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Tag: SEABA Qualifiers

  • Sandy Arespacochaga credits Sophia Dignadice for setting the tone for Gilas Girls after sweeping SEABA qualifiers 

    Sandy Arespacochaga credits Sophia Dignadice for setting the tone for Gilas Girls after sweeping SEABA qualifiers 

    Championship teams are often remembered for their stars, but the strongest programs are usually built around something less visible.

     

    For Gilas Pilipinas Girls, that foundation may have emerged in the form of Sophia Dignadice.

    The numbers certainly tell part of the story. 

     

    Dignadice averaged 12.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 4.5 rebounds during the FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers, helping the Philippines complete a flawless 4-0 campaign and secure a berth in next year’s Division A tournament in Malaysia.

     

    Yet for head coach Sandy Arespacochaga, her greatest contribution was not measured in points, assists, or rebounds.

     

    It was the example she set for everyone around her.

     

    “It helps that your best player, your most veteran player in Sophia Dignadice, is unselfish as the last person,” Arespacochaga told reporters following Gilas Girls’ qualification campaign.

     

    The veteran coach believes that attitude became one of the driving forces behind the team’s dominant run.

     

    “She’s also the biggest cheerleader. Kahit na starter siya or nasa bench siya, she cheers on the last player of the bench,” he added.

     

    That leadership was on full display throughout the tournament.

     

    Whether directing traffic on offense, setting up teammates, or encouraging players from the sidelines, Dignadice became a stabilizing presence for a young national team learning how to win together.

     

    She closed out the qualifiers with another productive outing, tallying 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists in an 88-62 victory over Indonesia, a result that completed the Philippines’ unbeaten campaign.

     

    But while Dignadice provided the leadership, she was hardly alone in carrying the load. 

     

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    Tournament MVP Rhiane Perez delivered dominant performances throughout the competition, while Tiffany Reyes and co-captain Brianna Katigbak played major roles in a squad that overwhelmed opponents by an average margin of 36.3 points.

     

    Together, they helped establish an identity that extended beyond talent alone.

     

    “Our girls really played well. Each and every game, they played well defensively and we shared the ball a lot. It’s very important to us to build an identity moving forward for this program,” Arespacochaga said.

     

    That identity, according to the coach, was one of the biggest victories of the tournament.

     

    Beyond securing qualification, the campaign offered an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the future of the Gilas Girls program — one built on teamwork, discipline, and collective sacrifice.

     

    “The girls were a pleasure to coach. They’re good and fearless. It was a collaboration of all the girls and a concentrated effort, and I’d like to commend the girls for that,” he said.

     

    For Dignadice, the qualifiers reinforced why she has become one of the most trusted leaders in the youth national team setup.

     

    The daughter of former PBA star Yves Dignadice and already a Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, she entered the tournament as one of the squad’s most experienced players. She leaves it having helped shape the culture of a group hoping to compete with Asia’s elite.

    The next challenge will be significantly tougher.

     

    With Division A competition awaiting in Malaysia, Gilas Girls will soon face the continent’s strongest programs. But after dominating Southeast Asia and establishing a clear identity, the Filipinas believe they have taken an important first step.

     

    And much of that foundation was built by a leader whose influence reached far beyond the box score.

     

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  • Gilas Girls set up title-deciding clash with Indonesia after crushing Thailand 

    Gilas Girls set up title-deciding clash with Indonesia after crushing Thailand 

    The 2026 FIBA Under-18 Women’s Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers have quickly turned into a two-team race, and the stage is now set for a winner-take-all showdown.


    Gilas Pilipinas Girls continued their commanding run in the regional tournament after dismantling Thailand, 86-48, on Thursday at the STI West Negros University Gym in Bacolod, extending their unbeaten streak to three games and moving within one win of the SEABA crown.

     

    With Indonesia also preserving its spotless record earlier in the day, Saturday’s meeting between the two squads will determine the tournament champion and the region’s representative moving forward.

     

    The Filipinas have barely been challenged throughout the competition. They opened with a 93-42 demolition of Vietnam before dispatching Singapore, 83-53. Against Thailand, Gilas delivered perhaps its most complete performance yet, seizing control from the opening minutes and never allowing the Thais any chance to recover.

