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Gilas Women hard at work in bid to retain SEA Games gold

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="The Gilas Pilipinas Women are looking to retain their status as the best team in Southeast Asia. File photo. FIBA.basketball" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/sports/10/13/20211013-gilas-women-1.jpg"/><figcaption>The Gilas Pilipinas Women are looking to retain their status as the best team in Southeast Asia. File photo. FIBA.basketball</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- The Gilas Pilipinas Women are already deep in training, as they aim to defend their crown in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games, which will run from May 12 to 23 in Hanoi, Vietnam.Their preparations for the tournament began in February with a pool consisting of Afril Bernardino, Janine Pontejos, Clare Castro, Khate Castillo, Chack Cabinbin, Andrea Tongco, Camille Clarin, Ella Fajardo, Kristine Cayabyab, and Karl Ann Pingol. Angel Surada returns to the lineup for both the 3×3 and 5×5 tournaments. New recruits have also joined the lineup, such as Stefanie Berberabe, Gabi Bade, and Katrina Guytingco. Two notable players will be unable to join, however, as Mai-Loni Henson still has a tournament in France, while Jack Animam is recovering from an ACL injury.&quot;They would know how to play together and the chemistry and everything just being together for a longer time,&quot; said Gilas Women head coach Patrick Aquino, as quoted on the <a href="http://sbp.ph/articles/gilas-women-prepping-to-retain-sea-games-crown">official SBP website</a>. &quot;Hopefully, all those time na magkakasama kami, magawa namin lahat ng kailangan namin gawin.&quot;Aquino knows that there&#x27;s a target on their backs after winning the country&#x27;s first gold in 2019, marking the first time both the Philippines men&#x27;s and women&#x27;s teams topped the SEA Games podium. The Gilas Women were considered underdogs against Thailand in the finals, but put together their best effort of the competition to run away with a 91-71 win.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/14/21/gilas-women-excited-to-defend-sea-games-gold">READ: Gilas Women excited to defend SEA Games gold</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/13/21/gilas-women-deserve-to-be-in-fiba-asias-division-a-says-coach">READ: Gilas Women deserve to be in FIBA Asia&#x27;s Division A, says coach</a></li></ul>With a team that features a balanced mix of veterans and fresh faces, Aquino is hopeful that they can retain their status as the best team in the Southeast Asian region.&quot;It&#x27;s an awesome experience every time na we will be having a tournament like now, in the Southeast Asian Games. It&#x27;s exciting and medyo pressure since you&#x27;re the defending champion, and we hope na makuha natin yung gold,&quot; said Aquino.&quot;Everybody is going to be at us and they really want to take that gold away from us. We&#x27;ll try to do our very best. I think the kids are doing a lot of things just to get that gold again,&quot; he added.

The Gilas Pilipinas Women are already deep in training, as they aim to defend their crown in the upcoming 31st Southeast Asian Games.