Patrick Aquino as the new head coach of the national team. His first task will be to guide the national team at the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. Ever Bilena Cosmetics, Inc. has been made the new sponsor of the national team.^[7][8] SBP executive director Sonny Barrios pointed out the decision to make changes in the coaching staff of the women’s team was made after discussions among members of the search and screening committee, which is composed of several basketball stakeholders.^[9]

In a historic run, Perlas officially promoted in the Level 1 of the FIBA Asia Women's Championships that will held in 2017, after the win against India, 82-76.^[10]

Competitions

Asian championships Asian Championship Record Year Position Pld W L 1965 4th place 8 2 6 1968 6th place 7 2 5 1970 to 1974 Did not participate (3) 1976 6th place 6 1 5 1978 8th place 8 2 6 1980 Did not participate 1982 8th place 4 1 3 1984 4th place 8 4 4 1986 to 1992 Did not participate (4) 1994 10th place 5 2 3 1995 9th place 5 3 2 1997 to 2001 Did not participate (3) 2004 8th place 3 1 2 2005 11th place 5 1 4 2007 Did not participate 2009 10th place 5 3 2 2011 Did not participate 2013 10th place 5 3 2 2015 7th place 6 5 1 Total 13/26 75 30 45

Asian Games Asian Games Record Year Position Pld W L 1974 to 1994 Did not participate (6) 1998 6th place 3 0 3 2002 Did not participate 2006 Suspended 2010 Did not participate 2014 Did not participate Total 1/9 3 0 3

Southeast Asian championships Southeast Asian Championship Record Year Position Pld W L 1995 2nd place 1997 2nd place 1999 3rd place 2002 3rd place 2004 2007 2nd place 6 5 1 2010 1st place 5 5 0 2014 Did not participate 2016 1st place 6 6 0 Total 2 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze 16–1 (incomplete)

Southeast Asian Games Southeast Asian Games Record Year Position Pld W L 1977 2nd place – – – 1979 2nd place – – – 1981 2nd place – – – 1983 2nd place – – – 1985 – – – – 1987 3rd place – – – 1989 3rd place – – – 1991 3rd place – – – 1993 3rd place – – – 1995 2nd place – – – 1997 3rd place – – – 1999 Not Held 2001 3rd place – – – 2003 3rd place – – – 2005 Suspended 2007 3rd place – 1 2 2009 Not held 2011 2nd place 4 3 1 2013 2nd place 4 3 1 2015 4th place 5 3 2 Total 7 silver, 8 bronze – – – Other Tournaments Other Tournaments Year Position Pld W L 2011 Discovery Women’s Basketball Invitational 1st 4 4 0 2013 Discovery Women’s Basketball Invitational 1st 4 4 0 2015 Discovery Women’s Basketball Invitational 1st 4 4 0

Current roster

Philippines roster at the 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship:^[11]

Philippines women's national basketball team - 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Age – Date of birth Ht. Club Ctr. F 0 Borja, Chovi 29 – September 6, 1985 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) Philippine Navy F 5 Gupilan, Shelley Anne 25 – August 10, 1990 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) F 8 Sambile, Camille 23 – April 24, 1992 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Far Eastern University G 9 Tongco, Marizze Andrea 19 – October 18, 1995 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) National University C 10 Animam, Jack Danielle 16 – November 27, 1998 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) National University G 12 Resultay, Cindy 24 – December 31, 1990 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Philippine Air Force G 15 Dy, Raiza Rose 24 – November 21, 1990 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) G 16 Miranda, Gemma 20 – February 28, 1995 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) National University F 17 Bernardino, Afril 19 – April 3, 1996 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) National University C 19 Lim, Allana May 26 – September 12, 1988 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Far Eastern University G 24 Roman, Sofia Isabella 21 – May 24, 1994 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) Dartmouth College F 77 Arayi, Merenciana 29 – November 5, 1985 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) Philippine Navy	Head Coach Patrick Henry Aquino Legend (c) Team captain Age field is age on August 29, 2015

