Philippine’s Gilas Women 3×3 Team Withdraws from Asian Games 2023
Gilas Pilipinas Women 3×3 team withdraws from the from the 19th Asian Games 2023, said head coach Patrick Aquino.
According to Aquino, the team was scheduled to make their debut that evening at the Deqing Geographic Information Park Basketball Court in Hangzhou, China, where they were set to face Jordan. However, they decided to withdraw from the Asian games.
They were unable to do so because they were left with just two players on their roster. Aquino explained that the last-minute replacements, Marga Villanueva and Cielo Pagdulagan, who were supposed to step in for Angel Surada and Camille Clarin, were not cleared by the organizers.
This left only Camille Nolasco and Louna Ozar on the women’s 3×3 roster, based on the article of GMA News. Aquino express frustration because this is the first time Philippines has representative in women’s 3×3.
“It’s just so sad because it’s our first time here in 3×3, and this is what happened,” lamented Aquino.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio confirmed in a statement that neither Villanueva nor Pagdulagan were initially included in Aquino’s list of 13 players presented to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organizing Committee (HAGOC) four months before the Asiad.
Clarin, Surada, Nolasco, and Ozar were among the 13 players on the “competitive list” for the 3×3 teams, along with Vanessa de Jesus, a Filipino-American guard from Duke University, Kacey dela Rosa from Ateneo de Manila University, Kenna Ka, Angie Robles, Aurea Gingras, Lexi Marks, Ella Fajardo, Kristan Yumul, and Kayla Padilla.
Panlilio explained, “The list primarily comprised collegiate student-athletes from the UAAP and the US NCAA, as the event’s eligibility criteria mandated that players be under 23 years old. Unfortunately, all but two players later withdrew from the roster.”
“Coach Pat didn’t give up; he identified two other players to allow us to compete. However, like athletes in various sports who appealed, HAGOC rejected the appeals,” Panlilio added.
Panlilio noted that both Pagdulagan and Villanueva were eager and ready to contribute to the club. According to Aquino, the squad will move on from this tragedy. Meanwhile, the men’s 3×3 team will face Jordan later in the afternoon.
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