Gilas women nip Senegal for winning exit in FIBA Olympic pre-qualifiers

August 21, 2026 | 10:08am

Gilas Pilipinas' Kacey dela Rosa

(FIBA)

MANILA, Philippines -- Gilas Pilipinas women finished off the FIBA Women’s Olympic pre-qualifying tournament on a high note after squeaking past Senegal, 79-75, Friday morning (Manila time) at the Arena Astros in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

Already out of the running for a ticket to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next year, Gilas held on against the gritty Senegal squad to grab the hard-fought victory. 

The three-headed monster of Kacey dela Rosa, Sophia Dignadice and Vanessa de Jesus had 16 markers each. Dela Rosa had five rebounds, three steals and two blocks, while de Jesus had eight dimes, four boards and two steals.

Dignadice dished out four assists of her own. 

Jack Animam chipped in 14 markers, three boards and two steals in the victory. 

Leading by nine points, 44-35, early on in the third quarter, Gilas later trailed by four, 46-50, in the same frame after a triple by Ndioma Kane. 

But a 15-0 blitz by the Philippines capped by a Dignadice layup pushed the Nationals ahead, 61-50, heading to the fourth. 

There, Senegal sliced the deficit to just two, 67-69, after a Khadija Faye deuce with 5:02 left. 

But de Jesus snapped the run with a trey, which was followed up by a split from the line by Animam, to keep Gilas ahead, 73-67. 

Senegal, though, went down swinging. They trailed by just three, 71-73, with 2:36 left, before dela Rosa sank a clutch triple to keep their opponents at bay. 

And while Nogaye Diagne made it a one-possession ballgame with 1:17 to go, 75-78, Senegal could not creep in closer. 

A split from the line by Animam with 12.6 seconds to go iced the game, as attempts by Senegal to inch closer could not drop. 

Jhaz Joson had nine points for Gilas. 

Cierra Dillard filled up the statsheet with 25 points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals and a block, while Faye and Kane had 14 points each. 

The Philippines thus finished the tournament with a 1-2 win-loss record. Senegal came out winless through three games.