Past rosters

1997 SEABA Championship for Women: finished 2nd among 3 teams Julie Amos, Mary Ellyn Caasi, Cristina Columna, Erlyn Destacamento, Joanna Franquelli, Carmina Maralit, Caroline Mindo, Bambi Tinasas, Emelyn Vega. (Coach:Ricardo Roces)^[12]

2011 Southeast Asian Games: finished 2nd among 5 teams John Molina Limengco, Joan Grajales, Chovi Borja, Merenciana Ewonritseorlagha Arayi, Karen Lomogda, Melissa Jacob, Angeli Jo Gloriani, Aurora Adriano, Diana Rose Jose, Bernadette Mercado, Analyn Almajan, Maria Lalaine Flormata. (Coach: Haydee Ong)

2010 SEABA Championship for Women: finished 1st among 5 teams Sylvia Marie Valencia, Joan Grajales, Chovi Borja, Merenciana Ewonritseorlagha Arayi, Angeli Jo Gloriani, Melissa Jacob, Bernadette Mercado, Aurora Adriano, Diana Rose Jose, Cassandra Tioseco, Ma. Ana Fatima Tolentino, Anna Katrina Pineda

Squad for the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Women:^[13]

Philippines women's national basketball team - 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Women roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. # Name Age – Date of birth Ht. Club Ctr. F 4 Galicia, Mary Joy 24 – September 15, 1989 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) G 5 Grajales, Joan 33 – November 23, 1979 5 ft 1 in (1.55 m) F 6 Borja, Chovi 27 – November 6, 1985 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) F 7 Arayi, Merenciana Ewonritseorlagha 27 – November 5, 1985 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) C 8 Flormata, Ma. Lalaine 26 – April 8, 1987 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) F 9 Jacob, Melissa 29 – March 1, 1984 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m) G 10 Mercado, Bernadette 27 – January 28, 1986 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) G 11 Bernardo, Fria 22 – February 22, 1991 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) F 12 Resultay, Cindy 22 – December 31, 1990 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) C 13 Tioseco, Cassandra Noel 26 – December 12, 1986 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) C 14 Almazan, Analyn 25 – October 7, 1988 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) F 15 Tiu, Denise Patricia 21 – May 5, 1990 5 ft 7 in (1.7 m)	Head coach Haydee Ong Legend (C) Team captain from field describes last club before the tournament

Coaches

• Ricardo Roces (c. 1997)
• Matthew "Fritz" Gatson (?–2007)
• Haydee Ong (2008–2015)
• Patrick Aquino (2015–present)

References

1. "FIBA World Ranking, women". FIBA. October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
2. Verora, Levi (25 March 2014). "Only for men? When will women's hoops ring the bell in PH?". Rappler. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
3. De Leon, Job (11 April 2014). "A league of their own: Discovery-Perlas and women's basketball in the Philippines". GMA News. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
4. Velasco, Bill (3 March 2008). "No longer the poor sisters". ABS-CBN News. The Philippine Star. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
5. Leyba, Olmin (21 April 2011). "Women's cage team pushes for own naturalized player". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
6. Ramos, Josef (14 August 2013). "Women's basketball coach prefers homegrown talent to naturalized players". The Manila Times. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
7. Terrado, Reuben (22 January 2015). "NU coach Patrick Aquino to call shots for PH women's basketball team in SEA Games". Sport Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
8. Terrado, Reuben (12 February 2015). "Perlas Pilipinas manager cries foul over SBP decision to disband national women's cage team, call for new tryouts". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
9. Terrado, Reuben (14 February 2015). "SBP's Barrios says revamp of women's cage program, Perlas disbandment went through proper process". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
10. Terrado, Reuben; Ramos, Gerry (7 September 2015). "Perlas Pilipinas finds SEA Games letdown a major motivation for Fiba-Asia success". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
11. Team Philippines – 2015 FIBA Asia Women's Championship
12. Mallari, Riera (15 August 1997). "Victory in defeat for RP cagebelles". E & S Philippine Journal. 1 (XXII): 4.
13. 2013 squad

External links

• FIBA Profile