     

    Lea Pinuela spearheaded the balanced attack with 16 points on 50-percent shooting while adding five rebounds and two assists. Ruiza Olmos made the most of her limited floor time, scoring 11 points on a perfect shooting night in just 13 minutes.

     

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    Tiffany Reyes and Zia Onate chipped in nine points each, with Onate also contributing five assists and three rebounds. Sophia Dignadice orchestrated the offense with eight points and eight assists, while Zaydhen Rosano and Rhiane Perez supplied seven and six points, respectively. Perez also controlled the glass with 10 rebounds.

     

    The depth of the Gilas roster continued to be one of its biggest strengths as every player once again managed to score, marking the third consecutive game in which the entire lineup contributed offensively.

     

    Unlike their previous victories, where opponents managed to stay within striking distance early, the Filipinas wasted no time asserting themselves against Thailand. Gilas raced to a 14-2 lead and closed the first quarter comfortably ahead, 20-6.

     

    The defensive pressure only intensified as the game progressed. Thailand struggled to generate quality looks and was held to just nine points in the third quarter, allowing the hosts to stretch the gap to 67-33 entering the final period.

     

    Thailand, which dropped to 0-2, could not produce a double-digit scorer. Kanyaphat Hookee and Paweetida Chanasimma led the team with nine points apiece as the Thais remained tied with Singapore at the bottom of the standings.

     

    While Gilas enjoyed another dominant win, Indonesia sent a message of its own earlier in the day.

    The Indonesians rolled past Vietnam, 81-32, to improve to 2-0 and keep pace with the Philippines atop the standings.

     

    Richelle Widjaja scored 14 points to lead Indonesia, while Mabekou Talla Valerie posted a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Praisey Blessed delivered an all-around effort with eight points, seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

     

    Vietnam absorbed its second straight defeat and slipped to 1-2. With both contenders yet to taste defeat and each winning its games by wide margins, Saturday’s clash between Gilas Pilipinas Girls and Indonesia promises to be the defining game of the tournament.

     

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  • Gilas Women U-18 begins new era under Sandy Arespacochaga in SEABA Qualifiers 

    Gilas Women U-18 begins new era under Sandy Arespacochaga in SEABA Qualifiers 

    For the Gilas Women U-18 team, the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup SEABA Qualifiers in Bacolod represent more than a regional tournament—they signal the beginning of a transition period that could influence the future of the country’s youth basketball program.


    That new phase officially starts on Tuesday, June 2, when the Filipinas face Vietnam in their opening assignment. 

     

    The matchup also serves as the head coaching debut of Sandy Arespacochaga, who was recently tasked with steering the next generation of Gilas talent toward greater success on the international stage.

     

    With Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand also participating in the five-day competition, the tournament provides an early glimpse into how the revamped program intends to move forward under its new leadership. 

     

    While victories remain important, the event offers a rare opportunity to test systems, assess player development, and establish a foundation ahead of bigger challenges in the coming years.

     

    The Philippines enters the competition in a unique position. Having already secured a berth in the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s Asia Cup after capturing the Division B crown in 2024, the pressure of qualification has largely been removed. 

     

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    Instead, the focus shifts toward building cohesion, refining execution, and identifying the players capable of becoming long-term cornerstones of the national team setup.

     

    That process begins with key contributors Tiffany Reyes and Sophia Dignadice, who are expected to anchor the squad throughout a demanding stretch of four games in five days. 

     

    Beyond individual performances, however, the coaching staff will closely monitor how the team responds to adversity, adapts to different opponents, and executes under the fast-paced schedule.

     

    The tournament also serves as a proving ground for athletes seeking to elevate their standing within the national program. 

     

    Every possession and every game become part of a larger evaluation process as coaches determine which players can handle expanded responsibilities on the road to the continental competition.

     

    After taking on Vietnam in the opener, Gilas Women U-18 will continue its campaign against Singapore on June 3, Thailand on June 4, and Indonesia on June 6. 

     

    By the end of the week, the results may matter less than the answers the team uncovers about its identity, chemistry, and readiness for the next stage of its development.

     

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