Ava Fajardo grateful for sister Ella’s guidance, embraces own identity with Gilas

Gilas Pilipinas Women youth. Photo from Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News.MANILA — Gilas Pilipinas Women Under-18 is set to embark on a new challenge next week at the SEABA Asia Cup U-18 qualifiers.

The Filipina hoopers are set to fly to Thailand in hopes of booking a ticket into the FIBA U-18 Women’s Asia Cup in June, and among those who will be leading the squad is team captain Ava Fajardo.

The sister of Gilas women ace Ella Fajardo, Ava was a part of the U-16 squad that earned a promotion into the age group’s Division A following their dominant win over Iran during the Division B of the Women’s Asian Championships last year.

Gilas Pilipinas’ Ava Fajardo. Photo from FIBA.This allowed the 16-year-old, 10th-grade student to not only return to the national team for the SEABA tournament this year, but also carve her own identity other than simply being the sister of Ella. 

“It’s pretty cool. I just have to thank my Ate for leading me onto this, for having my own identity,” Ava told a couple of reporters after Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum in Manila. 

However, she added that there are no issues with being associated with her sister who is also making a name for herself as a point guard for the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights in the US.

Gilas Pilipinas’ Ella Fajardo. Photo from FIBA.“Honestly, I don’t mind whenever and when anyone says that ‘Oh, you’re Ella’s sister,” shared Ava. 

“I’m actually grateful that I have an Ate like that, but I’m also grateful that people think of me as my own person as well.”

“I’m super grateful to have these opportunities and to have my own opportunities to show how I play basketball,” she continued.

And now that she was able to stand on her own as a player, Ava is embracing the responsibility of leading Gilas in their own age group campaigns.

“I think the most important thing for me is to lead them through the tournament. I think it’s just making sure that we’re focused, and that we’re playing to the best of our abilities,” she emphasized.

“Last year, we played Jordan twice for the U-16 team. The first time, we lost, and then the second time, we finally won, and I think the most important thing that changed is that our mentality was there.”

“So I think the most important thing now is that we will be mentally there, and I’ll make sure that it happens, that everyone is in it together,” Ava added.

Fajardo also maintained how she will be leading by example, and that is by playing with heart and more importantly, playing selfless basketball.

“The biggest thing we can learn from last year is just always playing with heart. Everyone on that team from last year, when they came into the game, they were all in,” she shared.

“We wanted to win, we wanted to contribute, we wanted to do something with our time on the court, and I think that’s a really important lesson that we need for this team as well.”

“We’re playing under one flag, so we’ll always remember that.”

Meanwhile, as for her personal aspirations, while Ava is hoping to play in the US much like her Ate Ella, she is not closing the door of playing collegiate hoops in the Philippines.

“I do hope of studying in the US, but I’m never gonna say no to the idea of going to school here. If anything, I could do like an extra year here.” 

“That’s possible too,” she ended.