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Gilas Women: SEAG rivals should prepare for Pinay physicality, says Fajardo

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Levi Joshua Verora Jr.

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="FIBA.Basketball" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/04/14/20230414-fiba-basketball.jpg"/><figcaption>Gilas women&#x27;s Ella Fajardo. <em>FIBA.Basketball</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – Nowadays, Gilas Pilipinas Women guard Ella Fajardo understands what the “Filipino” brand of basketball means more distinctively.</p><p>After finally suiting up for Fairleigh Dickinson University in US NCAA Division 1 this season, Fajardo had a better picture.</p><p>“With the (US NCAA) D1 experience, playing against taller girls, it gives me an advantage, but again here in the Philippines, unless you get hurt, they won’t call anything, they won’t call the whistle, so it’s really give and take,” Fajardo said, differentiating playing collegiate hoops in the United States and playing for the national team.</p><p>“I try to bring what I learn in the States here, while learning a lot how to play like a Filipino.”</p><p>The 20-year-old sophomore played 32 games as the FDU Knights’ go-to sixth woman, averaging steady numbers of 7.8 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and a 38.8 percent clip from three-point range.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/03/31/23/gilas-women-we-got-game">Amazing Women: Gilas Women share how they let their game do the talking</a></li></ul><p>Experiencing both styles of play gives Fajardo a handy advantage ahead of the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Cambodia, which opens in May.</p><p>She describes Gilas Women’s physicality as topnotch and one of its kind, adding that opponents better prepare well enough to match the squad’s intensity.</p><p>“It’s really good because it’s a balance of both. In the States, they’re taller, big and physical, and here, even if we’re not the tallest, we play like we are,” she said.</p><p>“When we play in the SEA Games, we can go balance it out. There’s going to be taller (opponents), and I’m used to that, but with the physicality we have here, I don’t know if they’re ready for us.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/14/23/ph-womens-volleyball-team-begins-training-in-japan">WATCH: PH women’s volleyball team begins training in Japan</a></li></ul><p>Fajardo was once the youngest player on the Gilas Women roster. She said core members like Afril Bernardino, Clare Castro, and Jack Danielle Animam helped her learn the ropes in the senior level and give her a better idea of how locals play ball.</p><p>“I remember, I always used to go up against ate Afril, Jack, Clare, all the bigs, even ate Andrea (Tongco). I was 16, going up against these girls. Nobody really matches their physicality,” she recalled.</p><p>“It really helps that you have bigs like them and the whole team in general helping you out. They don’t make you feel like you’re not good enough. If they see that you’re struggling, they’ll talk to you and that makes a difference.”</p><p>The 5-foot-5 guard’s first major event came in 2021 in the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup, where Fajardo battled continental giants Australia and China as a teenager.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/03/31/23/gilas-womens-sofia-roman-proud-of-new-wave-of-fil-foreigners">Gilas Women&#x27;s Sofia Roman proud of new wave of Fil-foreigners</a></li></ul><p>Now, the battle-tested Fajardo looks to help lead Gilas Women win their third consecutive gold medal in the SEA Games, while passing knowledge onto the next generation.</p><p>“The transitioning definitely starts whenever Coach Pat lets you practice with the seniors. When I was in my first Gilas stint, I was just 16, and already practicing with my ates. It’s always a transition. We always help each other out, especially when there are overseas competitions,” she said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/07/23/inside-a-busy-march-that-cemented-ph-womens-3x3-basketballs-status">Inside a busy March that cemented PH women’s 3x3 basketball’s status</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2560784" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Gilas Pilipinas Women guard Ella Fajardo understands what the “Filipino” brand of basketball means more distinctively.